What Homeowners Should Know About Natural Gas Leaks At Home
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On Thursday, a gas-related explosion at The Clyde apartment building in Oak Cliff killed at least three people and injured several others. While the exact cause of the blast that leveled the building is still under investigation, it seems timely to talk about natural gas safety at home.
The most important thing to remember is that if you smell gas, don’t wait to act. Call Atmos right away and try to locate the source of the leak if you can. If the gas smell is strong, leave the area and call 911 to alert the fire department.
An Important Tip For Homes With Small Children
Inspector Alex suggests keeping that tempting gas key out of reach of children — a great tip. If you don’t have an automatic pilot shut-off, always make sure the gas is turned off all the way when you shut off your fire.
Also, make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector in range of your gas fireplace. Unlike wood-burning fireplaces, it’s not obvious if your fire vent isn’t working, so your house could be filling with toxic fumes like carbon monoxide without your knowledge if you don’t have a monitor.
How To Check For Gas Leaks (And How Not To)
Inspector Luis using his gas sniffer to find a gas leak in some cabinetry.
The tool the inspectors are using in the video and image above is called a gas sniffer. If you have gas appliances at home, it’s not a bad idea to get yourself one of these handy tools. This way if you ever have questions about a gas leak at home, you can use it to check for a leak.
If you ever notice that “rotten egg” smell of natural gas around the inside or outside of your home, first, try to locate the source of the smell. Is it coming from a connector near an appliance or fireplace, like in the video, or your meter like the image? If you can find it, turn off the appliance. If you cannot find the source or the leak is coming from the meter, leave your home immediately and call your gas provider. Make sure to leave doors open when you exit to provide ventilation.
What you see there is a very old gas pipe connected to a radiator that has a leak. We can see it in this picture because it has somehow ignited, maybe because the person who took the photo thought it would be funny to light it. THIS IS NOT FUNNY, NOR IS IT A GOOD WAY TO CHECK FOR A GAS LEAK. (This image came from a plumbing forum, not an inspection.) So if you smell gas, it should go without saying, (but since it obviously doesn’t), do not try to light it with fire.
Have Old Equipment Checked By a Licensed Plumber
If your home or appliances are more than 30 years old, you may have potentially dangerous uncoated brass gas connectors in need of replacement. These were commonly used in 1950s-60s construction. Some uncoated brass connectors have a flaw in the area where the tubing meets the end pieces. It can easily become cracked or torn, which could result in a natural gas leak, fire, or explosion. You can see in the video that the brass connector is setting off the gas sniffer, indicating a leak.
For more information about gas safety at home, check out Atmos Energy’s home safety guide. If you ever suspect a natural gas leak, call 911 and Atmos Energy’s 24-hour, toll-free emergency number at 866-322-8667 from a safe distance.
