Should I be worried if my house smells like gas?

Here’s what you should DO if you smell gas: DO leave the home, building, or area of the suspected leak. Get to a safe area as quickly as possible. After leaving your home, DO call the 24-hour emergency number for Peoples at 1-800-400-4271, or call your local emergency response number.

Why does my new house smell like gas?





What does a gas leak smell like in your house? Natural gas is odorless, but a substance known as mercaptan is added to your natural gas so that it gives off a pungent rotten egg smell. If you notice this odor in your home, it’s possible you have a natural gas leak.

How long does it take to get gas fumes out of a house?

How Long Does It Take Natural Gas To Dissipate? According to a recent study, it takes around 10 days for natural gas to dissipate after it has been released into the air. The study also found that the gas can linger in certain areas for up to a month.

Why does my house smell like gas but no gas leak?

Why does my house smell like gas, but there’s no leak? A faint propane smell may not be cause for alarm. It’s normal for a propane odor to linger when lighting a stove, or if the pilot light in a gas fireplace, hot water heater or other appliance goes out.

How do you detect a natural gas leak?

How to check for a gas leak

  1. Listen for a hiss or whistling noise. Stop moving for a minute and focus on what you can hear. …
  2. Check the gas stove or gas range top. When you turn on the burner, gas stoves will give off a blue flame. …
  3. Try the soapy water test. …
  4. Use a natural gas leak detector.




What are signs of a gas leak in your home?

If you detect any of the following signs of a natural gas leak in your house or think you have been exposed, contact 911 immediately.

  • The smell of rotten eggs. …
  • Hissing sounds. …
  • Air bubbles outside your home. …
  • Dead or dying plants. …
  • Physical symptoms of natural gas poisoning. …
  • Higher-than-normal gas usage.

What does a natural gas leak smell like?

Rotten Egg Smell



Natural gas and propane have a distinctive smell for a reason. For safety purposes, utility companies use an additive called mercaptan that gives the colorless and odorless gases a smell that is hard to miss. Most people describe this smell like something like rotten eggs, sewage, or sulfur.

Why can I smell gas but no one else can?

An olfactory hallucination (phantosmia) makes you detect smells that aren’t really present in your environment. The odors detected in phantosmia vary from person to person and may be foul or pleasant. They can occur in one or both nostrils. The phantom smell may seem to always be present or it may come and go.

Does carbon monoxide detect gas leak?

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.

Can you smell a natural gas leak?



Natural gas has no smell, which means a small leak would be impossible to detect. A hissing sound is not always present either. That’s why your utility company adds mercaptan, a harmless chemical, to the gas. Mercaptan smells like sulphur, or rotten eggs, to help you identify gas leaks.

How strong is gas leak smell?

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.

Is natural gas carbon monoxide?

Be alert for carbon monoxide

Even though natural gas doesn’t contain carbon monoxide, it can be produced when there’s not enough oxygen present for natural gas, oil, or any other fuel to burn properly.

Is there a device to detect gas leaks?



A versatile gas leak detector will assist you in finding leaks from multiple combustible gases, including methane, natural gas, propane, and more. The CD100A Combustible Gas Leak Detector from UEi Test Instruments is a top choice for homeowners looking for a handheld and easily operated device.

Do you need a co2 detector with natural gas?

If you are wondering if you need a carbon monoxide detector, the answer is ‘yes! ‘ Every home with at least one fuel-burning appliance/heater, attached garage or fireplace should have a carbon monoxide detector installed. The detector works to alert you that the poisonous gas is somewhere in the home.