Urgent Measures to Take When There’s a Gas Leak


One of the factors that make gas leaks serious trouble is carbon monoxide poisoning. If you spend some time in a room where there’s gas leaking, you may start experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, shortness of breath, and irritation in the eyes.

However, if gas burns incompletely and leads to the formation of carbon monoxide, the symptoms can be much worse. In extreme cases, carbon monoxide poisoning may also lead to severe abdominal pain and loss of muscle control.

To stay safe in circumstances like these, make sure you’re well aware of common signs of a gas leak and know what you have to do:

How to detect a gas leak?

One of the telltale signs of a gas leak is the smell. Since natural gas is usually odorless and difficult to detect, gas companies use a special additive to add odor to it.

Other than that, you may see hear a hissing or blowing sound near gas pipes. The larger the crack, the more intense will be the hissing sound. In the case of huge cracks, the gas usually makes a loud roaring sound. You might also notice a white cloud forming near the leak.

Gas leaks can also be indicated by signs of visible damage. If the leak has taken place in an underground pipe, you might see bubbles forming in the water. Such pipes often appear visibly corroded, broken and damaged. Gas leaks also kill any vegetation in the area. Therefore, a leak in the house could end up damaging your house plants.


 How do you need to respond?
Here are some immediate measures to take to in case there’s a gas leak:

a. Extinguish all flames immediately. Shut off anything that may create a spark—a fireplace, stove, or welding equipment. Avoid using your cell phones and other devices. As cited by The Guardian, mobile phones are radio transmitters and can ignite sparks.

b. Evacuate all family members and pets as soon as you can and gather them in a safer place far away from the leak. Leave all doors and windows open so excessive gas doesn’t get trapped inside. Make sure the gas meter is turned off.

c. Don’t try and fix the leak on your own.

d. Don’t wait for assistance or for someone else to report the leak.

e. Make sure all the heating appliances, in particular, are turned off.

f. Immediately call up a plumbing inspection company and don’t enter the house until it has been declared safe again.

g. Once the inspector arrives, make them inspect both the pipes inside and outside the house.

h. Fixing a leak isn’t enough. In order to prevent such mishaps in the future, you should get all your gas pipes inspected and repaired routinely.

Pro Serve Plumbing is your best bet when it comes to dealing with emergency gas leaks in Fort Worth. The service is open 24 hours a day and enjoys an excellent reputation for its quick response time. Get in touch with them now. 

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