Over time, gas pipes around your property can break down. They may corrode or surrounding conditions may impact them and thus cause a leak. Here are some protocols you'll want to follow carefully when addressing gas line leaks around your own property.
Figure Out Where Gas Lines Are Located
One of the first things you'll want to do when suspecting a gas line leak is to identify all areas of your home where gas lines are near. Then you can use your nose and check for bad odors. Gas leaks will smell like rotten eggs.
If you have your home's blueprints, then you can easily track down gas lines and their orientation around your home. If you don't have these plans, then you may need to contact a plumber. They'll be able to map out gas lines and then give you more information about the possibility of a gas line leak.
Properly Shut Off Gas Valves
If you do smell rotten eggs coming from underneath your home in a particular area, then you want to quickly shut off the gas valves to this portion. That will help you maintain safety until you can get the leak repaired by a qualified contractor like a plumber.
You just need to know where the valves are and then figure out which direction to turn them in. There should be instructions near the valve to guide you along properly. Or, you can just have a plumber come out and perform this step if you're not sure about your property's layout.
Let a Plumber Complete the Repair
Probably the most important step to take when addressing a gas line leak is letting a qualified plumber complete the repair. This has to be done a certain way and with specific tools. Only then will gas stay within the piping system and get distributed around your home safely again.
The plumber will require you to keep your gas line valves closed until they complete the repair. Then they'll test out their repairs to make sure there aren't any more gas leaks. You should only resume using gas appliances when they verify the repair worked out.
If you have a gas line leak around your property, there are certain steps you need to take as quickly as possible. Find out what they are and don't deviate. Then you and your property aren't going to be exposed to hazardous situations. For more information, go to sites with information on gas line repair.
When you have a plumber come work on your home, we hope you thank them. Really, you should be thanking any contractor who works on your home, but we are a little partial to plumbers and happen to think they deserve a little more recognition. After all, the stuff inside the pipes they work on doesn't usually smell very good. And even though they wear gloves, they have to get pretty close to it! If you would like to learn a little more about plumbers, then we invite you to read this blog. After learning the basics, you'll really want to thank your plumbers!