I’m not going to sugar-coat this: gas leaks can be deadly. The gas can ignite, and if that doesn’t happen, breathing in too much gas over long periods could lead to death.
That’s a chance no one should want to take, but how do you know if your home has a gas leak?
You can tell you have a gas leak in the following ways:
- Your property always seems foggy or misty even when the weather is clear
- Plants never live long even though they used to
- The home smells like rotten eggs
- You hear a constant hissing noise and you can’t pinpoint where
- You have physical symptoms like chest pain, nosebleeds, nausea, and breathing troubles
- Pets are lethargic, have no appetite, and seem to behave differently
I’m sure you have even more questions about gas leak risks in your home.
For example, you may be wondering what you should look for to confirm a leak or whether you can use a carbon monoxide detector to find a gas leak.
I’ll answer those questions and more ahead.
How To Check For Gas Leaks In The House
If some of the signs and symptoms described above seem familiar to you, then you could very well have a gas leak in your home.
To be sure, you can try a few methods.
Soapy Water Test
The soapy water test will produce bubbles if you have a gas leak. This is also one of the easiest ways to check for leaks, as everyone has dish soap in the house.
All you have to do is combine water (one cup) with dish soap (a teaspoon) in a dish, bowl, or cup. Pour the mixture near the leak, especially in a connection, and wait to see what happens.
Do you notice any bubbles?
The reason the bubbles form is that the gas is escaping from the juncture. If the test produces no bubbles, then you may be in the clear, but we’d recommend further testing.
Stove Top Check
Another basic and quick test you can do is to turn your stove top on. Yes, it’s that easy.
Let your gas stove top run for a moment and look at the color of the flame. If the fire is red or orange, the kitchen lacks sufficient oxygen for combustion. A blue flame indicates a healthy level of oxygen.
Obviously, this test will not work if you have an electric stove!
Gas Leak Detector
Your best bet by far is to invest in a gas leak detector. The UEi Test Instruments’ CD100A combustible gas leak detector is a renowned pick that is also an Amazon’s Choice product.
This gas leak detector can pick up on toluene, hydrogen sulfide, halon, propane, gasoline petrol, natural gases, oxide, ethylene, naphtha, butane, methane, benzene, ammonia, and acetone.
What Do I Do If I Smell Gas In My House?
Maybe you’ve smelled an odor reminiscent of rotting eggs your home for awhile now. Even after clearing your fridge and freezer, the smell remains.
It sounds like you have a gas leak. Staying in your home is not safe, so please leave immediately!
On your way out, make sure you don’t light anything, including candles or matches. Leave any appliances and electronics as they are, even if they’re on.
Driving a car or motorized equipment could be risky, as any sparks generated can lead to combustion. I’d recommend getting a ride from a friend or family member.
Who To Call For A Gas Leak
Once you’re safely away from the source of the gas leak, call 911 immediately. Skip the non-emergency police line, as this qualifies as an emergency.
You also want to contact your local utility company that provides your gas. Sometimes this is also the company that manages your electricity, but not always.
Here’s a list of natural gas companies throughout the United States so you can quickly find yours.
Now, for example – let’s say you live in the San Francisco area. If so, then you’re likely a PG&E customer.
This page from their website outlines what you should do if you smell gas in your home. PG&E recommends calling 911 first then contacting them via the number on the page.
Should You Open Windows If You Smell Gas?
What if you’re hastily packing up to leave your home, as you believe there’s a gas leak… For your safety, is it a good idea to open some windows?
After all, it sounds correct to aerate the home and maybe let some of that gas-ridden air out.
Please leave the windows closed! Opening them puts you even more at risk! Why? By adding more air to the home, you could increase the combustibility of natural gas.
According to People’s Gas, once natural gas comprises five to 15 percent of the air in your home, it can ignite.
Thus, if your windows are open, close and lock them before you leave the house. Just be quick about it!
Will A Carbon Monoxide Detector Pick Up A Gas Leak?
I talked before about buying a gas leak detector.
Well, let’s say you don’t have one, but you do have a carbon monoxide detector. Since carbon monoxide is a gas, will the detector work to find gas leaks in your home?
No, it won’t.
This can be confusing, so let me explain a bit about the differences between carbon dioxide and natural gas.
Carbon dioxide is a gas byproduct that occurs when combustion cannot occur in full. For example, if you own a gas fireplace, a dryer, or a furnace and these items malfunction, carbon monoxide can form.
Since carbon monoxide has no smell, color, or taste, without a carbon monoxide detector, you have no other reliable way of knowing if the gas is in your home.
Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer for just that reason.
On the other hand, natural gas is not a byproduct, although faulty devices can cause gas leaks as well. Sometimes it’s as simple as a natural gas line that’s leaking.
Although natural gas won’t kill you as quickly as carbon monoxide would if you breathe it, natural gas can ignite and explode, which is the biggest risk.
Don’t get me wrong, inhaling natural gas can be deadly, so please don’t do it.
It just rarely gets to that point due to the strong sulfur smell of natural gas, which is added in to warn you of a gas leak. Smelling it means you need to get out of the house ASAP.
Now that you’re clear on the differences between carbon monoxide and natural gas, you can see how a carbon monoxide detector won’t really help you determine if you have a gas leak.
You need a gas detector for that, like the one I mentioned in the section above.
How Can You Tell If You Have A Gas Leak Outside Your Home?
Most homeowners concern themselves with gas leaks inside the home since this is where they live.
Yet a gas leak outside can easily find its way inside your home, so you need to be steadfast in preventing leaks to both your home’s exterior and interior.
The signs of an outdoor gas leak are not the same as those for an indoor leak, so let’s talk about what to look out for.
Burning Ground
Wait – is part of your yard on fire? If the flame in question is yellow or blue and definitely emerging from the ground, this tells you one of your underground pipes is no longer working.
Do not go back into the house or try to put the flames out yourself. Instead, call 911 and vacate the premises ASAP.
Dry Ground Where It Shouldn’t Be
If your yard is on an incline and the slope collects water, it can be strange to see part of the slope is completely dry while the surrounding area is still wet.
A gas leak can cause the dirt to dry out in the area around the leak, so this is another bad sign.
More Dead Plants
Just the way your plants can die inside the house, outdoor greenery will suffer the same fate if you have a gas leak. Look for dying or dead grass, flowers, and even trees in severe cases.
The reason all your plants die when a gas leak occurs is that the plant is getting no more oxygen (plant discoloration may appear before the greenery dies outright).
Ground Bubbling
This doesn’t always happen, but in areas where your yard is especially moist, look closely for bubbles.
You might see them more often after a rain when there are puddles around your property.
Bubbling water is indicative of a leaking pipe.
Air From The Ground
The leaking pipe can also generate its own airflow even on a day that’s not the least bit windy.
Check your plants or grass to see if they move as if blown by a breeze. That is a sign to pay attention to, as well.
Conclusion
Gas leaks can be deadly whether they occur inside or outside of the home.
Knowing what to look for is one of the best ways to save your life and those of anyone you may share the house with.
Please remember to always leave your home immediately if you suspect a gas leak, call 911, then contact your utility company – in that order. Don’t touch any windows either.
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