If the smell is coming from the gas meter, or from the inlet service pipe leading to your meter from the street, phone the
Gas Meters:
The meter outside you houses a regulator on it which helps control the flow of gas into your home or business. There are times it will normally bleed-off or "burp" small amounts of gas to keep the pressure from building too high in your home. This is normal. So if you are near a meter you might smell it.
If the meter is still moving, it's probably faulty. If it's a gas meter, you might have a gas leak - report it immediately to the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. You should contact your supplier to investigate the problem with your meter. They can arrange for it to be tested.
Exposure to a slow gas leak in your house or apartment may cause deadly symptoms including sickness, weakness, nausea, suffocation, and headaches. If you feel sick or abnormal, immediately call an ambulance to confirm if you have been exposed to gas poisoning.
Gas leaks are subtle in smell but very obvious in bills. They can even go on for months undetected. But if there's a significant amount of gas escaping from your system, it can cause a spike in your gas bill.
Depending on the brand of your meter, the leak indicator could be a small triangular shaped dial or a small silver wheel that rotates when water is flowing through the meter. If the dial is moving, chances are, you have a leak.
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.
Gas leaks are very common in our home. They can be very dangerous due to the increased chances of them causing a fire, explosion or even carbon monoxide poisoning. They can go unnoticed for a long period of time because some of them, such as carbon monoxide is colorless and also odorless.
Secondly, you may hear a hissing noise. This would happen in the event of a cracked fitting or connection. If outside, it may be a cut or broken line (Note: A gas meter does make a noise when it is operating. This is normal.).
Call your supplier to give them the readings - or check if you can submit one on their website or app. If you can't get to your meter, your energy supplier might be able to give you extra help to read or move your meter. You can check if you can get extra help from your energy supplier.
There are three main causes of residential gas leaks: poor or degraded fittings/connections between the gas line and a specific appliance, lack of proper appliance maintenance and appliance malfunctions.
Are you smelling gas at the gas meter? Answer: No, you should not smell gas at your gas meter. The only reason you are smelling gas by your gas meter is a leak at the regulator or at leak at one of the pipe connections, both of which are bad news. A gas leak smells like rotten eggs.
Remember, if you smell gas inside your building or home:
Turn off your supply at the gas meter. Open all doors and windows for ventilation. Contact your licensed gas fitter to investigate the leak.
Carbon Monoxide and Explosive Gas Detector. The best option to detect harmful gas leaks is a hybrid alarm that detects both carbon monoxide and other explosive gases, such as methane, propane, and other natural gases. The First Alert Combination Explosive Gas and Carbon Monoxide Alarm can be plugged into any AC outlet.
Rotten Egg Odors
Natural gas and propane have a distinctive smell for a reason. For safety purposes, utility companies use an additive called mercaptan that gives colorless and odorless gases a smell that is hard to miss. Most people describe this smell as something like rotten eggs, sewage, or sulfur.
It's normal to smell an odor for a few seconds before seeing the flame on the range. A gas leak smells different, like rotten eggs. A hissing sound can indicate a puncture in the gas tank and some leakage. Go outside and call 911 or the gas company's emergency line if you suspect a leak.
Remember it's important call the National Gas Emergency Service number if you smell gas or suspect a gas leak as quickly as possible to avoid putting yourself in further danger.
What Is Leak Testing? In leak testing, inspectors use pressure to identify the presence of defects in an object that are causing leaks. When substances leak out of a container they flow from where the pressure is higher pressure to where it is lower.
Typically, you'll need to allow your home to air out for fifteen minutes to a few hours, but the exact timeframe depends on the severity of the leak and wind conditions in your area.
Calling the National Gas Emergency number to report a gas leak is free. An emergency gas engineer will be sent, free of charge, to 'make safe' your property. They won't repair appliances or pipework, though, that's something you'll need to arrange and pay for yourself.
There are several common places where gas leaks occur in the gas line system. It is much more likely for a gas leak to occur where pipes join together at the fittings: old shut off valves, tees, unions, flexible supply lines, regulators, and risers.