Gas leaks in your home or business premises can be easily missed if you don’t know how to spot them. If your building springs a gas leak, the consequences can be devastating and potentially fatal.
However, if you are aware of the warning signs that come with a gas leak, you will be able to deal with it as quickly as possible, and hopefully resolve the problem before there are any serious consequences. This article will provide you with some helpful tips to ensure you can detect and prevent gas leaks in your home or office.
Smell
The energy suppliers add a smell to household gas, which is naturally unscented. They do this as it allows you to identify the presence of gas. This decision has certainly saved countless lives over the years.
In the unexpected event of smelling gas, do not turn on any lights, try to light the hob or anything that involves a spark; if the spark comes into contact with gas it can trigger a sizeable explosion.  You should switch off your gas supply; this can be done by locating the isolation valve (normally in your meter box or possibly under the stairs). Simply turn the handle so it is 90 degrees to the upright gas pipe. Proceed to contact your energy provider immediately and arrange for an engineer to attend to the problem as soon as possible.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is odourless and so it can be easy for it to go unnoticed. Overexposure to this gas can be lethal. Installing a carbon monoxide alarm is now commonplace advice for home, as it will alert you to any leaks that may occur.
If you don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm but find you are experiencing headaches, sickness, dizziness, fatigue, stomach pains or difficulty breathing, seek medical attention.
Bubbles
Another sign that you may have a gas leak are unexpected bubbles. This may be on a pipe, near joins in the piping, perhaps even the actual gas outlet (e.g. the hob’s gas plate). As is the case for suspected gas leaks in other areas, switch off your gas supply and contact your energy provider immediately.
Even a tiny crack in the hardware warrants attention as it only takes a small fracture for leakage to occur and a build up of potentially hazardous gas over the space of a few hours / days.
Condition of your Plants
The condition of plants around the home can also be a sign of a gas leak, too. If you notice that some plants look as if they are being gently blown by a breeze, it could be gas escaping from a nearby pipe. Similarly, if plants and flowers die unexpectedly, this might be because they have been exposed to gas over a period of time. There may not always be visible signs that gas poisoning has occurred.
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Above are just a few tips which could allow you detect gas leaks in your home. It is important that if you do suspect a gas leak, you contact your energy provider immediately. It’s far better to be safe than sorry.
Try not to panic if you do discover or suspect a gas leak. Remain calm and seek professional assistance so that the experts can resolve the issue.
At Village Heating Ltd, we provide a comprehensive and professional gas safety inspection service that will ensure your facilities are as safe as possible. All our engineers are Gas Safe registered, so you can rest assured that you will be getting nothing less than service of the highest standard.