When people see evidence of a gas leak at home, they must act immediately. Anyone who spends time in a building that has a gas leak is taking a terrible risk. People can still stay in the house during some household emergencies, but this is not true for gas leaks.
Evacuation
It’s vital to respond to gas leaks and house fires in more or less the same way. If people think that there’s a fire in the building, they should get outside as quickly as possible.
There may be some exceptions since some fires are small and can be contained. For example, if people have noticed a small fire starting in the kitchen and have access to a nearby fire extinguisher, they can eliminate the fire themselves.
People who don’t have enough experience with fire extinguishers might not respond to the fire this way. Individuals who can stop fires from expanding can attempt to do so in situations involving localized fires, but they’ll still be taking a personal risk.
Gas leaks are very different. No one should stay in the house and try to stop the leak at its source. They’ll inhale more gasoline in the process and risk getting involved in an even more severe household disaster.
When a gas leak has been detected in a building, every person needs to leave that building instantaneously. People should also get any animals out of the building. Animals may smell the gas and try to go on their own. However, people shouldn’t count on that.
Open Doors
People should not close the doors behind them when they escape from these buildings. The house will be under less pressure from the gas if some of that gas is allowed to run. People in this situation should usually not waste time opening the windows unless they can do so quickly. Open windows can also be helpful in these situations.
The lights in the house also should not be on, since sparks can come from electric lights. People might not have the time to turn off every morning if many lights were already on when the gas leak was discovered. However, if it’s possible, turning off the house’s lights might at least help prevent a gas explosion.
Emergency Calls
Once everyone is safely outdoors, it’s time to contact the fire department. No one should ever make a call in a house that has a gas leak. They’ll risk causing an explosion that way. People should also certainly make sure that there is some distance between them and the house with the gas leak. An explosion could technically occur at almost any time before trained professionals arrive and address the situation.
Calling more than one emergency service can help. People in this situation should usually also call the emergency number for the original utility company and 911. A gas leak can more or less create multiple disasters if there is an explosion, making it more important to get a sufficient response.
People who have smartphones should be able to find the number for the local utility company easily. Most of these companies will have these numbers listed on their websites. They’ll usually make it clear which number is the emergency number.
When gas leaks are addressed quickly enough, they can be solved relatively smoothly. When the leak has been stopped, the gas odor may go away after four hours or so. Emergency professionals can help people decide exactly what they should do after a gas leak. Ford’s Plumbing can help you! Contact us today for a quote.
