In Australia, although not all homes have natural gas lines these days, the ones that do have need to be wary of gas emergencies like a punctured gas line. These kinds of issues are highly dangerous and something that no common household owner should attempt to fix.
The Dangers of Gas Leaks
Two things could potentially happen in the event of a gas leak.
Firstly, gas is combustible. It can explode if there’s too much gas in the air and you happen to light a fire or open an electrical appliance. Even a small spark is enough to cause a massive explosion, which won’t only damage your property entirely but may even cause fatalities.
The next one happens quite a lot in cases of gas leaks: asphyxiation. Practically, natural gas or methane would replace the oxygen in your house. Soon enough, you might feel light-headed and nauseous, and that’s because your brain hasn’t been receiving enough oxygen. This could lead to either fainting or, sometimes, death.
Signs of a Gas Emergency
First of all, how do you determine if there’s a gas emergency in your property? Here are the tell-tale signs you should be on the lookout for to know exactly when to call gas line repair north potomac md:
- Smell of gas
- Gas pipes are making unusual noises, including whistling, hissing, or roaring.
- Indoor plants are dying despite being well taken care of
- Unusual odour that induces irritation of the nose, eyes, and/or throat
- The appearance of white cloud, fog, mist, or bubbles in standing water
- Someone experiences nausea, lethargy, headache, disorientation, and combativeness due to carbon monoxide exposure.
What to Do in Case of Gas Emergencies
With all of that said, you’ll want to avoid having gas leaks when you can. For one, never puncture a gas pipe. Secondly, have it maintained and replace old and rusted pipelines with the help of gas plumbing repair Sydney experts.
However, if a gas leak happens, here are the things you need to do to avoid further issues:
- Report the leak.
The most important thing you need to do is to report the leak as soon as possible.
According to the Australian Gas Networks, if you smell gas on your property, including the gas metre, you need to call the Gas Leaks and Emergency Services. However, if the smell is coming after the metre and on a section of pipes connected to gas fixtures or the appliance itself, you should call certified and fully licensed gas fitters in Sydney.
Do not assume that somebody has reported the leak. Even if somebody has, it’s better to assure that you have reported the emergency.
- Turn off the gas metre and open windows and doors.
Once you smell gas inside your home, the first thing you should do is turn off the supply at the gas metre and then open all the windows and doors of your home for proper ventilation and avoid asphyxiation.
- NEVER turn on lights and appliances.
Then, as much as possible, turn off all pilot lights and appliances and never turn them on while there’s a gas leak. If there is any electrical equipment near the gas leak, make sure you never operate that appliance.
- Remember the don’ts.
There are a few things you should never do when there’s a gas leak at home:
For one, don’t turn on any of the lights, flashlights, or use the telephones since these can possibly cause a spark that the gas would catch and cause an explosion. Of course, you should also never try to look for the leak with a match, lighter, or candle–in fact, you should never light any of these when there’s a gas leak. Even lighting a cigarette could be extremely dangerous in these times.
