Thread: Gas Leak

Hello,

I'm curious as to whether fellow HI's normally check for gas leaks or only when you smell gas ?

Bob Garza

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Originally Posted by Bob Garza

Hello,

I'm curious as to whether fellow HI's normally check for gas leaks or only when you smell gas ?

Bob Garza

If I smell it I note that I smelled it and that it needs to be investigated to locate and repair the problem.

No need to really do anything more than that. They put the odor in the gas so that you will know that you have a problem.... Random testing would be akin to random mold sampling in a home that has no signs of mold.

I only pull out the TIF when I smell gas.

//Rick

I worked in the natural gas industry for 30 years before starting H.I.. My suggestion would be to call the local Gas co. It doesn't cost any thing and they would have all the eguiptment and tools to deal with it. If nothing is found nothing was hurt.

I use to pull put the meter for each job but I found that I could better use my time on other things. Now if I depend on my nose.

I use to pull put the meter ...

Eric
Why would you pull the meter on a routine inspection, or any inspection?
Doesn't sound like something I'd want to or be willing to do.
\Not picking on you, Im just wanting to know what you thought the advantages were.

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

I use to pull put the meter ...

Eric
Why would you pull the meter on a routine inspection, or any inspection?
Doesn't sound like something I'd want to or be willing to do.
\Not picking on you, Im just wanting to know what you thought the advantages were.

Not wanting to answer for Eric but I think that typo indicated something other than what he intended. I think he meant to say he used to pull OUT his detection meter to check for leaks.
No way he pulled the gas meter from the home gas lines. Right Eric?

Yeah thats it (Slap on forehead)

I check for gas leaks with the Tiff every inspection. Only takes 3-5 minutes and is worth the time. The buyers see's what I'm doing and they appreciate it. I also lost my sense of smell 8 years ago in Brain surgery and have to rely on the Tiff. That's why I do it.

Sorry for the "pull the meter" comment". Obviously I didn't proof read that before posting. Jim has a better handle on what I was trying to say than I did.

I've thought of buying a combustible gas detection meter but my nose is very sensitive. I regularly pick up gas odors at gas line unions and shut-off valves without even going out of my way to look for them. The old gas shut-off valves are the ones that seem to have the most leaks.

If you call the local utility around here about a gas leak, they'll be at the house in 30 minutes or less.

Using your nose to locate gas leaks has its limitations, esp. with LPG. Since it is heavier than air, LP gas will be on the floor--do you get on all fours and sniff like my beagle? LOL.

Seriously, the nose is very unreliable in detecting gas leaks. First of all, about 15% of the population is not sensitive to the odorants used in combustible gases. Then there is the phenomenon known as *odor fade*.

As for electronic sniffers, the best ones can sense down to 10ppm but the ubiquitous TIFF 8800a can sense only to 500ppm so be warned.

Originally Posted by Floyd Thorne

I worked in the natural gas industry for 30 years before starting H.I.. My suggestion would be to call the local Gas co. It doesn't cost any thing and they would have all the eguiptment and tools to deal with it. If nothing is found nothing was hurt.

Couldn't agree more! If one can smell gas a simple call to the local utility will produce a technician in short order. They area VERY serious about gas leaks and will respond quickly. Last leak I ran across was in the laundry room at the dryer. As soon as I walked into the room it smelled slightly of gas. I called the gas co. right away and a tech. was there before I even finished the inspection. He tested the dryer connection, found a leak, shut the valve off and red tagged it. He left a note for the homeowner about the problem. I phoned the sellers agent and kept them in the loop due to the seriousness of the problem and, of course, explained the whole thing to my client and his agent. All were VERY happy to have the information to get it corrected immediately before anything bad happened.

As for the TIFF units, after attending a legal seminar a few years back and listening to the attorney argue that if an HI uses a gas sniffer, they had better use a moisture meter and an electronic voltage tester and any other device designed for testing home systems that could be typically used by a HI on every inspection, because when push comes to shove it can be argued that if one meter is used but not another, it could mean a less than thorough inspection. Not my words...just what we were told.

I gave it some thought and decided the old nose is my best tool for the job since almost anybody should be able to smell the gas and if they couldn't smell anything then I shouldn't be reasonably expected to either so my liability is lower, IMHO.

Bob Harper questioned if we should get down on the ground and sniff for LPG. I feel that I should, if it's being used to fire appliances in the home. Again, my nose is my tool for that job and if the job dictates sniffing around a pit or at floor level near an appliance, so be it I guess. I've had to do things way more distasteful than that on occasion at an inspection before!

[quote=Bob Knauff;

As for the TIFF units, after attending a legal seminar a few years back and listening to the attorney argue that if an HI uses a gas sniffer, they had better use a moisture meter and an electronic voltage tester and any other device designed for testing home systems that could be typically used by a HI on every inspection, because when push comes to shove it can be argued that if one meter is used but not another, it could mean a less than thorough inspection. Not my words...just what we were told.

I gave it some thought and decided the old nose is my best tool for the job since almost anybody should be able to smell the gas and if they couldn't smell anything then I shouldn't be reasonably expected to either so my liability is lower, IMHO.

! [/quote]


By the same Lawyer reasoning, wouldn't they question the use of your noise and its certification and testing for accuracy. I think that if there was a leak and you did not detect it with your noise they would question why you did not test with a meter and you liability issue is back.

Do you test outlets with a tester?