Gas leak at my house!!!

[RoninLB]

Updated: 55 min 22 sec ago
» Disable Rapid Fire — About Rapid Fire
Observed at: Los Angeles Downtown, California
Elevation: 256 ft / 78 m

60 °F / 16 °C
Overcast
Humidity: 80%
Dew Point: 54 °F / 12 °C
Wind: 4 mph / 6 km/h / 1.5 m/s Variable
Pressure: 30.00 in / 1016 hPa
Visibility: 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers
UV: 0 out of 16
Clouds: Overcast 600 ft / 182 m
(Above Ground Level)

[Nostril Cheese]

gets real cold in the south bay dont it?

[john70t]

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Nighthawk_Combo_Gas_co_Detector~r-1~CLT-INTR~RFR-www.google.com
~$55 in the furnace room. Combo gas/CO detector.

[Brian 162]

Is the leak concealed or underground after the meter? If the gas lines are concealed it would be a good idea to have them pressure test the lines after the repair.It's a PIA because you have to isolate the lines from the meter, and ALL the appliances. The reason for that is the incoming pressure after the meter is usually 7-11 inches water column,which is roughly 1/4 of a pound. 28 inches water column is a pound.
The pressure test should be 15 pounds ( I use nitrogen) for 15 minutes. That is what the gas code in Ontario calls for.

[angelny911]

wayne thank blessing no one hurt gas leaks a dangerous the gas is colorless and oderless most gas company put an additive so you can smell the gas and as a firefighter i've been to scenes where whole family's were lost to undected gas leaks .please get a gas dector installed ,i know in cali most lines run under the houses crawl spaces so not as bad as line run thru the walls in big buildings .

[Brian 162]

The additive is called mercaptin.

[K.B.]

Originally posted by Brian 162
The additive is called mercaptin.

Isn't that also called skunk juice? Or is that just a local slang term?

[StevoRocket]

Kaboom!

[red-beard]

There are many Mercaptans. Skunks make mercaptans. The skunky flavor/smell in some beers are mercaptans. Even the funky smell when you pee after eating asparagas is a mercaptan.

Back to the gas leak.

Wayne. You can afford a hotel room for a few nights. It isn't worth your life or your family's.

[Hugh R]

Turn off the pilot lights and the pilotless ignitions, refrigerators too cause their motors aren't explosion proof. and don't turn on lights. And/or open up some windows. Go outside to smoke the cigar.

[mb911]

My second home I put a 90 % effecient furnace in my garge. It vented in side so no piping to run except the gas pipe.. For 3 years we always smelled something but figured it was the smell from changing oil etc and those fumes being consumed by the furnace and reburned to make the great smell. when we chose to sell the home the inspecter came in and said we had a leak.. It was in the gas pipe that had to be turned 4 full turns.. my wife said"told you so" so again I had to tell her she was right!!!

[Moneyguy1]

Which is a cautionary tale to put a garage gas heater "outside" the structure in its own enclosure, with only the returns and heated air return penetrating into the structure being heated. Eliminates the danger of explosive gases entering the heated space. Out here, without basements, the furnace and water heater are in a separate room, "sealed" (gasketed) from the living space, with a considerable amount of venting to the outside for any conbustible gases which may leak or CO which might not all go "up the pipe".

[red-beard]

Wayne, remember that all gas leaks are dangerous. The detector will tell you there is a combustible gas present, but do not rely on the "level". From the point of leak, as the gas mixes with air, you will have an area above the explosive limit, an area at the explosive limit and an area below the explosive limit.

Please be careful.