Natural Gas

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raginduck said:
I don't know if I am remembering this correctly so I may very well be wrong.... but I seem to remember seeing or hearing of some guys using a torch or such to check for leaks....? I think I saw someone doing it.... Something about the flame not going back into the line because of the pressure of the leak...
I'm talking probably 20, may be 25, years ago.... I was a kid so I don't know if I'm remembering right.
Have you seen or heard of this? Is my memory serving me right?
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[video=youtube;nFXSt-krDZA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFXSt-krDZA[/video]
 
I just finished checking all joints in my house. From the meter back. Now I feel better
 
raginduck said:
I don't know if I am remembering this correctly so I may very well be wrong.... but I seem to remember seeing or hearing of some guys using a torch or such to check for leaks....? I think I saw someone doing it.... Something about the flame not going back into the line because of the pressure of the leak...
I'm talking probably 20, may be 25, years ago.... I was a kid so I don't know if I'm remembering right.
Have you seen or heard of this? Is my memory serving me right?
Click to expand...

some guys have done this for sure. The thing being, they would only do it if they thought it was a small leak, therefore it would only be a small flame, either way it is stupid and against code.

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oilycreek said:
Just to clarify for the sky is falling crowd. Chances of a gas explosion from a leak is near impossible, unless it's pretty much a wide open pipe. We find leaks all the time, especially in apartment buildings and condos. I found 13 leaks in a condo boiler room middle of winter, and 7 boilers were running full fire, and that's just one story. I've pretty much seen it all over the years. You should be more concerned with having a CO problem, then a explosion.
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oilycreek said:
Lmao, Ya they have soap and water. People have no idea how many places have gas leaks, commercial and residential.
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http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/inspect...on-neighbourhood-find-161-gas-leaks-1.1541880

Free gas inspections were offered to 750 homes in the neighbourhood following the explosion, and officials say 300 homeowners took them up on that offer.

Of the 300 homes inspected, 161 were found to have minor gas leaks.

The leaks were minor in nature,” says Malcolm.

“They would have been spotted during a regular inspection.”
In the case of the Activa Avenue home, records show that the house was inspected a few months before the explosion, after a new water heater was installed.

They still haven't released the cause of the explosion,, they are still saying leaks aren't that big deal... sooo.. If I lived in that area.. I'd want to know if the 450 houses that didn't get inspected were anywhere near my house..

odour was reported in my dads house numerous times,, inspected with negative results 3 times,, furnace changed,, and the techs couldn't get the stove to relight.... so I looked at it.. and decided it was time for a new stove anyway...
we pulled it out.. and the flex hose was completely broken.. and was held in place by the spring pressure of the design of the hose.... but it was leaking there for years.....
never BLEW UP...

one thing about this thread.. the venacular vs the technical terms can be very misunderstood imho.... as some folks don't know the difference from the utility to the contractor ... and utility names get swapped around with contactor names...

so when I hear a person clearly recommend to call a contractor.. and then another suggests the utility should know what to do... it causes confooooosion..
 
meester_jamie said:
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/inspect...on-neighbourhood-find-161-gas-leaks-1.1541880

Free gas inspections were offered to 750 homes in the neighbourhood following the explosion, and officials say 300 homeowners took them up on that offer.

Of the 300 homes inspected, 161 were found to have minor gas leaks.

The leaks were minor in nature,” says Malcolm.

“They would have been spotted during a regular inspection.”
In the case of the Activa Avenue home, records show that the house was inspected a few months before the explosion, after a new water heater was installed.

They still haven't released the cause of the explosion,, they are still saying leaks aren't that big deal... sooo.. If I lived in that area.. I'd want to know if the 450 houses that didn't get inspected were anywhere near my house..

odour was reported in my dads house numerous times,, inspected with negative results 3 times,, furnace changed,, and the techs couldn't get the stove to relight.... so I looked at it.. and decided it was time for a new stove anyway...
we pulled it out.. and the flex hose was completely broken.. and was held in place by the spring pressure of the design of the hose.... but it was leaking there for years.....
never BLEW UP...

one thing about this thread.. the venacular vs the technical terms can be very misunderstood imho.... as some folks don't know the difference from the utility to the contractor ... and utility names get swapped around with contactor names...

so when I hear a person clearly recommend to call a contractor.. and then another suggests the utility should know what to do... it causes confooooosion..
Click to expand...

Let's clarify it. If you smell gas, or Suspect CO, call the local gas company. If you smell gas and decide to take it in to your own hands and soap the line , and find the leak, as op did, then don't waste anyone's time, call a contractor to fix it, but if the smell is extremely strong, get out of the house and call the gas company from a safe location. DO NOT OPEN WINDOWS IF THE ODOUR IS STRONG. JUST LEAVE AND CALL.

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meester_jamie said:
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/inspect...on-neighbourhood-find-161-gas-leaks-1.1541880

Free gas inspections were offered to 750 homes in the neighbourhood following the explosion, and officials say 300 homeowners took them up on that offer.

Of the 300 homes inspected, 161 were found to have minor gas leaks.

The leaks were minor in nature,” says Malcolm.

“They would have been spotted during a regular inspection.”
In the case of the Activa Avenue home, records show that the house was inspected a few months before the explosion, after a new water heater was installed.

They still haven't released the cause of the explosion,, they are still saying leaks aren't that big deal... sooo.. If I lived in that area.. I'd want to know if the 450 houses that didn't get inspected were anywhere near my house..

odour was reported in my dads house numerous times,, inspected with negative results 3 times,, furnace changed,, and the techs couldn't get the stove to relight.... so I looked at it.. and decided it was time for a new stove anyway...
we pulled it out.. and the flex hose was completely broken.. and was held in place by the spring pressure of the design of the hose.... but it was leaking there for years.....
never BLEW UP...

one thing about this thread.. the venacular vs the technical terms can be very misunderstood imho.... as some folks don't know the difference from the utility to the contractor ... and utility names get swapped around with contactor names...

so when I hear a person clearly recommend to call a contractor.. and then another suggests the utility should know what to do... it causes confooooosion..
Click to expand...

If it was checked 3 times by gas techs and not shut off, you should of called TSSA. every Tech that showed up should of done a manometer test which would of shown the leak. There's no excuse for being lazy.

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Which goes to show, when some of these guys do they job, they don't necessarily make sure its leak-proof. Just finish the job & leave.
Kinda scary if you ask me
 
RockerGuy said:
Which goes to show, when some of these guys do they job, they don't necessarily make sure its leak-proof. Just finish the job & leave.
Kinda scary if you ask me
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Those are fly by night guys, and are few and far between.

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In my line of work (commercial construction), any licensed gas fitter that I've worked with has taken their job very seriously. I can't say I've ever seen a system built that hasn't been tested with compressed air.
 
Slick_Steveo said:
In my line of work (commercial construction), any licensed gas fitter that I've worked with has taken their job very seriously. I can't say I've ever seen a system built that hasn't been tested with compressed air.
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Most commercial guys are good, but I've come across a few commercial butchers. If it's a large construction site they will use a reputable mechanical contractor

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nobbie48 said:
This Old House on PBS showed a picture of a house demolished by an ELECTRIC hot water tank explosion. The owner didn't like the dribble from the pressure release valve and screwed in a plug. Apparently it went through the roof and landed a distance away.

Kinda like a giant Mentos and Diet Coke thingy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbreKn4PoAc&feature=player_detailpage
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Water heaters are a big problem. The relief should be tested at least once a year. It's easy to do, and takes 1min.
 
nobbie48 said:
This Old House on PBS showed a picture of a house demolished by an ELECTRIC hot water tank explosion. The owner didn't like the dribble from the pressure release valve and screwed in a plug. Apparently it went through the roof and landed a distance away.

Kinda like a giant Mentos and Diet Coke thingy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbreKn4PoAc&feature=player_detailpage
Click to expand...

Pressure vessels, specifically water heaters, are the Mythbusters' favourite type of explosion. They've done tons of them.
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