If your car smells like gas, but there's no leak from the gas tank or fuel lines, it's time to turn to other possibilities. The charcoal canister is a key part of the EVAP (or evaporative emissions control) system in your vehicle.
If you walk into your house and smell gas, but the smell isn't as strong in other rooms, there may be a problem with your sewage lines, which can also be in your laundry. If your sewage lines don't have enough airflow, they can let gases into your home. The smell of this is a lot like the smell of natural gas.
An olfactory hallucination (phantosmia) makes you detect smells that aren't really there in your environment. The odors you notice in phantosmia are different from person to person and may be foul or pleasant.
The Smell of Natural Gas
Mercaptan is harmless to humans and pets, and the unsavory smell simply serves as a warning of gas leakage. But it can crop up at other times as well, and smelling it does not necessarily mean that you have a gas leak.
If your home's boiler, fireplace or central heating system runs on gas, any one of them could be the site of a gas leak. It could also be coming from another source, such as your garbage, sewage or piping, or a dead animal somewhere in your home.
High levels of natural gas exposure can cause natural gas poisoning, which is characterized by fatigue, severe headaches, memory problems, loss of concentration, nausea, loss of consciousness, and suffocation.
If you smell this odor in your home, and you're sure it isn't actual rotten food, you could have a natural gas leak. Other ways to identify a gas leak include: Bubbles in standing water: If you have standing water outside your home, say in a pool or fountain, there could be a leak in your outdoor gas line.
DO NOT open your windows if you smell natural gas in your home! Natural gas is combustible only when it makes up 5-15% of the air in a given space. By opening a window, you might actually make the area more unsafe. DO NOT turn on/off any lights or appliances if you smell natural gas in your home or building.
A possibility of being intermittent could be if there is a leak between the line going from the ignition assemble to the burner.
Breathing small amounts of gasoline vapors can lead to nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion and breathing difficulties.
Keeping your windows shut all day will allow chemicals and allergens to build up inside. Even if you live in a polluted city, you are going to have to open the windows from time to time. “You don't want to be stuck in a house with no ventilation all day,” says Dr Paul Young of Lancaster University.
Go to a phone that is not near the smell and call your local gas company right away. (If the smell is strong or you are unsure, leave the building and then call.) They will come and make the area safe at no charge to you.
A musty or dusty smell is often a sign of mold or mildew, especially in humid or moisture-prone environments like the basement, laundry room, kitchen, or bathroom. Mold and mildew can create severe respiratory problems and can exacerbate allergies and asthma in sensitive individuals.
A weird smell in a house can come from numerous sources, including appliances, furniture, carpets, fabrics or issues like mold or mildew. Occasionally, odors may be caused by sewer gas, natural gas leaks or animals that have died between walls, in attics or under decks.
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.
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO it can make you pass out or kill you.
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.
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. Pay attention to any sudden changes in your monthly invoice.
General feelings of tiredness and listlessness are common among those exposed to natural gas. Individuals may begin to lose energy and become tired and lethargic, or they may feel that they have no strength and are weaker than they would usually be.
DO NOT enter the premises if you notice a strong gas odor or if there is other evidence of a natural gas leak. DO NOT smoke, or make a spark or flame. DO NOT turn on any electrical switches, appliances or lights as an electrical charge could create a spark.