Karina G Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 I keep getting little whiffs of gas in through the window over my tank, but it comes and goes. Still, nothing to mess with - who can I call to check on/fix this? Are there certified gasfitters here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 Usually, the person who sells the gas can check that with a solution of soap and water, then perhaps can fix it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 Or if your tank is accessible YOU can easily do the leak test.... just take some very soapy water and 'brush/drip' it on all the connections/threads/valve on the line that comes out of the tank top. If it bubbles the least bit you have a leak. The 'fix' is usually to just tighten the fitting where the bubbles are showing. Doesn't take much. Then re-test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
777 Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 Call the gas company. They check for leaks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 9 hours ago, RickS said: Or if your tank is accessible YOU can easily do the leak test.... just take some very soapy water and 'brush/drip' it on all the connections/threads/valve on the line that comes out of the tank top. If it bubbles the least bit you have a leak. The 'fix' is usually to just tighten the fitting where the bubbles are showing. Doesn't take much. Then re-test. This is usually what my vendor does for me. No need to wait for CFE. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyPanda Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 I believe you may have mis-typed when you put CFE. Meantime, I have been in several places where the leak was not at the tank itself, but nefariously in a line somewhere. Sometimes luck will have it behind the stove or at the boiler, but sometimes it is buried. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha1 Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 The use of galvanized pipe for the buried gas lines is the issue. In time the pipes can leak from pin holes. I had the problem with a buried pipe and decided to replace the gas line with a pvc/aluminum pipe which is designed for gas. I did not tear up the floors to do so, simply ran the lines outside and came through the wall in the appropriate locations. Ironically it is manufactured in Mexico, but doesn't seem to be used the house construction in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 2 hours ago, Zeb said: This is usually what my vendor does for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natasha Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 40 minutes ago, Alpha1 said: The use of galvanized pipe for the buried gas lines is the issue. In time the pipes can leak from pin holes. I had the problem with a buried pipe and decided to replace the gas line with a pvc/aluminum pipe which is designed for gas. I did not tear up the floors to do so, simply ran the lines outside and came through the wall in the appropriate locations. Ironically it is manufactured in Mexico, but doesn't seem to be used the house construction in the area. Not always my friend. We've had "slight odor" on 3 occasions (2 different houses) and each time the soapy water test found the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha1 Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 7 minutes ago, Natasha said: Not always my friend. We've had "slight odor" on 3 occasions (2 different houses) and each time the soapy water test found the problem. Yes, if the leak is not buried this is the easiest and simplest solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafterbr Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 If the leak is in a place the soap and water test doesn't work a lot of companies have what they call a sniffer which can pin point the leak location. They used it to locate a leak in a pipe in the ground for me one time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudgirl Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 3 hours ago, Alpha1 said: The use of galvanized pipe for the buried gas lines is the issue. If the OP can smell the gas, chances are it's not coming from a buried line. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyPanda Posted October 23, 2020 Report Share Posted October 23, 2020 That of course most certainly depends on where underground it might be. And the times I mentioned were all underground, so it is wise to be cautious regardless, I would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha1 Posted October 24, 2020 Report Share Posted October 24, 2020 20 hours ago, mudgirl said: If the OP can smell the gas, chances are it's not coming from a buried line. The intensity of smelling gas in an exposed area will be greater, however buried leaking pipe will seep gas out, as was my case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudgirl Posted October 24, 2020 Report Share Posted October 24, 2020 1 hour ago, Alpha1 said: The intensity of smelling gas in an exposed area will be greater, however buried leaking pipe will seep gas out, as was my case. Yes, that can happen, it could even be leaking inside the walls of your house, but since it's the easiest thing to test all the above-ground connections with soap and water (or an old tank that's rusting could actually have a pinhole in the tank itself- I use cylinders, not a stationary tank and one cylinder was leaking from the tank itself), there's not much sense considering the underground leak possibility until the easy fixes are eliminated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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