If you smell a natural gas odor, hear the hissing sound of gas escaping or see other signs of a leak:
- IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE the area, and from a safe location either call 911 or SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200.
- DON'T smoke, or light a match, candle or other flame.
Natural gas is highly combustible. If there's a large leak in your home and any kind of spark occurs, it could cause a fire or explosion. Small leaks are unlikely to spark a fire or explosion, but they can still cause other kinds of damage.
At least an hour to be on the safe side for natural gas, 2 hours for propane. The more windows and fans you have going the better.
While exposure to low levels of natural gas is not harmful, long-term exposure can affect your health. Burning natural gas produces nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and methane. These chemicals can trigger respiratory problems, depression, and decrease the quality of your health.
If that goes up to 30 parts per million, it can be extremely dangerous, and it can happen with just a faulty stove. A natural gas detector or a carbon monoxide detector can alert you if the levels of natural gas in your home's air ever reach dangerous levels.
When gas leaks into a confined space, it creates a mixture of gas and air. The spark ignites the gas, setting off a conflagration. The gas expands as it heats, causing the pressure to reach intolerable levels. Any windows in the room then blow out, and the explosion causes great damage to people and property.
A natural gas leak in your home can potentially kill you. Consequently, a natural gas leak can increase the risk of fire and explosion since it spreads quickly and combusts easily. An electrical spark or fire source can set this off if you have a leak in your house.
No, carbon monoxide detectors will not detect natural gas leaks. A carbon monoxide detector will only detect carbon monoxide unless otherwise stated. However, natural gas companies often put an additive in the natural gas to give it a distinct odor. This makes it easy to detect a gas leak.
If you're exposed to a natural gas leak, you might also experience an extreme sense of fatigue. This is because the body is not receiving an adequate amount of oxygen.
Natural gas has no smell, which means a small leak would be impossible to detect. That's why your utility company adds mercaptan, a harmless chemical, to the gas. Mercaptan smells like sulphur, or rotten eggs, to help you identify gas leaks. But you may not smell anything if the leak is very small.
There was a local elderly couple that had a gas leak and never woke up. I have purchased a total of 9 detectors for me and my family. My only suggestion for the manufacturer is to make the unit both battery and electric operated in the event of electrical outage.
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Yes, natural gas does rise. The longer answer is that it rises because of its composition. Natural gas is primarily composed of methane, a colorless and nearly odorless gas that's lighter than air. In contrast, liquefied petroleum gases like propane are heavier than air, causing them to sink.
Signs of a Gas Leak inside Your Home or Business:
- Rotten Egg-Like Smell. Natural gas gives off a garlic-like smell.
- Hissing or Blowing Sound. Sometimes a gas leak can be located because of a hissing or blowing sound.
- Dead or Discolored Vegetation.
- Blowing Dirt.
- Bubbles In Standing Water.
- Very slight gas odor:
If you install a gas line yourself, be sure to check it for gas leaks:
- Apply a soap-and-water solution to each connection in the gas lines.
- Turn on the gas and look for bubbles.
- If bubbles form, tighten the fitting slightly with a pipe wrench and recheck.
Call for help - the National Gas Emergency Service helps people dealing with gas leaks, free of charge. Call 0800 111 999 and an expert will come to you within an hour, and will work to make the source of the leak safe.
