Gas leak warning signs every homeowner should know
The smell of rotten eggs is just the start. Learn the subtle indicators of an unsafe gas appliance.
The obvious one: smell
Natural gas and LPG are both odourless, the rotten-egg smell is added deliberately so leaks are noticeable. If you smell it: don't switch anything on or off, open windows, shut off the gas at the meter or bottle, and call a Certifying Gasfitter.
Yellow or orange flames
A healthy gas flame is crisp and blue. Yellow tips, orange streaks or lazy flames mean incomplete combustion and possibly carbon monoxide. Any appliance behaving like this should be turned off and serviced.
Soot marks, condensation or heat damage
Black staining around a hob burner, heavy condensation on windows near a heater, or discolouration on the wall above an appliance are all combustion warning signs.
Headaches, drowsiness or nausea
Carbon monoxide symptoms are easy to mistake for the flu. If several people in the house feel unwell only when a specific appliance is running, treat it as a CO alarm, ventilate, get everyone outside, and call us.
