You use natural gas to heat your water, power your stove, and warm your home. Unfortunately, sometimes gas leaks happen and they can be dangerous if they go unnoticed. The good news is that Western Rooter and Plumbing offers professional and experienced gas leak detection services and gas leak repairs to help keep your home safe and secure.
If you use natural gas in your Monrovia home, here are 10 important things you ought to know about gas leaks and gas leak detection.
1. Earthquakes Can Cause a Gas Leak
California is home to over 500 active faults, and most California residents live within a 30-mile radius of an active fault. As a Monrovia homeowner, you’re no stranger to California’s earthquakes. But did you know that an earthquake can actually set off a gas leak? When an earthquake has a magnitude of 5.4 or greater, it can disrupt and damage your natural gas line. Because your gas is still operating, this causes the gas to leak out of the damaged line.
This is why it’s recommended to have an emergency earthquake gas shutoff valve installed in your home. Automatic gas shutoff valves will turn off your natural gas line in the event of a 5.4 magnitude earthquake or greater to help reduce the risk of a gas leak.
2. Gas Leaks Can Cause Explosions
One reason why it’s so important to detect and repair a gas leak as soon as possible is that gas leaks can be explosive. This is especially true if the gas leak is in an area where the gas has become concentrated such as a closet or basement. Gas leaks can be ignited by anything that creates a spark including a pilot light, cigarette light, or an electrical light such as a light switch. Gas explosions can be deadly not only for you and those in the house but also for neighbors and those nearby.
If you smell gas in your home and suspect a leak, it’s crucial that you open your doors and windows. This will help prevent the gas from becoming concentrated in your home. Don’t turn on any lights. Make sure that anyone and any pets inside the home are brought outside. From outside the house (and a good distance away), contact your local gas leak plumbers at Western Rooter and Plumbing. We’ll send one of our professional and experienced technicians to conduct a gas leak inspection and repair.
3. Gas Leaks Can Pose Serious Health Risks
Not only are gas leaks dangerous because they can be explosive but also because they can pose serious health risks to those inside the house. Exposure to natural gas in a home or apartment can result in gas poisoning, which can cause weakness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and difficulty breathing. Significant gas exposure or long-term exposure can be deadly and may even cause suffocation. If you believe you’re experiencing natural gas poisoning due to a gas leak in your home, it’s important to vacate your home immediately and seek medical attention. Once you’re safe, contact your local Monrovia gas leak technicians at Western Rooter and Plumbing to inspect your home for a gas leak and to perform a gas leak repair.
4. You Should Never Try to Find a Gas Leak Yourself
If you suspect that you have a gas leak in your home, it’s vital that you don’t attempt to find the gas leak yourself. This is because exposure to the gas can cause natural gas poisoning. Depending on how much natural gas you’ve already been inhaling, there’s a chance that you could pass out by the time you find the leak.
Instead, contact our professional technicians at Western Rooter and Plumbing. Our technicians are specially trained in gas leak detection and gas leak repairs so you can feel confident knowing we can get the job done right. We wear the proper equipment and use a gas leak detector to safely determine if there’s a gas leak in your home and where it’s located.
5. Don’t Attempt to Turn Off Your Gas
Just like you should never try to find a gas leak yourself, it’s not recommended that you try to turn off your gas yourself. While your first thought may be to turn off your gas using the main gas service shutoff valve, you could put yourself at risk of natural gas poisoning or you could potentially ignite the gas. Instead, vacate the premises and contact the professional gas leak detection services of Western Rooter and Plumbing for a gas leak repair.
6. Don’t Use Any Electrical Devices
As we mentioned above, any spark can ignite a gas leak including electrical currents. Not only should you leave your lights off if you suspect a gas leak but you also shouldn’t touch or turn on any electrical appliances or devices. Don’t plug in or unplug any devices or appliances or turn them on or off.
7. Gas Leaks Aren’t Always Obvious
The number one most common sign that you have a gas leak in your Monrovia home is that you can smell gas, sulfur, or rotten eggs. However, this isn’t the only sign that you have a gas leak in your home. Other potential warning signs that you have a gas leak include a hissing or whistling noise near your natural gas line, a gray or white cloud near your natural gas line, dead houseplants, visible damage to your natural gas line, and bubbles in nearby water. The latter is especially true if you notice bubbles coming from puddles in your yard.
8. Don’t Second Guess Yourself
Many people are quick to dismiss the warning signs of a gas leak. They may smell rotten eggs and think it may just be food that’s gone bad, or they think they’re simply fatigued from poor sleep. You may even write off the dead or dying grass and plants in your yard as the effects of another California drought. However, it’s crucial that you don’t second guess yourself. The best-case scenario is that our gas leak detection services at Western Rooter and Plumbing will determine that your home is perfectly safe. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Gas leaks are no joke.
9. Gas Leaks Can Have Many Different Causes
Earthquakes can certainly cause natural gas leaks, but there are many other potential causes as well. Gas leaks can be caused by faulty or broken appliances, improperly connected piping, damage to the natural gas line, deteriorating fittings or pieces between the appliance and the gas line, and gas lines that are old and need to be replaced. The average lifespan for a flexible gas line is approximately 30 years. If your gas line is reaching the end of its life or you notice your fittings aren’t in their best shape, consider contacting Western Rooter and Plumbing for an inspection.
10. Plumbers Can Repair Your Gas Leak
While not all plumbers are certified to conduct a gas leak repair, our team at Western Rooter and Plumbing certainly is. When you believe that you have a gas leak in your home, vacate your property and contact your gas company to stop service. Then contact our experienced team at Western Rooter and Plumbing to locate the leak and provide a quality gas leak repair.
Western Rooter and Plumbing has years of experience providing gas leak repairs and inspections. Contact us today for more information or to conduct an emergency gas leak inspection.
