My gas usage is WAY up compared to last year, several months in a row, so I have to find the leak. I do not smell any gas, so the gas company insists I'm just using twice as much as the same periods in the last three years. How do I go about fiding a gas leak?
-B
Where is the meter? If the meter is at the curb, you could have an underground leak. The gas co. should be willing to come out and test for leaks in the lateral.
Jim
What appliances run off the gas? A dryer can suck up lots of heat if it is not working correctly. Be sure the vent is not clogged. Do you have any drips of hot water? Any bad seals in faucets allowing the hot water to migrate to the cold line? Furnace cleaned?
IMO, if yo leaked as much gas as you burn, it would be stinking up the house and probably would have caused an explosion by now. Get all your gas appliances checked. And be sure you don't have a neighbor that tapped into your line. It has happened. Ed
When was the last time you had your gas appliances serviced?
Do not rely on your nose for detection of gas. We have electronic meters for this, and so does the gas company.
This is Turtle.
Call a plumber and have him run a pressure test on the house gas system. If you have a very small pin hole, he will find it and can fix it.
Now most people never get a 2X their last years gas bill unless there is a leak or you have change something / something defective that is burning 2 x the gas of last year. Now Cost can double but volume of gas very rarely doubles without a mess up going on.
Now most all state have gas company policy that says that a customer can request a change of their gas meter if there is a problem or argueement between the gas company and the customer [ free of charge ] . Doubling of the gas used from the last 3 years does come under a problem for a new meter.
Now you may have your form of heat to the house check out for over burning or defective burner problem on what ever type gas heat you use.
TURTLE
B:
B > My gas usage is WAY up compared to last year, several months in a row, so I B > have to find the leak. I do not smell any gas, so the gas company insists B > I'm just using twice as much as the same periods in the last three years. B > How do I go about fiding a gas leak?
Possibly a failed meter?
Do you have any gas appliances outside such as gas lights or gas grilles? Perhaps the line got nicked or otherwise developed a leak.
- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®
Just a note. Exactly what are you comparing cubic feet or $$$. Gas has gone way up in some areas over the last year. Other than than I will suggest Turtle has the right answer.
It is rare for an meter to go wacky all of an sudden. What has changed?
windex on the pipe is a start...
randy
I suspect no leak, a leak to noticably increase consumption would be easily smellable and explosive due to the amount leaked. If you have a good nose the Mercaptin is very noticable. The gas co will send out someone as a courtesy call to walk through and use his Nose and a Gas detector if you say to them you "think" you smell a leak, " Leak " is the word , not High Bill. Usualy in a few hours, as leaks are dangerous and they have a liability.
Check your bill for Therms used , not total price with last year, gas is up, while the gas co is out they will give you an idea of any issues on equipment you have.
Dish soap will detect leaks, but as all others said it is probably something else.
Call the gas co to check out the house, then get out a good Hvac tech, It=A0could be numerous small issues all combined
I just went to the store and bought a 2- Co - Nat Gas detectors for the folks," Nighthawk " a good investment for peace of mind , my Folks do not smell well at 85 yrs old, the microwave was burning [ smelling like a transformer ] and a bad wax ring stunk up the house.... Call the gas co , for a " leak check " it is free..
Most heating and AC guys have a beeper for finding gas leaks. Also many appliance guys who work with gas. If you can find someone polite (and who isn't too busy) a heating guy can beep along the gas lines and look for leaks.
Many times you can find leaks by mixing some soap bubbles (use the kind with the ring that they sell for kids to blow bubbles) and paint it onto fittings and joints iwth a teacup and paint brush. Sometimes leaky ones will blow bubbles.
Another fine person suggested the leak might be in the line from the meter to the house. this is very possible.
I had a beeper, but traded it away for a cell phone.
Mine clicks...not beeps.. I thought Chris knew that..
I doubt he can afford one...
Are you using twice the therms or has your bill doubled?
A beeper to find gas leaks?
Do you mean a detector that beeps, perhaps?
Do you have one? You claim to be a heating and AC guy, but I doubt that....
He may be thinking about a refrigerant detector....
This is Turtle
You must have missed the part about calling a Plumber to do a plumbing job. I guess that is dad in someway.
TURTLE
HeatMan posted for all of us....
Bzzzt another bad assumption ** Stumped is thinking...
The only beeping Stumped knows is the back up alarm installed on the Pinto wagon because the brakes don't work so well and it's really tough to see with a ladder hanging over the back end and PVC tubing dangling like a fishing rod.
\|||/ (o o) ,----ooO--(_)-------. | Please | | don't feed the | | TROLL's ! | '--------------Ooo--' |__|__| || || ooO Ooo
What kind of gas company do you have? If you even SUSPECT a leak they oughta come out there with their sniffers right away. If they don't tell um the funeral their gonna wind up payin for won't be too expensive since you'll be cremated allready.
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