1.
What
is Natural Gas?
2. Sources
of Natural Gas in the Home
3. Where
to Locate?
4. What
to do in a Natural Gas Alarm?
What
is Natural Gas
Although
natural gas is toxic, its primary threat to safety is its tendency to explode.
The harmful element in natural gas is methane, a colorless,
odorless and flammable gas.
As natural gas builds up, it mixes with oxygen to produce a
mixture that can be explosive if ignited by a spark or a flame.
Natural gas explosions can demolish a house or flatten an
apartment building.
Natural gas does have an odor, but many people cannot detect
its smell until dangerous levels have accumulated.
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Sources
Of Natural Gas In The Home
The
following is a list of common sources of natural gas in the home:
- Natural
gas appliances
- Gas
furnace
- Gas
water heater
- Gas
fireplace
- Gas
stove/range
- Overhead
gas heater
- Improperly
vented gas heater
- Gas
clothes dryer
- Gas
refrigerator
- Service
entry points
- Rupture
of gas line outside the building
Natural
gas leaks may occur at connections to appliances, at the service point
of entry to the building, or a gas leak outside the building but in a
gas main may travel along the pipe, enter the building and accumulate
to dangerous levels.
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Where
To Locate A Natural Gas Detector
Natural gas is lighter in weight than air and will normally accumulate
near the ceiling.
Accordingly, detectors should be placed high on the wall or
ceiling.
(Be sure to locate detectors a minimum of 4 to 6” [10
to 15 cm] from where the ceiling and wall meet on either surface
because these spaces contain dead air, which does not circulate).
Because
most natural gas leaks will most often occur at connections to gas
appliances, detectors should be located near a natural gas appliance
but at least 6 feet away from the appliance or in the room above the
appliance. For example, a
natural gas leak in the kitchen can create a build-up of natural gas
in the bedroom located directly above the kitchen. A natural gas detector should also be installed near the
source of entry of the service to the house.
For the consumer’s protection, separate natural gas detectors
should be installed on every level of the home and in every room with
a natural gas appliance.
A
natural gas detector will not detect the presence of carbon monoxide.
American
Sensors natural gas detectors continuously measure the concentration
of natural gas in the air and sound a loud alarm when a potentially
harmful level is reached.
American
Sensors™ offers a plug-in (NG200) natural gas detector.
The plug-in model has a “drop-cord” that allows
installation at an elevated location near an electrical outlet.
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What
To Do In A Natural Gas Alarm Condition
Consumers
should consult their owner’s manual for a natural gas alarm
procedure. However, the
following is a general procedure:
1.
Evacuate the building
immediately. Do not
unplug the detector or operate any light switches or electrical
devices before leaving the building, as high levels of natural gas may
be very explosive.
2.
Do a head count outside
your home and check that everybody is accounted for.
3.
Call the fire department
and ask them to determine the source of the natural gas.
Do not re-enter the premises until the problem has been
corrected and the natural gas has been dispersed.
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