Plumbing Experts on Gas Leaks

It is one of the most feared scenarios for a home-owner. They come home and are assaulted by the smell of natural gas or propane. Do you know what to do? According to at least one Atlanta plumber, most people do not know what to do. Plumbers do far more than work on leaking faucets. They are experts in handling all types of plumbing, and plumbers are able to handle all of your gas line needs as well. If you are met with the odor of natural gas, there are a few steps that you should immediately take.

When natural gas and propane are refined, chemicals are added to give them the odor that we are very used to. In its normal state, gas is virtually odorless. Fortunately, regulations have made gas refineries add chemicals to make use of their product safer. Local and national safety codes dictate how gas plumbing should be installed and the parameters for material safety. These are heavily regulated and only professional plumbers should be trusted to work on gas plumbing.

A Boston plumber warns that when you first notice the smell of natural gas, you must make sure to locate and shut off the main gas lines. If you do not know where these are located you will want to make sure that you have your plumber point out where the shut off valves are. If you only have a single appliance that runs on natural gas or propane, such as a heater, a shut off valve is most likely close to the appliance. You should be aware though that the main shut off valve may be located elsewhere.

Once the gas is shut off, make sure that the circuit breaker to the house is shut down and that there are no open flames within the home. By shutting down the circuit breaker, you reduce the risk that a spark from an motor will ignite the gas. It should go without saying, that there should be absolutely no smoking in or near the building. Once you have eliminated potential ignition sources, you should properly ventilate the building. Open all windows and doors, and allow the gas to escape from the building.

Contacting the fire department should also be one of the first actions you take, states a San Diego plumber. In many cases they will immediately come to inspect the home. You may also want to contact your plumbing company as well. They may be able to assist the fire department in locating shutoff valves and point out other modifications to the gas plumbing systems. You should always wait for the emergency workers to give you permission to re-enter the building. You will want to have your plumber inspect all gas lines and appliance, and you should get a written report of the findings.

Gas leaks are an incredibly dangerous event. You will want to review, with plumbing professionals, emergency procedures. Make sure that you know where the main shut off valves are. One of the best ways to prevent leaks is to keep routine maintenance up to date. Have your gas systems inspected annually or after any event that may have caused damage to those lines.