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Effects of a Natural Gas Leak

Natural gas is a fuel that burns more cleanly than other fossil fuels, like coal, and powers many home appliances, including stoves, furnaces and hot water heaters. When natural gas leaks, however, a dangerous condition exists -- which is why gas providers add mercaptan to natural gas and mix it with methane before sending it out into utility lines. This gives the gas its unpleasant odor, so that homeowners know when there is a gas leak in the home.

  1. Explosions

    • As with any fuel source, natural gas is highly flammable. This is one of the reasons why you are supposed to call your natural gas provider immediately when you smell a leak. When gas leaks through pipe cracks or jarred openings, any spark in the area can ignite a flame that can travel back into the gas pipe system, potentially damaging many homes.

    Asphyxiation

    • Natural gas and methane combine to make a poisonous mixture if enough of it leaks to fill a room. Human lungs cannot process these gases and people trapped in a room or house that is filling with leaking natural gas are at risk of choking to death.

    Death of Vegetation

    • Natural gas doesn't always just leak into the atmosphere; sometimes it leaks through broken pipes into the soil. The cyanogen from the natural gas mixes with water and carbon monoxide to produce hydrocyanic acid, according to the "Journal of Arboriculture," and this acid would kill plants nearby quickly. One way to test contamination of the soil, according to the same article, is to set a tomato plant in the ground in an area that might be polluted. If gas was in the soil, the leaves would show signs of severe damage within a day.

    Dangers of Mercaptan

    • Mercaptan is a different substance from natural gas, but if natural gas leaks, the mercaptan comes with it. Studies have indicated that mercaptan soaks through the skin and can cause gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea and vomiting. Other possible problems include damage to the entire endocrine system and the nervous system. In higher levels, mercaptan can cause fainting.

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