{"id":7252,"date":"2020-08-17T11:41:11","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T15:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/?p=7252"},"modified":"2020-08-17T11:41:37","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T15:41:37","slug":"7-signs-of-a-gas-leak-in-your-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/7-signs-of-a-gas-leak-in-your-home\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Signs of a Gas Leak in Your Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A gas leak in your home is not only dangerous, but it’s also bad for your health and gas bill at month-end! While you may able to quickly recognize a large gas leak due to the smell, smaller gas leaks can be far more dangerous in the long-term. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because a small gas leak slowly poisons your indoor air quality without you even knowing it, which in turn, can negatively affect your health, pose a serious fire risk, and chew into your monthly bills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the top signs of a gas leak and what to do when you detect one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Not-So-Obvious Signs of a Gas Leak <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you use gas in your home — whether it’s a gas stove or gas-powered water heater, it’s important to schedule in a checkup every 6-months or so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to be extra safe, calling in the help of professional to conduct a thorough inspection is highly recommended. These professionals have specialized gas detection equipment<\/a> that can accurately pinpoint the source of a leak so you can get it fixed right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the obvious, and not-so-obvious signs to be aware of: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. A Lingering White Fog <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So this is a rather obvious sign that you have could have a gas leak in your home. But if you notice certain areas have a lingering white fog or mist, this could be escaping gas coming from a pipeline. You will generally be able to smell this white mist before you see it, though! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As soon as you notice anything of the sort, call your local authorities or a gas line repair specialist immediately.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. An Unusual Hissing Sound <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you can physically hear a gas leak, it will most likely present itself with a subtle hissing sound coming from a gas pipe or gas line. If the leak is audible, this means that it’s pretty substantial and poses a serious risk of fire or explosion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s crucial that you get in touch with local authorities or gas line repair as soon as you pick up on this type of gas leak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. An Unpleasant Sulphur Smell <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Natural gas does not have any color. But for safety reasons, it does contain a component known as mercaptan<\/a>, which gives it a characteristic sulphuric or rotten egg smell. This means that should there be a gas leak, you will be able to smell it before anything else. Remember that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms can’t detect a gas leak, so it’s up to you to be aware of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this smell is permeating your home, whether it’s constant or intermittent, don’t leave it unattended. Contact a gas line repair specialist as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Dead or Limp Indoor Plants <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Can’t figure out why your favorite Monstera, snake plant, or croton plant is looking so lifeless? This could be due to poor indoor air quality<\/a>. In-wall or underground gas leaks are difficult to detect, but if you have a house plant near these gas lines, their lifelessness could be a sign that you have a leak somewhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, indoor house plants can wilt for any number of reasons. But if they have enough air, sunlight, and water and cannot stand upright for reasons that baffle you, check for a gas leak in your home! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. A Positive ”Bubble” Test <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you suspect you have a gas leak, you can perform the very simple ”bubble” test to get to the bottom of it. All you need to do is combine dishwashing liquid and water in a bucket. Then, dip a sponge into the soapy liquid and wipe down the area you suspect may have a gas leak. If bubbles begin to form over the leaking area, this is all the confirmation you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same goes for bubbles forming in puddles of water that collect outside your home. This is a sign of a potential underground gas leak.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. An Unusually High Gas Bill <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Slow and small gas leaks can chew into your monthly gas bill without you even noticing it. If you notice your gas bill is increasing month-to-month, but you aren’t using more gas than usual, this is a fair warning you could have a gas leak in your home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. You Are Experiencing Health Issues <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It goes without saying that long-term exposure to gas inhalation poses a very serious risk to your health and that of your family members. Especially small children and pets who are extra vulnerable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If anyone in your family is experiencing persistent headaches, nausea, high levels of fatigue, irregular breathing, constant chest pain, or dizziness, it may be worth inspecting your home’s gas lines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to Do If You Find a Gas Leak <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gas leaks are usually caused by poorly maintained home appliances or low-quality pipe fittings. Leaks can also be caused by poorly installed appliances and badly fitted gas line parts. Of course, natural deterioration of underground and in-wall gas lines can also lead to leakage over time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what you should do if you find a gas leak in your home: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • As soon as you notice an obvious gas smell, open all windows and doors of your home and call in an expert right away <\/li>
  • Avoid trying to find the exact cause of a gas leak — this is better left to the professionals who have the right equipment<\/li>
  • If you detect a gas leak, do not operate any electrical equipment. Keep all lighters and matches carefully concealed — even the smallest spark can cause an explosion <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    It’s best to gather up your family and evacuate your home until gas line repair experts have fixed the problem!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Improve Your Business Acumen Through Knowledge <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Now that you know the tops signs of a gas leak, don’t delay in calling an expert when you need it. This is especially important for very obvious gas leaks that pose a serious threat to your home and health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you’re looking to improve your business acumen or general knowledge, be sure to explore the rest of this site for more. We offer articles on all things business, cleaning services, home improvement, pest control – take your pick! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A gas leak in your home is not only dangerous, but it’s also bad for your health and gas bill at month-end! While you may able to quickly recognize a large gas leak due to the smell, smaller gas leaks can be far more dangerous in the long-term.  This is because a small gas leak slowly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7252"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7252"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7254,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7252\/revisions\/7254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atyourbusiness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}