While gas is a wonderful addition to your home and can be helpful for heating, cooking, and other things, it can also be dangerous. If you suspect there is a problem with your gas supply, you need to fix it immediately. Never stay in a home where you feel there is danger from gas. You should immediately call for help and ideally, you’ll have a backup company ready to help you out.
Used properly, natural gas is quite safe and environmentally sound for use in your home. But, remember that it is flammable and can be toxic, as well. With this in mind, if you notice any of the following signs, you should turn off the gas immediately at the source, leave the building and call for help.
Rotten Egg Smell
Natural gas doesn’t smell like anything, nor does it have a colour. This means it is essentially impossible to detect. To ensure people notice there is a leak, gas companies add odours to the gas so it will have a smell and that smell is one of sulphur, which smells like rotten eggs. It’s normal to have a small scent when you first light up an older cooker or grille, but it should disappear almost instantly. If you smell more and more gas, it’s time to shut it off and leave the space.
Hissing
A hissing sound may be noticeable when the gas is leaking from a pipe or appliance. For example, if there is a crack in your cooker pipe, this could cause a hissing noise. Again, it’s essential that the gas is turned off at the source and then call for help from outside the home. It’s a good idea to check for faint hissing noises from time to time. You want to catch this before it gets to be a big leak.
Dead and Dying Plants
Are your houseplants dying for no apparent reason? You may also notice this outside the home and if they die off with no apparent injury or disease, this could indicate a gas leak. When the plants are exposed to natural gas, the roots cannot absorb oxygen and they begin to wilt and die. It’s also possible that you have a leak in a pipe outside, which can cause the grass to die off or look yellowed, particularly along the section where your pipes are.
Get In Touch
It’s a good idea to ensure you know who to call long before you have a gas emergency. This means the whole process will be much more efficient. At West London Gas, we offer emergency repairs and callouts, so put us on your contacts list and let us know if you have a problem.