A gas leak in your home can not only fill your home with a very foul smell, but it can also cause danger to both your health and your home.

You need to be able to detect a gas leak in your home and either have it repaired or repair it yourself as quickly as possible. So here’s what you need to know about gas leaks in the home.

Natural gas can be used to power various devices and rooms in the home, and over 50% of homes in the United States use natural gas. While the majority of these homes are safe and will never experience a gas leak, they can turn into problems if not fixed completely.

Look For A Sulfur Or Rotten Egg Smell In The Home

There is no mistaking a sulfur smell, because it is going to be very pungent and strong smelling! This smell is going to be very noticeable, and will likely fill your entire room, so that is one of the easiest ways to detect a natural gas leak.

While it might be incredibly frustrating to get to the source of the smell, that can be the easiest way to determine the source of the gas leak.

Look At Your Gas Stove Or Range Top

Often, the natural gas inside a home is found inside a stove. When you turn a natural gas powered stove on, the burner gives off a blue flame when you first turn it on. However, if you see orange or red flames on starting the stove, that can be a sign that there is gas in the air that is taking away the oxygen.

Listen For A Hissing Noise

If you are near your gas line and hear a whistling or a hissing noise whenever the gas is on, that can be a sign that you have a gas leak. If this is happening near your air conditioning unit, then you might find that your refrigerant line is broken, a leaking valve, or a damaged compressor. A hissing noise might be accompanied by a foul smell as well.

How Do You Repair A Gas Leak

If you have seen some of the warning signs of a suspected gas leak, then you can either call a professional or you can attempt to repair the leak yourself. It is highly recommended that you air out your house and call a professional to do this repair, but if you have worked in the gas industry before, you might be able to try it.

Switch off the gas and let the area air out, and then find the leak. Keep yourself protected with gloves and a mask as you remove the covering of the pipe. Then scrub the pipe with sandpaper and wash off any impurities with acetone.

Seal the leaks with epoxy and then refit the pipes, and once everything is secure you can test the gas lines. If they work, then you are good to go! So replace the covers and everything should work out just fine.

However, make sure that if something does go wrong, you need to talk to a professional because an improperly done gas job is extremely dangerous for your house and your family. 

Don’t Hesitate With Gas Leaks 

If you see any of these symptoms in your house, and you find that your home is experiencing a gas leak, then you should seek to get it professionally repaired as soon as possible. Then you can live in a gas free home and experience all the benefits that it provides you!