Spotting Natural Gas Leaks in Your Lexington Home or Business

Many homes and businesses in Lexington use furnaces fueled by natural gas for heating in the winter. While natural gas is typically safe for use, a gas leak can put you in great danger. If you use a gas furnace or other gas appliances in your home or workplace, it is important that you know the signs of a natural gas leak and what to do if you suspect a gas leak has occurred.

Signs of a natural gas leak

• Natural gas is naturally odorless, but to help consumers better detect gas leaks, providers typically add an odorant. Natural gas will have the smell of rotten eggs; if you smell it, a gas leak may be present.
• Natural gas leaks can cause houseplants or outdoor vegetation surrounding the leak to die or become discolored. If you have indoor plants that suffer these symptoms despite proper care, you could be experiencing a gas leak.
• A natural gas leak could create a hissing sound as gas escapes its line or an appliance.

What to do in case of a natural gas leak

1. Exit your home immediately. Do not turn on or off any electrical equipment or light switches, and do not use your cell phone indoors; these things could cause sparking, which could ignite the gas.
2. Call 911 once you are in a safe location. Emergency responders will inspect your home and notify your natural gas provider in order to locate the source of the leak and turn off your gas supply.
3. Do not go back inside the home until emergency responders or utility inspectors have cleared you to do so.
4. If the furnace was determined to be the source of the leak, do not operate it until it has been fixed and inspected by a professional HVAC technician.

If a natural gas leak has occurred within your furnace, call Climate Control right away. We will perform the needed repairs to correct the problem so that you may use your furnace safely.