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Do you smell gas?
If so, it’s time to spring into action to protect your property and your family!
Gas leaks are hard to ignore. And asides from electricity, they’re the most dangerous type of problem you can have.
As such, there are certain things you must do when faced with a gas leak, as well as several things you shouldn’t do.
Make no mistake, the proper response can drastically change what happens following a gas leak!
It might be due to panic, stress or anxiety.
Whatever the cause, many people don’t respond appropriately when faced with that distinctive rotten egg smell.
Some even end up doing one of these no-nos in the heat of the moment!
Let’s get the obvious “don’ts” out of the way first. Sparks will start a fire – that’s a no-brainer!
What’s less obvious is what generates sparks. Even something as simple as turning on a switches or flashlight can create sparks, which can lead to fire.
Obviously, smoking a lighting a match while there’s a gas leak is extremely dangerous. It can engulf not only your property but the surrounding areas in flames.
Even if you’re far away from the house, lighting up is a bad idea – gas travels far!
When it comes to gas leaks, ventilation is your friend. By that, we mean windows and doors.
Why not fans? It’s simple: fans such as the ones found in bathrooms and kitchens can get clogged with dust. This impacts their ability to get gas out of your home.
When talking gas, you’ll want to get rid of it ASAP. And windows tend to be much more efficient at that than fans.
You know how petrol stations warn against using your phone at the pump? The same rule applies when dealing with gas leaks.
That’s because gas leaks come with vapours that can be ignited by electrical currents in your phone.
It’s a slim risk, but it’s not one you want to be taking!
Gas can cause a whole host of health problems in those who are directly exposed to it. In particular, you may experience:
The best thing to do is is evacuate. Take your family outside immediately.
Once a certified gas fitter has checked the cause of your gas leak and gives you the all-clear to go in, then you can safely go back inside your home.
If they haven’t told you it’s safe to do so, don’t go back in!
When it comes to gas, safety is the #1 priority. It stands to reason that most of the procedure revolves around minimising the fire risk to your home and protecting your family’s health and safety.
What should you do when faced with a gas emergency? Read on to find out!
Not only does this get rid of the nasty smell, but it also helps gas escape your home, reducing your risk of fire.
Like we mentioned above, immediately open windows and doors to get gas out of your home.
Windows and doors are the preferred option as they let gas escape at a much quicker rate, without requiring any switched to be flipped.
Immediately turn off all gas and electrical appliances in your home. This helps stem the flow of gas can eliminates potential causes of sudden sparks and fire.
If possible, try shutting off power and gas to the entire house at the gas main and electrical switchboard.
Not only is this quicker, but it’s also safer.
Like we mentioned above, switches in some older homes can potentially generate sparks.
This is a fire hazard – cutting the supply of power and gas at the source is a much safer approach.
In most cases of gas leak, you won’t need to call emergency services. However, you will need to call your gas company.
Be sure to ring the emergency number your gas company provides you to report any gas leaks. They will provide advice, helping you locate the leak and can help ascertain whether it’s a network problem or contained to your house.
Click here to find out which emergency number you should be calling.
Your local plumber doesn’t just fix pipes – the Watermaster Plumbing team are also certified gas plumbers in Melbourne!
Each of our emergency plumbers is fully-trained and equipped to identify and fix the source of gas leaks. Once your home is adequately aired out, we’ll inspect your gas pipes to identify potential problems, fixing leaks.
In particular, we offer gas services like:
Contact Watermaster Plumbing on 1300 156 650 or contact us online.
Watermaster Plumbing is a local plumber in Sandringham servicing Bayside homes and businesses. We’re setting a new standard in plumbing with licensed, friendly, and highly experienced professionals delivering a range of residential and commercial plumbing solutions.
