7 Signs You Have A Gas Leak In Your House | San Antonio, TX

Gas leaks can not only increase your energy bills, but they are also harmful to your health. Large gas leaks are easily identified because of the smell, but smaller leaks often go unnoticed for a long period of time. Smaller gas leaks silently add to your indoor air pollution and harm your health in the process. Adverse effects of overexposure to a slow-leaking gas line can cause headaches, vomiting, respiratory problems and much more. Therefore, it is crucial to get a gas line repair in San Antonio, TX if there are any leaks.

To stay on the safe side, each household should get an inspection every 6 months for signs of gas leakages. You can also perform a routine check-up yourself in order to find it there are gas leaks.

SIGNS YOU HAVE A GAS LEAK

Whether the gas lines of your household are above ground or underground, they can deteriorate or corrode over time. Once you detect gas leaks, it is important to get the gas line repair in San Antonio, TX as early as you can. You will only be able to identify the gas leaks if you know the signs and symptoms of them. Here are a few signs that can help you to identify a gas leak:

1. DEAD PLANTS

An underground gas leak is harder to detect, but if there are any nearby plants near the gas line that are dying, it is an indication that there is a gas leak. Although plants can certainly wither and die from a variety of reasons, if they are dying without any obvious reasons then it could indicate a gas leak. Natural gas in excessive amounts can block a plant’s source of oxygen and fruits and vegetables tend to change color if they come in contact with natural gas. If you are observing these signs, you should look forward to gas line repair in San Antonio, TX.

2. HISSING SOUND

Hissing sound from the gas lines means a gas leak, in fact, if you are able to hear the leakage sound, it means that there is a substantial leak in the line. Any negligence after observing this sign can cause serious harm to you and your property, thus calling for a gas line repair in San Antonio, TX becomes extremely crucial.

3. ROTTEN EGG SMELL

Originally natural gas does not have any odor or color to it. But for safety purposes, utility companies add a component to it, known as mercaptan. It gives the odorless gas a smell, which is hard to miss. Most people describe this smell as rotten eggs or sulfur. If you are noticing this smell in your house, you should call for a gas line repair in San Antonio, TX.

4. SMALL BUBBLES

A simple and quick method to tell if your gas lines are leaking is through the bubble test. It can also work for anything that contains pressurized gas, for example, tires, tubes, and propane tanks. For doing the bubble test:

• Mix a little dishwashing soap in a large water container.
  • Make sure the gas is turned on.
  • Dip a sponge or cloth in the soap solution you just made and wipe down the suspected area.
  • If you see any bubbles forming, it means that you have a leak!

If you observe bubbles forming in wet areas around your home, you might have an underground gas leak.

5. WHITE MIST OR FOG

In cases where you observe unusual clouds of mist or fog around your house, it could mean that the gas line has been ruptured. If this ever happens you need to call concerned local authorities or gas line repair in San Antonio, TX at the earliest avail.

6. HIGHER THAN NORMAL GAS BILLS

Sometimes gas leaks remain hidden from our sight and the gas keeps leaking silently. In these conditions, you can end up with a gas bill higher than the average you used to receive. If you are observing higher gas bills, you should be looking forward to the services of gas line repair in San Antonio, TX.

7. HEALTH CONCERNS

Overexposure to gas leaks also raises health concerns. If you are observing the following conditions in your health without any other explanation, it could mean that there is a gas leak behind it:

1. Nausea
2. Headaches
3. Difficulty or irregular breathing
4. Fatigue
5. Chest Pain
6. Flu-like symptoms
7. Dizziness or light-headed
8. Drowsiness

If you are experiencing more than one condition from the above, you should seriously look forward to the option of gas line repair in San Antonio, TX.

WHAT CAUSES A GAS LEAK?

Gas leaks usually occur because of poorly fitted and badly maintained appliances or low-grade pipe fittings. If your appliance is fitted poorly, gas can escape from it. Many times the gas hose leading to the appliance is not fitted properly, which causes the gas leak.

Likewise, if your appliances are a bit older, you should get them serviced from time to time by experienced gas equipment engineers. You should also remain cautious when using second-hand appliances.

IF YOU FIND A GAS LEAK:

• If you smell the sharp odor of the natural gas, it means that there has been a major gas leak in the house. Open the windows and doors of the house, and don’t stay in that area.
• Don’t go on to find the leak as any inexperienced move can harm you. Get the services of a professional for finding and fixing the gas line repair in San Antonio, TX.
• Never operate any electrical equipment if you know that there is a gas leak. Also, keep lighters and matches away at such times. Even a small spark can result in a huge explosion.
• Evacuate the household and call for gas line repair in San Antonio, TX. If they can’t be reached, call your gas company.

Photo By Andrey_Popov at Shutterstock