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    Gas detection

    Summary: Learn how to detect gas, what do when you smell gas, and how to detect where the leak is coming from.

    It is important to know how to detect if a gas system or pipe carrying gas is leaking, as the repercussions can be fatal. In most homes, gas is used to fuel the heating system and hot water. If a problem occurs due to poor maintenance work or some other cause and gas is leaking, the problem needs to be identified and resolved immediately. All homeowners should know and are able to find out for themselves if gas is leaking on their property.

    Gas leak

    • Firstly start by locating the appliance that is leaking. As there are different things that use gas, you need to know which is causing the leak. If it is your heating system or a gas pipe somewhere, you need to then locate the exact position of the leak in order to know where to turn off the gas.
    • Have a look for any damaged areas that will signify where the leak is. If you cannot find any damage or hear the hissing of leaking gas, then simply mix washing up liquid with water and smear it over a suspected area.
    • Use a brush to spread it, so you can apply it over a wide area. You will know where the leak is when bubbles occur in the soap/water solution as the gas tries to escape.
    • Once you have found the leak, the gas must be turned off straight away. Turn off the shut off valve closest to the appliance if you want to avoid turning off the whole system. If the leak is at a joint that can be tightened using a spanner then do so, however, if you are not sure about this or the damage is to a piece of piping, you need to call a gas engineer.

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