As the go-to plumbers in San Diego, My Plumber CA deals with minor annoyances like leaky faucets and running toilets every day. We love to joke about how these things happen, but there is one repair that we never joke about: gas line repair. That’s because natural gas line leaks can be extremely dangerous. Any build-up of gas in a closed area can lead to a potential explosion. Usually you’ll be alerted to a leaky pipe by the smell of rotten eggs. Natural gas is odorless and colorless, but utility companies add butyl mercaptan to make it smell. The smell may be annoying, but it is extremely important.
Large Gas Line Leaks
If you can smell the gas, the build-up is strong enough to be dangerous. Do all the following to ensure the safety of yourself and your family.
- Don’t attempt to locate the leak.
- Don’t turn anything on or off. Flicking a switch can cause a spark that may ignite the gas.
- Don’t smoke or use any open flames.
- Leave the house and call the emergency utility line at 1-800-411-7343 for San Diego Gas & Electric or 1-800-427-2200 for Southern California Gas Company to get the gas shut off immediately.
- Call us for a gas line repair service.
Slow Gas Line Leaks
Just because you can’t smell rotten eggs doesn’t mean that you don’t have a gas leak. Slow leaks can develop over time if the initial installation of the gas lines was not done to code or if damage has occurred to the pipes (which happens from time to time in the braided stainless steel pipes used on gas dryers).
If you and your family members are all suffering headaches and dizziness when in a particular area of the home, you might have a slow leak. Children and the elderly will usually be affected first. Nausea and trouble breathing may also occur in cases of extended exposure. If you notice these short-term effects, have professional plumber come out and use a robotic sniffer to detect and repair the gas line leak. If you don’t catch the leak soon enough, long-term damage can result in epilepsy, pneumonia, memory loss, depression, claustrophobia, seizures and heart problems.
Be proactive. This is a case of better safe than sorry. We want you and your family to be safe in your home. If you have more questions about gas line repair or other plumbing issues, contact the professionals at My Plumber CA right away, or visit our gas line repair page. We’re San Diego’s go to plumbers.