(WXYZ) — Home inspector Jessica Lawton from Technihouse Inspections says your nose is the first line of defense when it comes to detecting a gas leak. Natural gas doesn’t have a natural smell, so a sulfur-like scent is added to it. Think rotten eggs.
But at times, gas leaks go undetected, and Lawton says you have to go on the offensive. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
“If you have a really old stove or really old dryer, you may still have a brass appliance connector. The issue with these, because they don’t make them anymore, is because they were super brittle, and as they age, even moving that dryer, that stove around, could cause a crack or a tear, and that in and of itself can create a small gas leak,” Lawton said. “If you see an appliance connector like this, my advice would be to call the gas hotline and have them help you shut off the gas and get this replaced with a proper, more updated appliance connector.”
Lawton says fittings at the joints of gas lines and even gas meters are common culprits for gas leaks. You can use a spray bottle filled with soapy water to reveal them.
“If it bubbles, you have a gas leak. Whether you’ve smelled it or not yet doesn’t really matter, and at that point, if you can, if there’s a gas valve in front of that, shut that gas off, and then you want to call them to come out and tighten that up for you,” Lawton said.
WATCH: Here's how to use soapy water to check for gas leaks
Most people are familiar with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, but may not be aware of explosive gas detectors. They detect propane and natural gas and are commonly available at hardware stores.
“It’s not going to hurt anything if it’s going to let you know sooner that you might have a leak. Otherwise, if you put it down in that enclosed space, not a bad idea,” Lawton said.
Lawton says basement floods that compromise furnace and water heater pilot lights can also cause gas leaks.
“My recommendation would be to shut the gas off to it until you can have somebody come and take a look at it,” she says.
DTE says if you suspect a gas leak in your home, leave the area immediately, call 911, then call the DTE Gas Leak Hotline at 800-947-5000.
