Did you that about 40 deaths are caused per year because of gas leaks? This is why gas safety should be taken seriously by every household. That being said, we are going to be discussing what causes carbon monoxide and natural gas leaks and how one can detect leaks.
What Causes A Gas Leak?
Gas leaks in homes are mostly caused as a result of faulty appliance like cookers and boilers. Other than this, they may have been badly maintained, or even poorly fitted. If these appliances are badly fitted, then gas will surely escape.
Typically gas tends to escape from gas hoses that are used in order to connect appliances to the gas connection. Other than the hoses themselves, gas may also leak from somewhere around the seal. All of this wouldn’t be your fault though. You just need to make sure that you have your appliances fitted by engineers that are accredited as Gas Safe.
If you aren’t sure whether your engineers are accredited, then you can even go ahead and visit the Gas Safe Site or ask your contractors or engineers for their paperwork. In the same manner, if your appliances are getting older and you are planning on getting them serviced – then you should also consult a Gas Safe engineer.
Lastly, you should be cautious about your second-hand and old appliances. This should particularly be the case if you are moving into a new home or are going to be renting one out. Luckily enough, there are some easy-to-spot signs with which you will be able to tell whether your old appliances have gas leaks or are faulty.
How to Detect Gas Leaks
The most common signs of a gas leak are the pungent smell of gas that envelopes your home almost instantaneously. In the case of a carbon monoxide leak, on the other hand, there may actually be some physical symptoms that you may suffer from.
If you think you are feeling nauseous, dizzy, ill or lightheaded, you should go out of your home immediately. When you do so and the symptoms go away immediately, then you may have shortly suffered the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.
There are also some clear signs that are triggered by household appliances whenever they have leak. All of these signs will be easily visible even if you can’t smell gas in the area.
- You should always have a crisp blue flame instead of a yellow or orange flame.
- If you have a pilot light, then you should pay attention when they always seem to blow out on their own.
- On the outside of your appliances, you can lookout for brown or black scorched area and any kind of soot.
- Lastly, you can also keep a look out for any form of excessive condensation such as mist on the windows or even a musty smell in the air.
What Will Happen If a Gas Leak Isn’t Dealt With?
Natural gas leaks can be a really serious situation. If they are left unchecked, the unsafe appliances in your home may actually lead to explosions and fires. Other than this, carbon monoxide leaks can actually poison a person to death if they remain in the closed space for too long.
What Should You Do If You Smell Gas?
In order to avoid the worst, you will have to immediately take action if you sense the smell of gas inside your home. The very first step will be to completely turn off the supply of gas at the gas meter. There will be a valve that regulates the flow of gas into your home and it will be connected to your pipe – probably at a right angle.
Locating the valve can be really difficult at times; this is why it is important for every homeowner to familiarize themselves with their gas supply. They should know whether their gas supply can be turned off and where can it be turned off from. This should especially be the case if you just moved into a new property or recently made some changes to your home’s layout.
Moving on, the next step will be to immediately get some fresh air into your home in order to disperse the gas. Go ahead and open all the windows and door and ensure an efficient air flow by leaving them open. If, however, the windows can’t be opened, then you should get yourself into the open air as soon as possible.
While you are getting a decent airflow into your home, you should make sure that no one in your home uses electrical switches as they can cause sparks which could lead to an explosion. This will also include using electronic door bells or light switches. In the similar manner, you should avoid smoking, burning naked flames or using matches or candles. All of these have the potential to ignite the leaked gas.
Once all of these steps have been checked, you can be sure that the imminent danger has been dealt with. Now it will be time for you to call in the experts. Go ahead and save the National Gas emergency number in your phone book or write it down somewhere.
This number is available 24 hours a day and is completely free to call. Just make sure that you don’t use your mobile phone inside your home when you detect a gas leak. You can either go outside to make the call or even use your neighbor’s phone to make the call.
Finally, in the unlikely event that a fire does break out, you should call the fire service at 911.
The Best Way to Avoid Gas Leaks is Preventative Maintenance
Mesa Plumbing Company can help inspect your home’s appliances and gas connections for possible leakages. We have a lot of experience with the gas connections and appliances in home, so you can trust our professionals for an efficient service.
Place your trust with the best and visit our website to find out more. You can also go ahead and call us at (480)-832-1660.