Gas leaks are a serious thing. Because many everyday appliances use gas, homeowners need to make sure that their gas lines are maintained properly. The usual reasons for gas leaks are a poor fit, a faulty appliance, and poor maintenance.
The problem is that gas leaks can lead to serious situations, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and in the worst case, explosions. To make sure that you and your family are safe, it would be beneficial to know how you will detect gas leaks right away.
Here are signs of what you need to be vigilant about so that you will know when to call a professional right away.
- Watch out for the smell – there is a distinct smell of natural gas and propane. There may be times when the occasional foul odor may be smelled in your home, but the moment you smell rotten eggs and you cannot pinpoint the source, then you have a gas leak. The rotten egg smell is because of the sulfur that companies add to the natural gas. This is to make it easier to detect if you have a leak. Call a plumber right away as once that gas combines with electrical sources, it may lead to a fire.
- Listen for hissing sounds – as you regularly check your gas lines, one of the things you should look for is a hissing sound, as that unusual noise means there may be something wrong with the gas flow.
- Be alert for bubbles – natural gas causes bubbles to form in the water. If it rained recently in your area, check the puddles in your yard. If you see bubbles forming, there might be gas present. You can also try the soap and water solution in your gas line. Just combine liquid hand soap and water, put it in a spray bottle and just spray the hose, valve or other areas where you suspect there might be a leak. If there are bubbles, then you need to call a professional.
- Look for dead plants – high doses of natural gas is deadly, so if you see dead grass, bushes, trees or flowers near an underground gas line, it may be because they have been exposed to natural gas. Because it is difficult to check for gas leaks in an underground gas line, it is better to call professional plumbers to check it for you.
- Be alert for health problems in your family – because natural gas is harmful to the health, watch out for health complaints that you family member will voice out. Here are some that may be caused by gas leaks: headaches, breathing difficulty, chest pain, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and nosebleeds are just some of the effects of exposure to carbon monoxide.
If you suspect a gas leak in your home, aside from the leaving windows opened and vacating from the area right away, you need to call a qualified professional to make sure that your home is safe. If you need a plumber from Arlington, TX, check out All Masters Plumbing. They offer quality service and have consistently brought satisfaction to all their clients.
