How to Detect a Gas Leak

Are you worried your home or business may have a gas leak?

Gas powers a lot of appliances in a residential or office location. Features that use gas do so in a way that minimizes risk as much as possible. Still, gas leaks can occur.

If left unattended, gas leaks can cause serious health issues, including death. As such, it’s important to know the gas leak symptoms so you can detect and address gas leaks right away.

Want to know how to detect a gas leak? Keep reading to learn more!

Check for Unexplained Smells

Does your home or office unexpectedly smell like rotten eggs or sulfur?

If so, you might have a gas leak. Gas companies often put mercaptan, an additive with a distinct sulfur or rotten egg scent, in the gas. That way, people can easily smell when they have a leak.

You Feel Dizzy

Have you noticed you feel dizzy in your home or office? Does the problem go away when you go outside?

People who spend time in places with a gas leak sometimes report having a headache and feeling tired and dizzy. If this is the case, you and everyone else in the building should go outside immediately and call 911. These symptoms could indicate the building has toxic levels of gas leaking into the atmosphere around you.

You should take action even if you don’t smell sulfur or rotten eggs. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that can leak into your building. Inhaling concentrated amounts of carbon monoxide can cause asphyxiation and cardiac arrest.

Check Your Stovetop

If you have a gas stove, there’s a simple way to test for a gas leak.

Turn one of your burners on and pay attention to the color of the flames. Under normal circumstances, stoves will ignite with blue flames, indicating there is a proper balance of oxygen in the air. Natural gas cuts down on the available oxygen, though. As such, if you have a gas leak, the flames will appear orange or red.

Use Soapy Water

Measure out 1 cup of water and then add in a teaspoon of soap and stir into a concentrated solution. Then, pour the mixture onto the area where you suspect the leak is occurring.

If the substance starts bubbling, gas is leaking into your home.

Look at Your Gas Leak Detector

If you have a gas leak detector, you should check it regularly to see if you have a leak.

Don’t have a detector? You can purchase one for your home or office. Natural gas, methane, and propane leak detectors will alert you if you have any of these gases in your space. Carbon monoxide alarms start beeping if you have a carbon monoxide leak.

Need a Leak Repair?

Have you detected a gas leak?

If so, you need to have it taken care of as soon as possible to keep everyone safe. That’s where we come in. When you have a gas leak, our team of trained professionals will come to your location and address the problem.

Have further questions on how to detect a gas leak? Contact us today!