Although they’re rare, gas leaks do happen in the Yuma area and if your home uses natural gas or propane, it’s important to know the gas leak signs. When you do see an indication of a leak, walk away and only call 911 or your gas provider’s emergency number when it’s safe. Walk to a neighbor’s or call from the street.
- Look for patches of dead vegetation. If you spot a patch of dead vegetation that runs in a straight line from your gas meter, you might have a leaking pipe underground. Check to see if the irrigation system is adequately watering those plants, and if it is, contact Southwest Gas immediately.
- Pay attention to the smells inside and outside. Gas companies add an odor to natural gas and propane that smells like burning sulfur, rotten eggs, or sewer gas. A faint whiff might be coming from a gas stove that is slow to light, but for any other reason, call 911 or the gas company’s emergency number.
- The sound of hissing may indicate a gas leak. After extinguishing all sources of flame and spark in your home, trace the source of the sound. It could be a gas line, or if coming from the air handler or outdoor air conditioning condenser, a refrigerant leak. Otherwise, suspect a gas leak.
To identify a leaking gas pipe, mix up a few drops of dishwashing soap with water and dribble it on the part of the pipe from which you hear the hissing. Bubbles that form on the pipe indicate a gas leak, and turn off the gas coming into your home before calling for help.
- One of the rarest of the gas leak signs is a fog or white mist. Since mist and fog are rare occurrences in this area, be extremely careful if you see it in your yard and call the emergency numbers immediately when you’re a safe distance away.
Learning gas leak signs could save lives and property. To learn more about gas safety, contact Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company, providing trusted HVAC services for Yuma-area homeowners.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about gas leak and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
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