Indicators of a Natural Gas Leak

While natural gas is a popular choice for heating and cooking in homes and businesses, it can be very dangerous if a gas line develops a leak. Exposure to leaking gas can sicken or kill a person. Gas is also highly flammable and can explode when concentrated. If you discover a gas leak in your home, you should leave immediately and call police. There are several ways to determine if there is a natural gas leak in your home or nearby.

Smell

• Natural gas, which is mostly methane, is odorless. However, many suppliers of natural gas add a chemically induced odor that reeks of sulfur, often described as the smell of rotten eggs. That smell, however, is more easily detected by some people than others and other odors can mask it, so smell alone doesn't always indicate a leak.

Visual

• Signs of natural gas leaks often can be seen. A connection to a gas appliance that shows visible damage, for instance, should serve as warning of a possible leak, as would vegetation that is damaged or dead near a pipeline in an area where it should grow normally.

Noise

• Sometimes you can hear a natural gas leak. The pitch often is high or perhaps producing a whistling sound like a teapot. It also can be lower, resembling a roar or rumble.

Medical

• There may be no indication of a gas leak until medical problems occur. A gas leak at low levels usually poses no risk. But at higher concentrations, it can cause symptoms such as dizziness, exhaustion, nausea, headaches and difficulty breathing. In extreme cases, a gas leak can cause a person to become unconscious or even die.