The range found in your typical kitchen can either be run on electricity or gas. But for those using natural gas as the fuel in their range, the presence of leaks is a very real danger to your home and loved ones.
Natural gas in its natural form is completely odorless, the signature “bad eggs” smell is added to the natural gas in the form of the chemical Mercaptan, which makes it safer for use. Nevertheless, a very small leak may not circulate enough gas to be detected by smell. This is dangerous because the small leak can disperse gas into the air before it has been detected. For this reason it is important that gas leaks are checked regularly.
How To Check For a Gas Leak In Stove – Bubble Test
Long before the invention of gas detecting gaskets and gadgets, there was a simple and fairly-reliable solution to detecting gas leaks. A simple soap and water solution has been used for pinpointing gas leaks along tubes and pipes. Nowadays, you can find some bespoke solutions for this task that provide more accurate results. This is because these custom-made solutions adhere better to pipes and fittings than simple soap and water. This means that the results will be more accurate and easier to produce than with your typical soap and water –– just spray the product on the area suspected of leaking and watch for the tell-tale bubbles.
Detecting a gas leak in your range or stove– Electronic Gas Leak Detectors
Advanced electronic gas leak detectors aren’t cheap, and this could be why most homeowners will choose to use their nose or soap and water for this task. Actually, it will be hard to find a good option for less than $40 and the ones that are available at this low price are pretty standard and won’t have an LCD or any of the other sophisticated gadgets that higher-end items may have.
But, your standard electronic gas detector can be counted on to emit a loud alarm whenever the smallest gas leak is detected. This is the type of device most of the professional range and stove service professionals will use. The small portable types are activated with the push of a button and will sound when a leak has been detected.
Where to Check For Gas Leaks
Begin your search for the leak around the flexible hose that connects the stove to the gas lines. The flexible piping is the section of the gas system most vulnerable to damage and leaking. To detect a leak, cover this section of the pipe with leak detection solution or soapy water. Alternatively, you can also slowly glide the leak detector across the length of the pipe to detect any leaks.
If the flex pipe seems to be fine, move your search to the cut-off valve, also inspect the controller valves on the stove, range and oven. There is also a valve in the oven that is controlled by a thermostat as well as several internal connections that could be leaking. Finally, check the pilot light connections if this type are in use.
What Should You Do When You Detect A Leak?
Repairing a leak is a fairly simple task and can be performed by anyone with basic DIY skills. The best way to repair a leak is to replace the flex pipe, burner-control valve or thermostat control valve. Just be sure to find the right piece for replacement at your local supplies store –– you may need a genuine part for changing internal valves.
On the other hand, if you find that the leak is coming from the cut-off valve or the valve-s shat, you will need to call in professional help. It is important to avoid future issues and ensuring all leaks are properly addressed by a specialist. Dryer, washing machine or refrigerator technicians may not be fully qualified to address this important task. Inexperienced technicians have a tendency to make matters worse, which can be life threatening in this case. For this reason, it is important to call in a specialist when detecting and repairing leaks you can’t address yourself.
Warning
Before making any attempt to repair a leak yourself, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU SHUT OFF THE GAS SUPPLY. After the gas supply to your home has been properly shut off, you can burn out the remaining gas in the tubes by lighting the stove, within a minute the last of the gas should be burnt away and you can begin your work. This will reduce the risk of painful injuries or death.
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