CHIEF’S CORNER: GAS LEAKS IN THE HOME

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this
 

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

January 5, 2020 (San Diego) -- Got Gas?  As temperatures cool down, home heating use goes up. Additionally firefighters respond to more reports of gas inside a structure call. It’s important for homeowners and renters to inspect their home-heating appliances and perform any maintenance necessary to avoid any health or safety hazards.

If you smell gas in your home or your carbon monoxide detector goes off, immediately evacuate the house and call 911.

Cold fronts are prompting people to turn on their heaters/furnaces for the first time in months. This time of year fire departments respond increasingly to calls of “odor of gas inside” and gas leaks says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Heaters have not been used in months. Heating appliances should be serviced annually to keep them operating safely and efficiently. “A licensed heating contractor or Southern California Gas Co. Representative can provide this service for you.”

By not having an annual maintenance inspection on gas appliances could result in exposure to carbon monoxide, which can cause nausea, drowsiness, flu-like symptoms, and even death. Does your residence have a carbon monoxide detector installed? Check with your local fire department for advice on installing one.

Here are a few tips for a safe, warm, and energy-efficient winter:

• Have natural gas furnaces checked at least once a year by a licensed heating contractor or Southern California Gas Co rep.

• Vacuum and clean regularly in and around the furnace, particularly around the burner compartment to prevent a build-up of dust and lint.

• Most forced-air units have a filter that cleans the air before heating and circulating it throughout the home. Check furnace filters every month during the heating season and clean or replace the filter when necessary.

• When installing a new or cleaned furnace filter, be sure to re-install the front panel door of the furnace properly so it fits snugly; never operate the furnace without the front-panel door properly in place because doing so may create the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Check the appearance of the flame. If the flame is yellow, large and unsteady, the furnace needs to be inspected immediately by a licensed heating contractor or Southern California Gas Co rep to have the condition corrected.

• Using an unvented gas heater in your home is dangerous and a violation of the California Health and Safety Code.

• Never use your oven, range or outdoor barbecue to heat your home because these appliances are not designed for this purpose.

It's important to never store items in, on or around the appliance that can obstruct airflow.

Again, the best advice is to contact a licensed qualified heating contractor or Southern California Gas Co. Representative inspect your furnace.

*Note: The information in this article was compiled from various sources. These suggestions are not a complete list of every preventative or loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace additional safety manuals or the advice of another qualified professional(s). We make no guarantee of results from use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions made.

 

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

Comments

Gas Leak

I lived in a duplex on Kempf street in LG. The floor heater in Gary's side was leaking a LOT of gas, a 1/2 inch copper tube failed and we turned the gas off at the meter, called SDG&E and waited for them to arrive. Turning on a light could have caused the house to blow up. After the gas was turned off it took hours for the odor to go away. Nat gas has no odor, a compound is added to give it that smell we all know.