Gas Safety
With gas leaks, there is a safety aspect to each job. If you can smell gas, then do not operate any electrical appliances or ignition sources. Open windows and ventilate the area. If you can turn off the gas at the gas meter, do so. Turn the handle 90 degrees in line with the pipe. Call Southern Plumbing from outside the gas leak area on 0800484 353.
We have been locating gas leaks in Wellington for over 40 years. We follow a set of guidelines for detecting a gas leak. The management of gas leaks which is an unsafe situation comes under the Gas Regulations 2010.
If the gas supplier is called regarding a gas leak, the gas is turned off and usually disconnected i.e., the meter plugged off. The gas meter stays turned off until repairs are carried out.
Testing
We follow the elimination and testing process to detect gas leak. Our expert team is experienced in detecting gas leaks in both commercial and residential properties. If there is a gas leak, then we evaluate and analyse how big is the leak. Then we look for things like rusted piping, etc. The most common causes are checked.
We disconnect the meter, attach a test piece, and pressurise the system. If the system loses pressure over 5 minutes or if the leak is beyond a certain level; depending on the size of the system, we turn off the gas until the system is safe and repairs are done.
Location Process
- We begin searching for the gas leak by disconnecting gas appliances. We disconnect cookers, water heaters, and other gas appliances.
- If no gas leak is detected, then the system is cut into parts, and each part is pressure tested to narrow down the search.
- After finding the gas leak, repairs are carried out.
- If the piping is not accessible, it is sometimes cheaper to replace the pipe than search for the leak, especially underground sections.
We suggest our customers to call us soon if you smell gas in your property. We take the service call and it may take 45 minutes to 2 hours. After that, the work is investigative and is charged by the hour. We assess whether it is better to replace the pipe than look for the leak.
We have experience of almost 40 years in Wellington. Our certified gasfitters can detect all kinds of gas leaks. We are available for emergency call outs on 24 hours basis, you can call Southern Plumbing on 0800 484 353.