Defective and damaged gas lines can result in serious problems that not just affect your property but also the health of your family. It is essential to ensure all the gas pipes, in and outside your house, are regularly maintained in order to prevent any potential damages or issues. Getting the pipes tested for leaks or repair by professionals can help you avoid any major damage.

Gas leaks can be terrifying as they can put lives in danger. Other than that, gas leaks can drastically increase the bills, harm your health, as well as damage your property and appliances. Major gas leaks can be detected, thereby preventing major damages from occurring. However, in case of a small gas leak, you might not be able to detect it, which can prove harmful unless you call in professional services for gas line repair in Richmond and get all the gas pipes inspected.

It is highly recommended that you call in experts for gas line repair in Richmond to inspect your gas pipes every year to prevent any potential issues and leakage. With regular maintenance, major damages can be avoided. Moreover, it is also best to learn about the possible symptoms of a gas leak so that you can get immediate assistance if a leak occurs.

Seven Signs There Might Be a Gas Leak

Whether your household’s gas lines are underground or above the ground, they can start deteriorating with time. Corrosion or other damages can also affect the gas lines resulting in gas leaks that can prove rather harmful if left untreated. It is essential to know the warning signs of a gas leak, and call in professional services for gas line repair in Richmond before severe damage is caused.

1.   Plants Start Dying

A gas leak can be hard to detect but it can start affect the plants that happen to be around the gas pipe leaking. The plants start dying quickly due to the gas leak. If you notice any of your plants dying, even though you water them regularly, then there might be a gas leak.

Excessive natural gas blocks the oxygen source for the place. Moreover, vegetables and fruits would also start changing colors due to excessive exposure to a gas leak. These signs are clear indication of a gas leak and you need to call in the professionals.

2.   There Are Hissing Sounds

If you start hearing hissing sounds near the gas pipes that could mean there is a gas leak. In fact, if you can hear the sound then it indicates there could be a substantial line in one of the gas lines around your house. Failing to report or call in professional services for gas line repair in Richmond could result in severe damage to your property as well as to you and your family.

3.   Smell of Rotten Egg

Natural gas doesn’t have any color or odor. However, for increased security, a component called mercaptanis added to the gas line by the utility companies. This results in a hard-to-miss smell in the otherwise odorless gas. This smell is typically described by people as similar to rotten egg smell. If you start smelling such odor or other unusual odor around the house, then it is time to call in professional services for gas line repair in Richmond.

4.   Formation of Small Bubbles

The quickest and simplest way of determining whether any of the gas line around your house is leaking is by conducting a bubble test. This bubble test also works for pressurized gas including propane tanks, tubes, and tires. Here is how you can conduct this test to check if there is a gas leak:

  • Start by mixing a small amount of dish washing liquid in a container filled with water.
  • Turn on the gas.
  • Dip a cloth or sponge in the solution and start wiping the pipe you suspect has the leak.
  • If small bubbles start forming then you have a leak on that pipe.

If there is a formation of bubbles around the wet areas of a pipe then there could be an underground gas leak. You need to immediately call in services for gas line repair in Richmond.

5.   Unusual Fog or Mist

If you notice unusual fog or mist inside your house, that could also be a sign of a leaked gas pipe. Make sure you call in the concerned authorizes and gas repair experts to detect and fix the problem.

6.   Increase in Gas Bills

In many cases, the gas leaks are so minor that they are hard to detect. In such situations, your bills would start increasing sometimes gradually and sometimes drastically as well. It is best to keep an eye on your bills to check for any unusual changes. If you do notice an increase on your gas bills, it is best to call in professionals for gas line repair in Richmond.

7.   Unexpected Health Concerns

Exposure to gas leaks can result in unexpected health issues. If you or a loved one starts experiencing any unexplained health issues then it could be because of a gas leak. Following are some common health issues that might arise with exposure to gas leaks:

  • Drowsiness
  • Light-headedness or dizziness
  • Symptoms of flu
  • Pain in chest
  • Fatigue
  • Irregular breathing or difficulty in breathing
  • Headaches
  • Nausea

If you notice these concerns or other unexplained health issues then it is important to call in experts for gas line repair in Richmond to check for gas leaks.

There might be other signs indicating a broken gas line and a gas leak around your house. It is best to call in Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Rosenberg for professional gas line repair in Richmond. The longer you wait, the more damage a gas leak can cause. Our expert team of technicians will find the root cause with thorough inspection and will fix the problem immediately. Moreover, our experts will inspect all the gas lines to make sure there aren’t any other sources of gas leaks and double check for any other gas line issues.