Preventing & detecting a gas leak
Gas leaks cause hundreds of accidents around Australia every year. In some cases these lead to injury or death where the incident could have been easily avoided with regular gas line checks and gas leak repairs carried out by a licensed professional.
Did you know: Natural gas has no smell and is invisible to the human eye. The smell is added as an early warning system.
What causes a gas leak?
Most gas leaks start in the house with old or faulty appliances that have a failing seal on a gas hose. These are the most dangerous types of leaks because they tend to be close to cooking surfaces – gas and flames don’t mix! Often old appliances start to leak gas or dodgy DIY repair jobs fall apart at the seals which is why you should be cautious of purchasing second hand appliances.
Do you smell gas?
The most tell-tale sign of a gas leak is the smell. As soon as you smell gas you need to take action:
- First, find and shut off the gas supply. This might be on the outside of your home, or in some small apartments in the bathroom.
- Get fresh air into your home to dissipate the gas. Open windows and doors to get fresh air moving.
- Call a licensed gas fitter. Tap Doctor WA are on hand to attend any gas leak emergency in the Perth metro area, 24/7.
- Avoid any flames and do not use electrical plugs and switches while waiting for the technician. The spark can ignite any residual gas.
The dangers of an unresolved gas leak
Obviously, one of the main dangers of a gas leak is an ignition leading to property damage or injury. Fires and explosions are serious concerns around faulty gas appliances where a gas leak has gone undetected or ignored. Then there is the threat of poisoning; overexposure to natural gas can cause carbon monoxide poisoning in humans and animals.
Identifying and preventing gas leaks
As we mentioned smelling gas is the first major sign of a gas leak, however depending on the location of a gas leak you may not smell it at all. Keep an eye out for these signs:
- A crisp blue flame on cooking appliances is good. If the flame is orange or yellow you probably have a leak.
- Look for excessive condensation on the windows or a musty smell in the air.
- Look for scorch marks or soot on appliances. This is especially important for second hand appliances.
- If your pilot light blows out frequently it is a sign of a leak.
The easiest way to prevent a gas leak is to have a licensed professional regularly check your seals, hoses, and appliances. All gas and plumbing work needs to be carried out by licensed technicians – not only that, Tap Doctor WA provide guarantees on all our work. If you do smell gas, follow the safety steps above and call Perth’s most reliable emergency gas technicians at Tap Doctor WA for immediate service any time of the day or night.