A gas leak in your home could be a significant danger to you, and it is important to act quickly and do the right things if you suspect there is a gas leak.
How to spot the signs of a gas leak
The most common sign of a gas leak is being able to smell gas. A gas leak can also make you feel unwell, with reported symptoms including feeling lightheaded, nauseous, dizzy or having a headache (all of which are symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning).
Whilst these are common symptoms which are not exclusive to a gas leak, if you have these symptoms and suspect there is a gas leak then you should get outside and take the actions below.
What to do in the event of a gas leak
Should you suspect you smell gas in your home, turn off your gas supply at the meter immediately. The gas safety shut-off valve is located at your meter. If your meter is not located outside in a meter box, other common locations include:
- Under the stairs.
- Beneath the kitchen sink.
- In the garage.
If you are not sure where your shut-off valve is, it is important that you locate it so you can act quickly in case of an emergency.
Some other important actions you should take in the event of a gas leak include:
- Ensure gas appliances are turned off and have not been left on and unlit.
- Don’t smoke, vape or use a naked flame.
- Don’t unplug or switch anything electrical on or off.
- Open windows and doors.
- Call National Gas Emergencies on 0800 111 999 24-hours a day, no matter who your gas supplier is. Don’t use a phone in the immediate area of the leak, call from outside.
- Ensure everyone is evacuated from the building.
How to prevent a gas leak
To reduce the chances of a gas leak happening in your home, you should ensure all gas appliances are serviced regularly as per the manufactures instructions and recommendations, all installations must be conducted by suitably trained and registered Gas Safe engineer. You can find out more about servicing gas appliances here.
You should also have a carbon monoxide detector installed in your home.
Your safety
For more information on how to stay safe in your home, visit Your Safety.