You sure love your water heater: it provides you warm water at night, in winter, on lazy days, literally whenever. It runs on gas, and nothing seems to be wrong with that. But one day, you find something is off with your lovely water heater, and you begin to wonder what the symptoms of gas leak from the water heater are.
The reasonable question is, since many water heaters run on gas these days, and knowing what it shows during a gas leak will help you decide the further steps to take.
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Water Heater Gas Leak Repair
Before knowing how to repair the problem caused by a gas leak, it’d be better to know what symptoms of gas leak from water heater it may show you. Learning about this should benefit you from taking earlier steps to avoid more significant problems.
The water that you get has a gas-like smell.
One of the signs of a gas leak from your water heater is a distinct rotten egg smell. This odor is often due to mercaptan, a chemical that companies add to natural gas to make it detectable, as natural gas is odorless.
If you notice this smell, especially near gas lines or your gas appliance, it’s a strong indicator of a leak. That said when the water is starting to smell like something is off, take action immediately. What action should you take?
- First, make your way to turn off the gas that powers up your house’s water heater.
- Make sure that you also smell the same problem around the water heater. Typically, the scent is much stronger there.
- Leave your house immediately and make a call to the gas company. Tell the occurrence that you’ve experienced.
- Call a water heater professional once the gas problem has been resolved. Has your unit been checked? If it needs fixing or replacement, consider taking it as a better option.
The area around your water heater has a more pungent scent of gas.
This may be recognized later than the previous sign. That is why it was said to check the water heater area for the smell. If the area around your water heater has a strong rotten egg smell, this is a clear indication of a gas leak.
This smell is often more concentrated near the water heater, as it’s likely emanating from the gas lines or connections to the heater. If you detect this odor, addressing the leak in your home is essential.
You may also face health-related problems.
The gas leak can be dangerous for your health. Why so? Water heater gas leak is dangerous because it also contains carbon monoxide. Compared to carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide can be more hazardous for us human beings.
While natural gas is odorless, it becomes essential to know a specific chemical added to the gas. The chemical is called mercaptan. This chemical has a distinct smell, hoping that when our nose catches the smell, it can get us ‘alarmed.’ So, this will help you a lot when you don’t have a water heater gas leak detector.
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What kind of health-related problems may occur? Here are some examples that you may feel:
- Headache, fatigue, drowsiness, or dizziness. It can come as a separate symptom or all combined.
- Difficult breathing with or without a chest pain
- Nausea that also comes with a bad appetite
- You may experience nose bleeds, skin bluing, or even ringing ears when it gets more serious.
Hissing Sounds and Gas Lines
Another symptom to be aware of is a hissing sound near your water heater. This hissing noise can indicate that gas is escaping from the gas pipes. Listening for such sounds is crucial, particularly around the gas lines connected to your water heater. If you hear this, it’s a clear sign of a gas leak in your home.
Safety Precautions
Safety should be your top priority when dealing with a potential gas leak from your water heater. Open windows and doors to ventilate the area and reduce the gas concentration.
Avoid using any electrical switches or appliances, as they could ignite the gas. If you can do so safely, use a solution of dish soap and water to check for leaks along the gas pipes – bubbles will form where gas is escaping.
What to do when you face such symptoms of gas leak from the water heater? It’s not the right time to think about repair—instead, think about restoring your health first.
That’s why leaving the house is the best thing to do after ensuring the gas is turned off completely. In the time being, consider calling the gas company to get your gas system fixed.
