Do You Know the Signs of a Natural Gas Leak?

Natural gas is not only one of the cleanest burning fuels, but it also quickly warms your home and water while fueling other household appliances you depend on regularly.

But, like most sources of energy, it can also be dangerous if it is improperly handled. Gas leaks are the most common issue homes that use natural gas face.

Continue reading to learn more about gas leaks, or simply reach out to the Petri team with any questions you may have, or to learn more about our Brooklyn gas line services.

Signs You May Have a Gas Leak

Your Brooklyn heating experts at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning want to make sure your family stays safe from natural gas issues by providing the following tips:

1. You smell rotten eggs. While natural gas is odorless and colorless in its natural state, your utility company usually adds the odor of sulfur to it so that you can tell if you have a leak. While you might get an innocent whiff occasionally, if the odor is strong, trust that you have a leak.
2. Hissing sounds. Large leaks will produce a sound similar to air coming out of a balloon. Check your pipes regularly to make sure you do not hear hissing noises.
3. Dead or dying plants. Like canaries in a coal mine, plants that are wilting or browning could be suffering from the inability to absorb oxygen. If you’ve been taking proper care of your plants but they seem to be dying anyway, you might have a natural gas leak.
4. Air bubbles outside your home. If you have air bubbles in any standing water near your home, your underground pipes might be leaking. The natural gas could be escaping through the soil.
5. Higher gas bills. If your bill has increased sharply and it’s not the result of more use or a rate hike, you could be leaking natural gas, which is driving up your usage rates.
6. Physical ailments. If you’re suffering from dizziness, nausea, fatigue or irregular breathing, you might want to check your natural gas lines before heading to the doctor. High levels of natural gas exposure can make you ill.

What To Do If You Have a Gas Leak

Once you suspect you may have a natural gas leak, your safety is of the utmost importance. The first thing you should do is turn off your home’s natural gas shutoff valve. Once the gas is off, call 911 and wait for help. Natural gas leaks are serious and a call to emergency service personnel is warranted.

To help you detect natural gas leaks, you should also consider adding natural gas and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. A slow leak might not produce enough smell or sound for you to detect, but these detectors can alert you to the presence of natural gas early.

At Petri, we offer professional gas leak detection and gas line repair. If you suspect you have a leak or simply want your lines checked out, give us a call. Don’t wait for a natural gas catastrophe to determine you have a leak.