Natural gas is what can power many different appliances around your home – everything from your furnace to your water heater, oven, stove, and even dryer. Natural gas is colorless and odorless, but we add a harmless chemical called mercaptan to give it its distinctive “rotten eggs” or sulfur-like odor.
The reason we make natural gas detectable this way is because it can be dangerous if it’s freely flowing in your home. This can happen if you turn an unignited burner dial on your stove, but it more frequently occurs when there’s a leak along the gas piping in your home.
Always remember that natural gas is flammable and explosive. It’s also poisonous to breathe in for too long, too. Should you ever smell gas in your home, you must act immediately and quickly to resolve the problem. This will involve certain actions on your behalf as well as involvement from professionals to avoid a serious accident.
What If I Can’t Smell Natural Gas?
Some people may not be familiar with the smell of natural gas or may be unable to smell it due to a disability. Fortunately, there are other ways to tell if there may be a gas leak in your home, albeit it may be more serious by the time these signs are present.
Here are ways you can tell your home has a gas leak even if you can’t smell it:
- You hear an unfamiliar hissing sound
- You notice air bubbles coming up from standing water outside your home
- Your houseplants seem unwell or have suddenly died
- You start feeling dizzy or find it more difficult to breathe than usual
- Your gas meter and/or bill indicate a much higher usage than normal
Even if you are able to smell gas, don’t ignore these signs! It’s always better to err on the side of caution and get help when you think there’s a possible gas leak in your home.
Steps to Take When Handling a Gas Leak
If you smell gas inside your home, there are a few simple but important steps to take as soon as possible:
- Immediately evacuate your home. Your primary goal after suspecting a gas leak is to get as far away from it as possible. Don’t stop to open or close windows, don’t grab any belongings, just focus on getting yourself and your loved ones out of the home.
- Don’t smoke, light a match, light a lighter, or make any other spark or flame – this includes starting your car whether it’s in the garage or immediately outside your home. Any of these can ignite the gas.
- Don’t flip any electrical switches because doing so can cause a spark and also ignite the gas.
- After evacuating your home, call your local fire department and gas company for emergency assistance.
- After you’ve contacted emergency responders, get in touch with a plumber to help you address any gas line repairs or maintenance your home needs.
Carter Quality Plumbing Can Help
Our team at Carter Quality Plumbing offers same-day service to address any kind of plumbing crisis, especially those that can’t wait. When there’s any problem involving your gas lines, you need immediate assistance from a dependable plumber to make the situation right and protect your loved ones.
If you’d like to learn more about what we have to offer, call Carter Quality Plumbing at (803) 998-2270 now.