When used, natural gas only produces carbon dioxide, water vapor, and trace amounts of nitrogen oxide, making it the cleanest fossil fuel on the planet. Additionally, many common household appliances, such as heaters, fireplaces, dryers, and ranges are powered by natural gas. Quite perhaps, you use natural gas to power at least one of your home’s appliances.
Natural gas, like most other forms of energy, poses risks if handled incorrectly. You can protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers of a gas leak by following some basic safety procedures and understanding what to do in an emergency. In addition, Woolf Plumbing in Perth is your best bet for safe and reliable gas fitting services.
Is It Safe to Use Natural Gas at Home?
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Natural gas, when used properly, may be a clean and reliable energy source. Compared to other fossil fuels, natural gas has a lower carbon footprint when used. Find out if gas power is good for your house by comparing gas and wood-burning fireplaces or electric and gas water heaters.
Natural gas, however, is a highly combustible substance. A leak of natural gas in the home poses risks of fire and natural gas toxicity through inhalation. Natural gas is a potentially harmful energy source that must be handled with the same caution as electricity, gasoline, and others.
Find out what to look for if you suspect a gas leak in your home
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Problems might arise if natural gas leaks from pipes or appliances that use the fuel. Knowing the signs of a natural gas leak and what to do in the event of a leak are crucial. Call 911 immediately if you suspect a natural gas leak in your home or notice any of the following symptoms.
Noises that hiss. Hissing sounds can be heard even when the appliance is turned off if there is a significant gas leak in the pipes or appliance. Listen to hissing sounds from pipes and appliances regularly.
Rubbish aroma, like stale eggs. The purest kind of natural gas has no discernible taste or smell. Gas companies use chemicals called odorants to make natural gas smell like sulfur or rotten eggs, making leaks easier to detect. The more pervasive this odor is, the more likely it is that a gas leak is present. Turning on an older gas grill may fill the air with this stench, but newer, more energy-efficient models shouldn’t give off any noticeable smoke.
Plants that are either dead or dying. If you’ve been giving your indoor and outdoor plants the attention they need, the sudden appearance of dead, withering, or stunted plants could be a symptom of a natural gas leak. To put it simply, natural gas hinders a plant’s roots from taking in oxygen, which can cause the plant to wilt and die. Trees with fewer leaves than usual, plants that shrivel up, and patches of grass that turn yellow could all be the result of a natural gas leak.
The air outside your house is bubbling. Underground plumbing outside the house is another potential source of natural gas leaks. Bubbles in puddles or mud could be an indication of natural gas seeping into the ground and eventually being released into the atmosphere.
More gas was used than usual. Indicative of a gas leak in your home is a spike in your natural gas consumption. It is normal for natural gas consumption to rise during the winter months when a gas furnace is in use, but if the consumption rises unexpectedly, it may be due to a leak.
Consequences of natural gas poisoning on the body. Natural gas exposure can cause a variety of unpleasant side effects, including a variety of headaches, dizziness, lethargy, nausea, and erratic breathing. Fatigue, severe headaches, memory problems, lack of focus, nausea, loss of consciousness, and suffocation are all symptoms of natural gas poisoning, which can result from prolonged exposure to high concentrations of the gas. Get in touch with a doctor immediately if you think you may be having symptoms related to a natural gas leak.
Always supervise young children to ensure their safety around natural gas
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It is important to supervise young children to prevent accidental exposure to natural gas from appliances such as stoves and heaters. Make sure kids understand what to do if they suspect a natural gas leak in the house, how to identify the odor of natural gas, and the signs of exposure.
Natural gas-using appliances and equipment should be checked routinely
Gas leaks can be avoided and found through routine inspections of all gas-using appliances and fixtures. To ensure the safe operation of your appliances, read the manufacturer’s guidelines to learn when and what to inspect.
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Heating systems, electric dryers, water heaters, stoves, and electric generators are all examples of appliances that commonly run on gas. You should also make sure the pilot light is on, which is present in the majority of these devices. A small, blue flame with a yellow tip should be produced by the pilot light if one is present. If you have any questions or concerns about a broken or missing pilot light, you should contact the appliance’s manufacturer.
Place carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in your home, as well as any rooms that use natural gas
In addition to the inability of those with a weak sense of smell to notice even massive gas leaks, slow gas leaks may not emit an odor of natural gas strong enough for detection. Due to these dangers, it is advised that all homes have a natural gas detector installed.
