Gas Leaks – Leaky Gas: How to Find a Gas Leak in Home – How to Detect a Gas Leak
There are 10 ways how to find a gas leak in home.
When you need to check for gas leaks, remember safety comes first.
First, turn off the gas at the gas bottle or meter.
Open windows and doors, if safe to do so, and then evacuate the building.
Do not use your phone, light switches or any electrical devices and no open flame when there is a leaky gas.
Immediately leave the area and call emergency services (000) from a safe location.
Do not further inspect the gas leak, as LPG is highly flammable and combustible and may lead to an explosion or fire hazard.
Gas Leaks: How to Detect a Gas Leak in Home
Here is a summary of eleven ways to detect a gas leak in home:
- Your nose is you best gas leak sensor, when you smell rotten eggs
- Your ears are another gas leak sensor, when you hear a gas leak hissing noise
- An electronic gas leak sensor alarm
- Increased gas bills more than usual can be the sign of gas leaks
- Seeing moving dust or a white mist is a visual sign of leaky gas
- Yellow, orange, or red gas flame colour can be gas leak symptoms
- Scorching or soot in an unusual location on the gas appliance is another visual method of gas leak detection
- Gas pilot light keeps going out can be caused by leaky gas
- Dead or dying plants in the kitchen or near the gas appliance are gas leak symptoms
- Some insects are attracted to leaky gas
- Feeling unwell are physical gas leak symptoms
1. Smelling a Foul Odour Like Rotten Eggs is Symptomatic of Gas leaks
For safety reasons, the LPG gas suppliers add an Ethyl Mercaptan odourant to the gas mixture to help find a gas leak in home when you use smell as gas leak detection.
Ethyl Mercaptan is an organosulfur compound that provides a warning odour to LPG gases such as propane, butane, and methane.
Natural gas and LPG are naturally colourless and odourless without this additive.
When gas leaks from the cylinder, Ethyl Mercaptan is released with the gas, which you inhale.
Most people smell rotten eggs or rotten cabbage when there’s leaky gas.
If you notice a foul smell near all of your gas appliances, check them and report the smell to emergency services (000) immediately.
2. Using Your Ears as a Gas Leak Sensor
Hearing a hissing noise is using your ears as a gas leak sensor, as it can be caused by leaky gas.
Note that gas leaks only produces hissing noise at higher flow rates, meaning a lot of gas fuel is leaking from the gas leak.
Once again, check for gas leaks near all of your gas appliances.
Once you determine the general area, you can utilise the soapy water leak test to identify the exact location of the gas leak.
Be sure to check all connections with the soapy water, as well.
However, we do not recommend this once you hear a hissing noise and smell a strong odour of rotting eggs.
Leave the area immediately, turn off any open flames or ignition source, and open all the doors.
Call emergency services (000) and let them inspect the situation further.
3. Electronic Gas Leak Detection
Another safer way to detect a leaky gas is using electronic gas leak detection
These work by allowing gas to diffuse through a membrane and a set of electrode detectors that slightly change current when the gas is chemically oxidised (or reduced).
In other words, when gas passes through the electrochemical gas detector, it slightly changes the current of the electrodes, tripping the alarm.
They can be stationary or handheld portables. It has an audio alarm, similar to a smoke detector.
4. Gas Leak Symptoms Can Include Higher Gas Bills
If you’ve been keeping track of your gas bills (utility pipes for LNG and frequency of cylinder deliveries for LPG), obvious spikes can be gas leak symptoms.
Sometimes, gas leaks may be so small and subtle that you can’t detect them, but the meter doesn’t lie, and gas leaks may show up as increased consumption.
Remember to use units like cubic meters, cubic feet, kilograms, litres, or gallons and not their monetary value.
Volumetric and mass units are fixed, while prices per cubic metre may vary.
Remember that colder weather, additional gas appliances, or extra house guests can increase or fluctuate gas use.
5. Gas Leak Visual Indicators (Mist or Cloud)
Another form of gas leak detection is observing a white mist or cloud around your LPG storage or gas appliance, it could indicate leaky gas or pipe rupture.
Swirling dust or particles may also indicate a constantly moving gas from one direction, which is often the source of the gas leak.
In these situations, leave the area immediately and call for emergency services (000) from a safe location.
6. Changes in Flame Colour as Leaky Gas Symptoms
Changes in flame colour can be leaky gas symptoms.
A well-maintained gas appliance should produce optimal gas flow and combustion, producing a blue flame.
If you notice red or yellow flame on your burners, it could often mean your appliances need cleaning, or that carbon monoxide is produced due to incomplete combustion.
Otherwise, you may have a gas leak.
Gas appliances should be cleaned once every two years or depending on the manufacturer’s recommendation.
7. Scorching or Soot as a Telltale Sign of Leaky Gas
If you see scorching or soot in an unusual locations on the appliance, it may indicate leaky gas when turned on.
For example, a burner connection that has a gas leak may create a flame in an unintended place.
This is a serious issue as a fire hazard and ignition already exist.
As soon as you notice scorching or soot, stop using the appliance until it is serviced.
8. Pilot Lights That Go Out Can be a Gas Leak Sensor
A pilot light can be a gas leak sensor.
Pilot lights are small flames kept lit in a gas appliance.
They ignite the flowing gas to turn the appliance on and produce heat.
Whilst pilot lights are much rarer in modern gas appliances, they still exist.
Gas leaks are one cause for a pilot light to keep going out.
An intermittent pilot light becomes a problem because if left unnoticed, gas will keep flowing out of the burner without getting ignited, accumulating in your kitchen or space.
If the pilot light suddenly lights back up, it may ignite the accumulated gas, which could combust and cause massive fires in the kitchen or household.
If you have that problem, it is time for a service call.
9. Dead or Dying Plants or Trees can be Gas Leak Symptoms
Plants are very sensitive to atmospheric changes and suffer when exposed to gas leaks, making their deterioration gas leak symptoms.
If an underground gas leak occurs caused by corroding pipes or other deterioration, grass, plants or trees nearby may die from suffocation.
House plants can also be affected by leaky gas.
If there is no other obvious reason for the tree/plant problem and they are near or on top of a buried gas line, it is worth getting it checked with a gas leak detector.
Gas leaks may even affect indoor plants.
If you notice that only those ornamental plants near LPG cylinders and LNG lines are wilting, it may be a sign to contact emergency services (000) to have them take a look.
10. Insects are Attracted to Gas Leaks
Some insects are attracted to gas leaks, particularly flies.
If you notices insects swarming around your gas bottles, regulator or gas fittings, it could be an indication of leaky gas.
11. Feeling Unwell Due to Possible Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Nausea, headaches, difficulty or irregular breathing, fatigue, chest pain, flu-like symptoms, dizziness or light-headedness, and drowsiness can all be signs of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
Typically, properly functioning gas appliances are quite safe.
A blue flame is one indication of proper function and complete combustion.
A yellow or red flame can be problematic.
As discussed, malfunctioning units may cause incomplete combustion and produce carbon monoxide.
These are caused by clogged gas lines, rusted burner nozzles, an intermittent pilot light, or a gas appliance that needs thorough cleaning.
If you experience any signs of carbon monoxide poisoning while operating your indoor gas appliance, you should stop using it until it is serviced by your gas fitter.
Final Thoughts on Leaky Gas
Proper maintenance, observing safety procedures, and using appropriate gas leak detection devices can help preserve your property and avoid gas leaks and fire hazards.
If you notice any subtle signs of leaky gas, turn off the gas at the meter or the gas bottle.
Also, if it is safe to do so, leave windows and doors open and then evacuate the building.
Do not operate electrical switches or other ignition sources, including telephones.
As soon as you are in a safe location, call emergency services (000) for assistance.
If there is a fire involved, just evacuate immediately and call for help as soon as possible.
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Eric Hahn has over a decade of experience in the LPG industry and has become a key figure in shaping how LPG is marketed and communicated. As the creator of one of the world’s first LPG blogs, Eric has authored over 200 technical posts, helping educate and inform the industry and consumers.
Eric has served on multiple committees for Gas Energy Australia and the World LPG Association (WLPGA), contributing to important discussions and advancements within the global LPG sector. He has presented at WLPGA Annual Conferences, sharing his expertise as a speaker, panellist, and panel chair.
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Steve Reynolds
Technical Consultant
Steve Reynolds is a leading expert in the LPG industry with over 22 years of experience. As part of the national management team at ELGAS, Steve ensures the safe and efficient storage, handling, and transportation of LPG. He serves as the lead investigator for incidents and collaborates with authorities on industry developments.
Steve is a technical advisor to Standards Australia and Gas Energy Australia (GEA), and an active member of the World LPG Association (WLPGA), contributing to global standards and technical reviews. He holds a BSc. (Hons) in Industrial Chemistry from UNSW and has held senior safety and technical roles at ELGAS, making him a trusted authority in LPG safety and standards.