In case of gas line leaks (red tag), you should prepare to react appropriately, as natural gas is extremely flammable, being capable of creating explosions of large proportions. In what follows, we are going to inform you what you should do in such emergency gas leaks situations. The most common types of gas line leaks (red tag) are the ones that occur from pipes releasing natural gas into an indoor area or an area where it should definitely not be present. It is very important for people to prepare to react adequately when they face such situations.

Natural gas is naturally colorless and odorless, thus making it quite impossible for people to realize when there is a gas leak. However, it has been quite a while since gas has been added scent in form of traces of mercaptan, so that people can smell it and take the necessary actions. You cannot miss the smell of gas, as it is not a pleasant one, more like the smell of rotten eggs. In case of emergency gas leaks, the recommendation is to evacuate the area as soon as possible. Try to evacuate to an outside location rather than into another room or building. You should keep in mind that that gas is lighter than air and tends to dissipate into the atmosphere. If you experience a gas leak situation inside a building, you should know that this is a very serious situation.

In addition, it is very important that you do not light anything during this time and refrain from using any electrical devices, as they can act as ignition points. As soon as you are at a safe location, make sure that you are able to contact your natural gas provider. You can undertake other emergency gas leaks actions. You can try to rescue any person you think is in danger. You can locate and turn off the source of gas, which you will find on the pipe coming from the ground through the foundation wall to the meter. You can try to isolate the area by closing the doors and windows and try to turn off the power in the building, so that you eliminate most sources of ignition. While evacuating, try not to panic and keep other people calm – keep in mind that the evacuation should always begin by pressing a break glass alarm, as it alerts the fire brigade and the building’s maintenance department. Make sure you are not re-entering the area until an emergency team member tells you that you can do so.

Most countries have specific laws concerning gas line leaks (red tag), such as the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act, passed a few years ago in the United States, which requires that the providing companies should secure inspection services in case of emergency gas leaks in any environment that receives natural gas. In addition, the providing companies must inspect periodically gas meters and pipes from the point where they enter the building to the outlet side. The beneficiary also needs to understand that this process involves the inspectors’ entry into their private homes, thus they should entirely cooperate.

Gas line leaks (red tag) are of different levels, differentiated on different grades. A grade 1 natural gas leak refers to the situation where a gas pipeline has suffered complete damage, the leak leading to a high-level calamity. A grade 2 natural gas leak refers to the situation where a pipeline is leaking, but the amount of gas is not so big that would require a cut off service downstream. Finally, a grade 3 gas leak refers to the situation where a small leak occurs, caused by some sort of corrosion of the pipe or sometimes even by a bad fuse. However, all emergency gas leaks are dangerous and their grade does not indicate so much the danger level, but the type of leak. Thus, it can be that a grade 2 natural gas leak on a 10-inch pipeline could be a lot more dangerous than a grade 1 gas leak on a smaller pipeline.