How to tell if there is a gas leak?

March 23, 2018 3:20 pm Published by

Knowing what to do in an emergency can save lives. Gas leaks can start from faulty or badly installed gas appliances, hoses or pipes. Neither natural gas and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) are poisonous, but a build-up of either can lead to fires and explosions. To make it easier to detect gas leaks, a harmless chemical is added to make it easy to smell. Here are some tips to help you in the event of a gas leak.

Firstly, if you think you can smell gas leave the building and direct other employees to do the same. Once the building is safely evacuated, call the National Gas Emergencies number 0800 111 999 straightaway. If your meter is in a safe place outside the building then you can turn off the supply. The gas mains tap should be beside your gas meter. Move the handle a quarter turn until it’s at 90 degrees from the pipe to shut off the gas supply.

What are the symptoms of a gas leak?

The most obvious one is the smell. You could however also feel unwell as a result of gas leaking into the building. So if you feel dizzy, lightheaded or have a headache or nausea and suspect a leak go outside. If you feel better in fresh air then there may be a leak and you should follow the steps in the paragraph above. These could also be possible symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

If you smell gas don’t;

  • Smoke, light a match or use any other naked flame.
  • Turn any electrical light switches or sockets on or off.
  • Use doorbells, mobile phones or any other electrical items which could cause a spark.

If you smell gas do:

  • Open doors and windows to allow fresh air in.
  • Leave the building. Switch off the supply if it is safe to do so.
  • Phone the National Gas Emergencies number on 0800 111 999. Only use a mobile phone outside the building. The number is available 24 hours a day & is free. Follow the advice given and wait outside for an engineer.

The best way to prevent leaks is to get your appliances installed and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Express Property Services can issue Landlords Gas Safety Certificates, what used to be known as CP12 certificates, and carry out boiler installation, maintenance and repairs.

We hope that you have found our introduction to gas safety useful. Do give us a call if you need some further help.

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This post was written by Express Property Services