How Do Plumbers Check for Gas Leaks?
Gas leaks can cause dizziness, kill houseplants, lead to higher utility bills, and spark destructive explosions. The costly damage to a home or business from a gas leak explosion is often irreversible. Fortunately, seeing the dangers that arise from gas leaks, engineers have found ways to detect them quickly and keep everyone safe and aware of the potential hazards in a residential or commercial setting. Plumbers today can easily spot a gas leak through technology and proper education on the subject. Here are four ways that plumbers check for gas leaks:
Investigating a distinct odor
Natural gas doesn’t smell, but because of the threats it poses when undetected, gas companies added a smell to alert inhabitants of potential danger. The first thing a plumber will do when inspecting for a gas leak is sniffing out sulfurous or eggy smells coming from the area. If you get a whiff in your home or business, it is essential to realize that it could be a natural gas leak, and you should take immediate action.
Listen for hissing or whistling sounds
Whistling sounds may be many plumbing-related issues, all of which need inspecting. A hissing noise coming from near the gas line could be a potential gas leak. A professional plumber will listen for weird sounds from different areas to spot if the issue is genuinely a gas leak or another problem with the plumbing or HVAC system.
Inspect the kitchen stove
Red or orange flames, rather than blue, coming from the burner is a tipoff of a gas leak. Natural gas appliances emit blue flames when working correctly, so a red or orangey hue signifies a possible issue that needs solving.
Use a gas leak sensor or detector
Recent technologies have made it much easier for plumbers to detect gas leaks. Some options include carbon monoxide alarms, explosive gas detectors, and natural gas detectors. These helpful devices can be installed into any home or commercial space and run all day to detect harmful gases. They are usually inexpensive and quite effective at alerting the people inside or outside the building whether or not there is a gas leak. You can find such an example here for both carbon dioxide and explosive gas detection.
There are some less technical ways of detecting gas leaks, like using a soapy water test or spotting if houseplants are suddenly dying. All in all, the effect of gas leaks may not be as visible until it is too late.
Do you need to check for gas leaks?
Check with a licensed professional plumber if you observe visible damage to a gas line, a smelly sulfurous odor, or strange whistling sounds emitting from a home or business. They will quickly detect the source of the issue, and they will be able to safely advise on the corrective actions and future prevention.
Water Wise Plumbing is a local, full-service residential plumbing company serving Las Vegas, Henderson, Paradise, Boulder City, Pahrump, and North Las Vegas. We provide Tankless water heater service, water softeners, water heater flush, leak detection and repair, water line rerouting, pipe installation, hydro-jetting, sewer services, and more. We are family-owned and operated, certified, and insured. We offer flat rate pricing and 24-hour emergency service.Call us today at (702) 605-6408.
