GAS LEAK: SIGNS AND PRECAUTIONS

Imagine you left your kitchen all cleaned and okay at night. In the morning, when you enter your kitchen, you hear a hissing sound and a weird smell as well.  The majority of houses and industries use natural gas, which is safe to use but highly dangerous. A gas leak may sometimes go unnoticed, but homeowners need to be vigilant in case anything happens. We may never keep the fact under consideration that gas leaks can occur. They are dangerous to families, properties, and even pets. If you ignore even a minor gas leak, it can turn into a huge one to cause enough destruction, including life loss.

Whenever we buy or rent a place, first we check the pipelines, if they require any changes or they are worthy of living. It is wise to notice any broken or leaking pipe so that it can be changed to avoid any mishap in the future. If any of your pipelines are broken or leaking gas, and you have not noticed it, there might be a chance of displaced oxygen in that area. A gas leakage into the environment over a long period can replace the amount of oxygen which can result in death due to asphyxiation.

Recently shifted to a house in Sydney and are worried about getting your pipelines fixed or replaced? You can get your pipe relining in Sydney by calling any outlet that provides such services. Here are a few signs and symptoms of a gas leak that you shall not forget to check.

Signs:

1. Rotten egg odor

Natural gas itself is colorless and odorless; however, gas companies add a chemical into it that smells like sulfur or rotten egg. If there is a gas leak in your kitchen or any other place with a gas supply, the first thing that you are going to notice is the odor of rotten egg. You might check for a rotten egg in your refrigerator; if it is not there, then it surely is your gas pipeline that needs your attention.

2. Dead plant

Natural gas consists of methane and carbon dioxide. If you are fond of having plants in your kitchen or near your fire and out of nowhere, your favorite plant pot is dead overnight. Do not think that there is some ghost messing around with your plant. Instead, check if your gas pipeline is hissing. The dead plant can be due to excessive carbon dioxide that has filled the air, and your plant couldn’t sustain it to survive.

3. Soap test

If you are in doubt about any sort of gas leakage, one of the simple things to confirm the gas leak is to do a soap test. Take a little amount of dishwasher soap in water, dip a cloth, and wipe the pipe which you think is leaking. In case of leakage, bubbles will pop out from around the area that is leaking.

Precautions

1.       Let it escape

If you are sensing a strong sulfur odor and can see smoke in your surroundings, open all the doors and windows of your house to let the accumulated gas escape and reduce the content of carbon from the air. Do not turn on any electrical fan or appliances to hush away the gas; let it go naturally.

2.       Install gas detector

Signs usually detect a Gas leak, but still, it is better to have a gas detector installed in your house. These detectors will help you identify any excessive gas quickly. It is rare for carbon monoxide to leak or accumulate, a gas detector will also alert you when carbon monoxide is leaking. Excessive carbon monoxide is more dangerous than carbon dioxide.

Conclusion

It is better to be safe than sorry. Gas appliances shall not be handled carelessly. If you notice any single sign of a gas leak, call someone to fix your pipelines as soon as possible.