In most homes in the United States, natural gas is used to heat water or provide hot air for furnaces and other appliances. To protect your family and friends from the harmful symptoms of a gas leak, it’s important to know what causes leaks and how to prevent them. Gas leaks are catastrophic events that cause tremendous damage. The signs of a gas leak are often difficult to detect and may go unnoticed for quite some time before they become dangerous. Gas leaks can occur when a homeowner fails to maintain the proper levels of maintenance on their appliances and other devices. Here are some signs you should look out for.

5 Signs You May Have a Gas Leak

Rotten Egg Smell

Gas companies add mercaptan into their supply to alert homeowners to a leakage. The chemical emits a horrible stench that would not be recognized otherwise and is commonly compared to “rotten eggs.” A gas leak is impossible to miss, so if you smell one, vacate the premises and notify your gas provider right once.

Sickness & Fatigue

Vomiting, weakness, nausea, suffocation, and headaches may result from exposure to a gas leak in your house or apartment. If you have any of these symptoms after the gas has leaked into the building, call an ambulance right once to determine if you have been poisoned by gas.

Unhealthy Houseplants

If a gas leak continues unnoticed for an extended length of time, there will be insufficient oxygen in your home to breathe. As a consequence, you can start seeing signs like sick or dead houseplants in your kitchen, dining room, or bedroom. Plants are not the only ones affected by moderate to severe gas leaks. If this problem is not treated by a skilled contractor, it will turn fatal.

Dead Grass & Bushes

There are several gas lines under your house that supply natural gas to your hardware and appliances. If a gas pipe in the bottom cracks, gas is discharged into the air and absorbs oxygen. Without an adequate quantity of oxygen, grass and plants will sprout in your yard. Yellow grass and dead leaves on your shrubs are visible signs of a gas leak.

Irritated Skin

Some people who are exposed to a gas leak behind a wall or ceiling can experience skin discomfort. Large volumes of natural gas in the air can cause blisters or numbness, and long-term exposure to carbon monoxide can cause skin discoloration and other problems.

What are the Causes of Gas Leaks?

Home Appliances

If you have heat-producing equipment in your home that uses natural gas, you should get your gas lines tested on a yearly basis. It is not unusual for a connection between a gas line and an appliance to become loose. Each year, we recommend contacting a professional to evaluate equipment such as stoves, water heaters, and dryers to see whether there is a gas leak.

Poor Ventilation

Gas appliances are designed with ventilation fans and pipes to eliminate the hazardous carbon monoxide created during the usual heating procedure. For example, your gas fireplace and water heater both use carbon monoxide to generate warm air or water for your home. If your appliances are performing properly, this odorless and colorless gas will be discharged to the exterior air via a fan and pipe.

Hiring a skilled plumber to examine your gas lines on a yearly basis can help safeguard your family from a tragic gas leak. Small to significant faults with ventilation fans in your appliances may result in the formation of a critical leak in your house. Clogged exhaust pipes may potentially produce lethal leaks as these appliances near the middle or end of their lifespans.

Pipe Corrosion

Gas pipes that are linked to your home have a limited lifespan. If they are not changed before the end of their service life, they will corrode and release gas. While it may appear simple to inspect your gas lines, there are several pipes beneath your home that cannot be reached for normal maintenance.

Due to the development of tree roots, a crack or hole may emerge on a new gas line beneath your property. If you suspect a gas line leak, immediately vacate your home and contact a certified plumber to diagnose and repair the problem.

Contact Caccia Plumbing Immediately

The best thing to do when you suspect a gas leak is to leave your home and contact your gas company as soon as you are outside. In addition, please contact our team so we can locate the leak and repair your gas line. We strongly recommend that you do not attempt to shut off your gas valves; instead, please exit the house immediately so that we can locate and patch the leak before it leads to an explosion or fire.

And if you have any issues with your home’s plumbing, heating, or cooling and prefer not to do it yourself, our professionals are ready to help. To learn more about the services we provide at Caccia Plumbing, please visit our website or call (650) 442-1470 to talk with a representative immediately.