SolveYourProblem:
Home Tips Article Series
How
To Handle Gas Leaks Or Carbon Monoxide Leaks
“What happens if I smell gas in my home? What
is going on and what should I do?”
When natural gas or propane gas smell is detected in home,
or in particular area of appliances, you are basically smelling
an added odor done so for your safety. This “odorant” is added
to natural gas and propane gas to alert people of its presence.
Gas buildup can be extremely dangerous and should
be taken very seriously. Gas leaks, which can result from a number of
causes, can produce tremendous explosions, so it is wise to
be overly cautious.
What
To Do
If
you smell a strong gas odor upon returning to your home,
do not enter. Call for help from a neighbor's
phone. If you smell gas within any area of your home, do
not try to light any appliance. If faint gas odor is detected,
put out any smoking materials, don't turn on any light switches,
and don't use any phone in the home. Shut off any valves
to
appliances suspected of leaking the gas, then call a technician.
However, if you are in doubt or if the gas odor is strong,
leave the home immediately, call your gas supplier from a
neighbor's phone, and follow their instructions. If you can't
reach the
gas supplier, call the fire department or 911. Liquid
propane (LP) gas is heavier than air. If there is a
leak in a propane system, the gas will settle near the floor.
Basements, crawl spaces, skirted areas under mobile homes (even
when ventilated), closets, and areas below ground level, can
serve as pockets for accumulated gas. Before attempting to
light or relight a pilot light, or turning on a nearby electrical
switch, be absolutely sure there is no accumulated propane
gas in the area by sniffing at floor level in the vicinity
of any appliance.
Tip: Be especially cautious about gas leaks whenever new gas
appliances have been installed. Check all gas pipes and fittings
for leaks with a soapy water solution. Before lighting any
newly installed appliance, factory fittings on appliances should
be checked by a qualified technician.
The Dangers Of Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless
gas. Usually carbon dioxide (C02) is produced during the combustion
of carbon-containing, or organic, material, such as natural
gas, oil, and wood. But if enough oxygen is not present, CO
is formed instead of C02. Any gas, oil, kerosene or wood-powered
appliance, or combustion product has the potential to produce
carbon monoxide. Examples include wood stoves, fireplaces,
space heaters, charcoal grills, furnaces, water heaters, boilers,
and gas cooking ranges. (If adequate combustion air is provided,
and the appliance is properly installed and maintained, the
small amounts of carbon monoxide generated can be safely vented
to the outside.)
Other sources include burning cigarettes; combustion appliances,
such as a hibachi, used indoors; a cooking stove, used to heat
a room; a blocked or leaky chimney; a cracked or corroded heat
exchanger; combustion air back-drafts that spill back into
the home instead of going out the chimney, vent, or flue.
What
to do
Each
year as many as 10,000 United States residents seek medical
treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning. Typical
symptoms of exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide include
headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. (Long-term
exposure to low levels has also been known to cause chest
pains.) Exposure to high levels can result in unconsciousness
and death.
Some people are more sensitive to carbon monoxide than others. If your home has gas appliances, and you or other family members
are experiencing some of the above symptoms, check your appliances
and see your doctor to be tested. If you believe your furnace
or other heating appliances are releasing carbon monoxide,
consult a heating or ventilation contractor or the company
that provides your heating fuel. A visual inspection may identify
the cause.
The first step in preventing problems is hiring a qualified
technician to install fuel-burning equipment or to convert
an appliance from using one type of fuel to using another.
Never burn charcoal inside the house in a grill, hibachi, or
fireplace. Don't heat or warm a room with a gas oven, and don't
use a stove or fireplace that is not properly vented. Also,
don't run a car engine, lawn mower, or other combustion engine
in a closed garage. Set up a maintenance schedule with a qualified
technician to inspect your furnace or boiler.
Acceptable levels of carbon monoxide in the home is considered
9 parts per million (ppm) or less. Monitoring and testing services
are available through private testing labs and safety supply
stores. Passive monitors, about $10, change color when elevated
C02 levels are detected. Electronic monitors, similar to smoke
detectors (about $70 to $150), sound an alarm.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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