Three Easy Ways to Detect the Presence of a Gas Leak in the Home

Natural gas is one of the cheapest and most convenient sources of cooking fuel in the home. Natural gas is a general name given to methane, butane, propane and pentane. What most homeowners might not know about the gas is that in its natural state, it is odourless; gas suppliers have to add some higher alkanes such as sulphides to it to create the characteristic gas smell. Natural gas is generally safe to use in the home. However, the gas can be hazardous when there is a leak in the home. Here are three simple ways in which you can detect a gas leak in the house:

Physical Symptoms

Not many people pay a lot of attention to their gas and plumbing lines. As a result, they only notice gas leaks when they start experiencing physical signs of gas poisoning. Some of the common symptoms include unexplained dizziness, breathing difficulties, drowsiness, headaches, eye and throat irritation, nausea and nosebleeds. If more than one member of the same household is experiencing these symptoms, it is highly likely that gas poisoning could be the cause. The best way to deal with the situation is to get a plumber to help you check for leaks.

Visible Signs

People usually notice these signs when they have already started dealing with physical signs of oxygen deprivation in the house. The signs here will include the smell of rotten eggs or sulphur inside the house, hissing and whistling sounds near the gas line, a visible white cloud near the gas line, dying houseplants and broken or damaged gas pipes. Other signs to look out for include abnormally high gas bills when you know you haven't added any appliances that use gas.

Symptoms in Pets

There are cases where the leak could be minimal, and the signs could be too subtle for the human body to react. However, pets will always react to changes in the environment. If your pets start exhibiting symptoms such as red and watery eyes, vomiting, disorientation, lethargy, loss of appetite and changes in mood, and you cannot connect it to any other illness, get a plumber to check the gas lines.

Unchecked gas leaks in the home can lead to gas poisoning and fire damage in the home. It is advisable to evacuate everyone from your home and hire a competent plumber every time you suspect there could be a gas leak in the house; they will assess, locate and repair the leak before the damage spreads.

Reach out to your local plumber for more information about gas line leak detection.

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