Did you know that the smell of gas is often a sign that there’s a leak somewhere in your house? It could be as small as a gas burner flame left on, or as large as a gas leak from your pipes. The gas smell might also indicate an issue with any of your appliances that use natural gas, such as the furnace, water heater, or stove. Whatever the size of the problem, if you can smell natural gas in your home, it means there’s something wrong. If left untreated, it poses a serious danger to everyone living in the house and could lead to fire or explosion. To remove the smell of gas from your house and prevent future occurrences.
How To Get Rid Of Gas Smell In House
1. Turn off the Gas
The first thing you should do is turn off the gas. You can do this by turning off the main gas valves in your home, or if you have a gas stove, turn it off by flipping the knob on the front of the stove. If you live in an apartment building or a condo, you can also call your building manager to make sure that all of the gas valves are turned off. If you live in a townhouse or single-family home, it’s likely that each unit has its own individual gas valve and only one person should be able to turn it off.
2. Close All Windows and Doors
If you’ve already turned off all of your home’s gas valves and opened all of your windows and doors, then it’s time to take additional steps to ensure that all air is flowing out of your house. The best way to do this is by closing all doors and windows on each level of your house, including basement windows as well. Make sure that no door or window remains open for more than 30 minutes at a time. You may even want to consider wearing protective masks or gloves when doing this step so as not to breathe in any harmful fumes while doing so.
3. Turn Off Your Natural Gas Appliances
Next up is turning off any appliances that use natural gas such as water heaters, stoves, ovens, dryers, or refrigerators. If you’re using a gas stove and cooking, you may also want to turn off the pilot light on your stove as well. If you have an electric stove, simply unplug it from the wall outlet. You can also turn off any gas-powered lawn mowers or weed whackers that run on natural gas as well since they could create a spark that could cause an explosion or fire.
4. Ventilate Your House
If you live in an older home with no central air conditioning system, open all of your windows and use fans to circulate the air through your house. This will help reduce the amount of moisture in the air which can lead to a buildup of mold and mildew which can create a musty smell as well. Also, make sure to open all doors and windows in your house so that fresh air can flow into every room of your home.
5. Call Your Gas Company for Repairs
If you’ve followed all steps above but still smell natural gas in your home, then it’s time to contact your local gas company for repairs or repairs by a professional plumber (or both). If you don’t do this right away, there’s still hope! You should be able to get rid of the smell within 24 hours after calling if you follow all steps above correctly (this is especially important if there are small children in your household). However, if it’s been more than 24 hours and you still smell natural gas in your home, call a plumber immediately.
Change The Location Of The Gas Meter
- If the smell of gas is coming from your gas meter, it’s best to change the location of this device. This could be done by moving the meter to a different part of your home or by relocating it to a different floor. If you have to move the meter, make sure that there are no leaks in the system after you’re done.
- If you don’t have access to a gas meter and need to locate where the leak is coming from, turn off all appliances in your home and open all doors and windows for about 20 minutes. After that time has passed, turn on any appliances that use natural gas again and check if there are any signs of leaking or damage.
- If you still can’t pinpoint where the smell is coming from, call a professional service like Advanced Plumbing & Mechanical Services Incorporated at (360) 665-9478 or fill out our online request form so we can come out and start looking for leaks immediately!
- If you can’t identify where the smell is coming from or you’re not sure if there’s a leak, call a professional to come out and check for leaks.
Check All Gas Appliances
- Make sure all appliances that use natural gas are in working order.
- Make sure you have a spare tank on hand for your gas appliances.
- Check the thermostat and make sure the temperature is set to a safe level for your home and family.
- Turn off natural gas at the main shut-off valve in case of an emergency, or if you notice a leak from any of your gas appliances or pipes.
- If you smell natural gas when you first wake up, turn off all gas appliances and ventilate the house until the smell has dissipated before leaving for work or school.
Add An Odour Eater
Buy a natural gas odor eliminator
Buy an odor eater from your local hardware store. These are small packets of dry powder that you sprinkle around the room where the smell is coming from to remove it. You can find these in most home stores, but if you don’t have one near you, consider buying online.
Put on a Gas Mask
If the smell still persists, wear a gas mask to cover your nose and mouth and keep it on for at least ten minutes. If this doesn’t work, try taking some deep breaths of fresh air, or get some fresh air into the room through an open window or door to help remove the smell.
Use Hot Water and Vinegar
Combine 2 cups of hot water with 1 cup vinegar in a spray bottle and spray throughout the room where the smell is coming from until there’s no more smell left behind. Let it sit for an hour before leaving again to see if any improvement was made or if you need to repeat this process once more. If after repeating this process 3 times with no improvement, call your local gas company for further assistance in removing any remaining gas odor from your house.
Use a Vacuum Cleaner
If you have a vacuum cleaner, try using it to remove the gas smell from the air. If this doesn’t work, you can also use a fan or an air purifier to help get rid of the smell.
Do Some Laundry & Washing
Wash your clothes in hot water and add some vinegar to your washing machine for a natural gas odor eliminator as well. You can also put vinegar into your laundry room or bathroom where the smell is coming from and leave it to soak overnight. You can also put some of this in your dishwasher as well if you have one as it helps get rid of any last traces of gas smell left behind in any appliance that uses natural gas.
Conclusion
If you smell natural gas in your house, don’t ignore it. It’s a warning sign of a much bigger problem, and you should follow these tips to find where it’s coming from and correct the problem. If you have appliances that use natural gas, make sure you keep them in good repair, clean the venting once a year, and use a carbon monoxide detector to keep your family safe. And remember, if you smell gas in your house, get everyone out and call the utility company.