Natural gas leaks are extremely dangerous, with many health and safety risks like a gas leak explosion.
Which is why, as a homeowner it’s your responsibility to check gas fittings regularly to ensure safety. Failing to do so can mean that permanent property damage is inflicted.
No matter how small a leak may seem, it’s always wise to bring in professional gas fitters to examine the problem. Even the smallest gas leaks can lead to major fire hazards if you fail to repair them in time. But, before you can contact gas fitters, you need to know some precautionary steps to minimise the damage.
We’ve provided a comprehensive guide on what to do in this scenario.
See the below:
See some signs commonly associated with gas leaks:
As soon as you smell gas inside your home, it’s likely coming from a leak in your kitchen gas fittings or appliances. The cooking gas can be suffocating and harmful to health if you inhale it for a long time. So, the first thing you need to do is open all the doors and windows of the house to let the gas go out.
Then you must evacuate everyone from the premises, putting them at a safe distance, so they don’t inhale the gas. This prevents the chances of them developing serious illnesses.
If you have a face mask on hand, it’s ideal to wear one to avoid any harm from gas exposure while evacuating.
Once you’ve evacuated people as per the instructions above, it’s time to go to the source of the gas leak and turn it off to prevent the constant leaking of the gas.
Raid your kitchen and turn off the LPG gas cylinder or the gas metre, whatever you’re using as the cooking gas. Plus, try to switch off all power sources and electrical appliances to avoid any electrical sparks that can lead to massive fire damage.
Before doing so, ensure that it’s safe to turn off the electrical metre box. If it’s not safe to turn off the main power source, leave it for the professionals to handle and get out of the house as soon as possible.
Once you’ve taken the precautionary steps and are at a safe distance, you must contact a professional. You can either contact a licensed gas fitter, or the local gas authority. Under no means do you attempt a “DIY” gas repair. This can be extremely dangerous, causing more harm than good.
Once this is done, wait for them to come and assess the situation. It might be a good idea to look for alternative living accommodations till the gas leak at your house is fixed.
If you can smell gas outside the house, you might be having a gas leak in the main underground gas lines. It might be even more dangerous than a mere gas leak in the kitchen because it can impact your entire neighbourhood.
Under such circumstances, the first thing you need to do is remove and turn off all possible ignition sources from the area, such as cigarettes, general electrical appliances, and even mobile phones.
If you’re not careful about it, you might end up with a burst gas main pipe outside the house. So, avoid any ignition that can escalate the situation.
Once you’ve detected the gas leak, don’t waste any time contacting the emergency services of your local gas authority. Do not try to fix the gas leak yourself without any professional assistance or guidance.
Inform the local authority about the gas leak, including its location and any other important details.
Wait for them to look into the matter and do the needful for repairing the leak. They will have the proper tools and equipment required to repair any gas leaks. So, immediately call their emergency phone line once you’ve detected the location of the gas leak.
After you’ve made the local authorities aware of the situation, it’s time to turn off the source of the gas leak. The main gas metre is generally present at the front or side of the house. So, locate the gas metre and turn off the gas to prevent leakage.
Rotate the gas metre valve to the OFF sign to turn off the gas. If there’s no designated OFF sign in your gas metre, keep the handle across the gas inlet pipe at right angles to turn off the gas.
Now, wait for the professionals to come and repair the leak without attempting to fix it yourself.
Along with faulty gas lines, faulty gas appliances in your kitchen can also lead to gas leaks. So, it’s better to detect such gas appliances to avoid gas leaks.
Below, we’ve highlighted certain instances that might indicate whether your gas appliances are operating properly or not.
Some of these can include:
If any of your gas appliances are showing these signs, stop using them ASAP and contact professional gas fitters.
If you’re facing issues with gas leaks in the kitchen in Sydney, you can always hire licensed professional gas fitters in Sydney to fix the leak.
But, if you have leaks in the main gas lines, it’s best to inform the local authorities and get in touch with the gas company.
Whatever you do, never try to fix the gas leaks yourself. Always maintain a safe distance from the leak to avoid any health issues. Also, remove all ignition sources from the vicinity to avoid fire hazards.
Gas leak situations can compromise the safety of yourself, and your family! For trusted plumbers who act fast in gas leak detection, reach out to us.
At All Day Plumbing, we’ve effectively managed a range of emergency plumbing situations. Trust us to provide the prompt assistance you need!
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