Should you get one for your home? Experts say that if you're willing to put up with the possibility of false alarms and to replace your detector every few years, a natural gas alarm could give you some additional protection against an explosion, especially if you have natural gas appliances.
Natural gas detectors can alert you and your family of odorless and dangerous leaks. They may not be as common on the list of must haves for the home such as a smoke detector or fire extinguisher, but these devices are worth serious consideration and can detect potentially serious situations.
All gas detectors offer accuracy, but some have enhanced safety benefits compared with most. This is because they simultaneously reduce the possibility of human error and malfunction, ensuring the gas detector is working at total capacity and providing complete safety.
A gas detector can sound an alarm to operators in the area where the leak is occurring, giving them the opportunity to leave. This type of device is important because there are many gases that can be harmful to organic life, such as humans or animals.
Despite their widespread usage, metal oxide gas sensors have several drawbacks, including limited selectivity for specific gases, response and recovery times measured in minutes or hours, and a significant effect of humidity on the sensor output.
The disadvantages are that anode wires are delicate and can lose efficiency in gas flow detectors due to deposition, the efficiency and operation affected by ingress of oxygen into fill gas, and measurement windows easily damaged in large area detectors.
Install your natural gas detectors in locations close to sources of natural gas. This includes, placing them in any room with windows or a gas appliance such as your kitchen and your basement. When adding to a room with windows, be sure to position natural gas detectors higher than all doors and windows.
At the time of the MTTF the probability of failure is 63 %.
Although safe for everyday use, LPG and natural gas are flammable, making them extremely dangerous if high levels or a leak are undetected. LPG and natural gas detectors provide a vital warning when the percentage of gas in the air lays between the lower explosive limit (LEL) and upper explosive limit (UEL).
Electrochemical sensors for common gases such as carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulphide have an operational life typically stated at 2-3 years. More exotic gas sensor such as hydrogen fluoride may have a life of only 12-18 months.
Gas detectors work by using a scaling system. When a harmful gas is detected and the amount exceeds the scale's maximum level, this will trigger the alarm.
It is best to install a gas detector in every room where gas-consuming appliances are installed.
Natural gas is 30% lighter than air. If a leak occurs in an open area, natural gas will easily vent and dissipate into the atmosphere. When enclosed, natural gas will rise to the ceiling and fill the room from top to bottom.
To summarize, building owners must install at least one fuel gas detector in accordance with the manufacturers requirements, in every room containing an appliance fueled by propane, natural gas, or any liquefied petroleum gas.
Catalytic diffusion sensors are the most widely used devices for the detection of combustible gases and vapors.
It's important to know that natural gas is different from smoke carbon monoxide. While smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are a critical part of protecting your home and family, they will not detect a natural gas leak; you'll need a natural gas detector for that.
I have frequently been asked: “How often should you change gas detector sensors?” The answer to this question is really quite simple. There is really no recommended maintenance schedule for replacing the sensors in a portable gas detector.
Natural gas has no odor. Gas companies add a harmless chemical called mercaptan to give it its distinctive “rotten egg” smell. All natural gas and propane pipeline gas in Connecticut is odorized. If you smell gas near an appliance, it may be just a pilot light that has gone out or a burner valve that is open slightly.
Unlike gas detectors, which are tiedinto a building's system, gas monitors are portable, wireless, and hands-free. They're usually easy to use and light, which makes them ideal for personal usein areas that may have pockets of gas, such as confined spaces.
The different types of gas-filled detectors are: ionization chambers, proportional counters, and Geiger-Mueller (G-M) tubes.
Ultimately, no, a carbon monoxide detector cannot detect a natural gas leak. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas created when fuel is burned in the presence of low levels of oxygen. Carbon monoxide is very different from methane and cannot be detected with the same sensor.