Displaying items by tag: methane
If you use gas for cooking and heating then you probably be using natural gas. You have to be very careful with natural gas in your home because it’s flammable. Natural gas doesn’t have any odour however the gas companies actually add in an odour to help you detect it in the event of a gas leak in your home. To do this they add in a sulphur-based compound which smells similar to rotten eggs and most people don’t have a problem smelling it. The problem lies when people have a poor sense of smell and therefore won’t be able to know that they have a gas leak. This is why it’s still very important to have a natural gas detector installed in your home.
The confusion begins when it comes to trying to decide what kind of natural gas leak detector you want to buy. If you have been looking then you’ll have noticed the wide range available on the market and they will vary by price, installation and features. Some are pretty cheap to buy and can be fitted in a similar way you would with a smoke alarm. Whilst there are others on the market that require professional installation.
You want your gas detector to alert you to when there is a gas leak. What you don’t want is for it to be going off every 2 minutes because of cigarette smoke or humidity. However you might want your detector to alert you to more than just natural methane gas, such as carbon monoxide or propane gas.
When you have a detector fitted in your home you really need to be careful about where you have it located. It needs to be somewhere that you are likely to hear it’s alarm yet also close to where there is the most risk of having a natural gas leak. When you buy a detector it will come with instructions on the best places to site it. So make sure you have a read over these instructions and don’t simple fit just anywhere. If you have different sources of natural gas in your home then you might find that a single detector isn’t sufficient.
When your detector detects gas you will either hear a sound or see a warning light. Some models might do both. Which type you buy really depends on you. For instance if you are deaf then finding a detector with a flashing light is a better option.
Most of the natural gas leak detectors on the market are battery operated which means you need to be very careful about ensuring that the battery is in good working order. Some systems work off the electrical mains but have a battery as a back-up which means you also need to ensure the battery is working well. Every now and again it’s a good idea to press the “test” button to make sure the detector is working correctly. Some units can even warn you if there is a problem with the power supply.
In the event that your alarm does go off to alert you to a gas leak you need to make sure you get out of the house straight away. Then you need to phone the emergency services. Please, don’t be tempted to phone from within the house because that can actually cause a spark which in turn can cause an explosion or a fire. Also don’t turn any lights on or off or generally touch anything electrical. Don’t ever try to get back into the house until the gas company has dealt with the leak correctly.
The confusion begins when it comes to trying to decide what kind of natural gas leak detector you want to buy. If you have been looking then you’ll have noticed the wide range available on the market and they will vary by price, installation and features. Some are pretty cheap to buy and can be fitted in a similar way you would with a smoke alarm. Whilst there are others on the market that require professional installation.
You want your gas detector to alert you to when there is a gas leak. What you don’t want is for it to be going off every 2 minutes because of cigarette smoke or humidity. However you might want your detector to alert you to more than just natural methane gas, such as carbon monoxide or propane gas.
When you have a detector fitted in your home you really need to be careful about where you have it located. It needs to be somewhere that you are likely to hear it’s alarm yet also close to where there is the most risk of having a natural gas leak. When you buy a detector it will come with instructions on the best places to site it. So make sure you have a read over these instructions and don’t simple fit just anywhere. If you have different sources of natural gas in your home then you might find that a single detector isn’t sufficient.
When your detector detects gas you will either hear a sound or see a warning light. Some models might do both. Which type you buy really depends on you. For instance if you are deaf then finding a detector with a flashing light is a better option.
Most of the natural gas leak detectors on the market are battery operated which means you need to be very careful about ensuring that the battery is in good working order. Some systems work off the electrical mains but have a battery as a back-up which means you also need to ensure the battery is working well. Every now and again it’s a good idea to press the “test” button to make sure the detector is working correctly. Some units can even warn you if there is a problem with the power supply.
In the event that your alarm does go off to alert you to a gas leak you need to make sure you get out of the house straight away. Then you need to phone the emergency services. Please, don’t be tempted to phone from within the house because that can actually cause a spark which in turn can cause an explosion or a fire. Also don’t turn any lights on or off or generally touch anything electrical. Don’t ever try to get back into the house until the gas company has dealt with the leak correctly.
Published in
Home Accessories
