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Post by rmc on Nov 17, 2020 13:16:43 GMT
A quick search of Amazon came up with plenty of options for explosive gas detectors. I am not finding much info on what their triggering threshold is. You can probably get that from the manufacturer if you look for it. You could look at your local home improvment store to see what they carry in house. If $50 helps you sleep better, go for it. www.amazon.com/dp/B0002EVNJ6Yeah. I've looked a little at some of the Amazon listings. In fact, my first post contains one (link to it, anyway) that Better Homes and Gardens declares "is the detector" for me. But, since the gas company was here and claims to have found nothing, I'm wondering how sensitive a "store bought" detector would really end up being. In other words, if the pros cannot find it, what's the chance I'll find it? ... Still, the area that was screened was right at the valve of the water heater. Here's the thing: when we moved in, we had a company clean all of our ductwork. As unrelated as that sounds, there are several things that should be zeroed in on, I think: 1) "ductwork" in our place includes the airbox directly beneath the water heater and HVAC unit. 2) There ARE 60-year-old steel pipes that supply gas up to the water heater. The water heater being located directly above the airbox, said "gas pipes" being located within the airbox below. 3) when the ducts were cleaned, the company used a large wide vacuum hose that also included a violently flopping wire flailing around so as to break free compacted dust and whatnot. So, if their cleaning technique (the violently flailing wire) smacked up against an old gas supply line, could a seep appear that is just weak enough that someone checking the gas valve, above, wouldn't notice the minor gas seep, below, basically under a floor of sorts? Would my "store bought" meter detect a minor leak? Should I be a bother and call the gas company again to have them come back out and check that airbox underneath? Or, would my concerns sound unfounded to them at this point, do you think? |
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Post by GTCGreg on Nov 17, 2020 14:05:34 GMT
A quick search of Amazon came up with plenty of options for explosive gas detectors. I am not finding much info on what their triggering threshold is. You can probably get that from the manufacturer if you look for it. You could look at your local home improvment store to see what they carry in house. If $50 helps you sleep better, go for it. www.amazon.com/dp/B0002EVNJ6Yeah. I've looked a little at some of the Amazon listings. In fact, my first post contains one (link to it, anyway) that Better Homes and Gardens declares "is the detector" for me. But, since the gas company was here and claims to have found nothing, I'm wondering how sensitive a "store bought" detector would really end up being. In other words, if the pros cannot find it, what's the chance I'll find it? ... Still, the area that was screened was right at the valve of the water heater. Here's the thing: when we moved in, we had a company clean all of our ductwork. As unrelated as that sounds, there are several things that should be zeroed in on, I think: 1) "ductwork" in our place includes the airbox directly beneath the water heater and HVAC unit. 2) There ARE 60-year-old steel pipes that supply gas up to the water heater. The water heater being located directly above the airbox, said "gas pipes" being located within the airbox below. 3) when the ducts were cleaned, the company used a large wide vacuum hose that also included a violently flopping wire flailing around so as to break free compacted dust and whatnot. So, if their cleaning technique (the violently flailing wire) smacked up against an old gas supply line, could a seep appear that is just weak enough that someone checking the gas valve, above, wouldn't notice the minor gas seep, below, basically under a floor of sorts? Would my "store bought" meter detect a minor leak? Should I be a bother and call the gas company again to have them come back out and check that airbox underneath? Or, would my concerns sound unfounded to them at this point, do you think? If you’re really that concerned about leaks in the supply piping, shut off the supply valves to all the appliances and make note of the readings on your gas meter. The first indicator is 1/2 cubic ft.³ and is fairly sensitive. If after a few hours it hasn’t moved, you have no leak. The gas pressure in those lines is extremely low, like a fraction of a psi. You normally don’t find leaks in the piping. Most gas leaks appear inside appliances because of faulty control valves or the flexible supply line that goes from the rigid piping to the appliance. |
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Post by rmc on Nov 17, 2020 15:02:29 GMT
Right. "Typically" you wouldn't find a leak in a supply line, and that's why the gas company man and I didn't think to screen that too closely.
But, after he left, as I say, I started wondering if all that thwacking against those old pipes might have jostled something loose. (During the cleaning method described previously)
I'd do your prescribed method of testing, but I'd rather not attempt to relight the water heater pilot after. And, I don't even know if the HVAC system would need to be relit or not actually. I don't think I've ever done either.
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Post by wvengineer on Nov 17, 2020 16:26:55 GMT
Another way to look for leaks is to make up a spray bottle of soapy water. Just water and dish soap mixed well and put into a spray bottle. Spray that on your pipes and look for bubbles to form. Leaks are most common at the joints, pipe fittings, and any threaded connections. Spray your soapy water and see if anything forms. 2nd most common issue is flexible lines between hard pipe and the device itself. You can use a rag to mop up any excess water when you are done.
Have you done a sniff check? Natural gas in the US is required by law to have an odorizer added to it. Even a very small leak that is not a fire hazard can result in a scent powerful enough to smell. As long as you have a reasonable sense of smell and are not sick, have allergies, or otherwise congested, you should be able to catch a whiff of it.
Option 3, contact your local HVAC installer. A good HVAC tech will have a gas detector to sniff for coolant leaks. A good pro meter is VERY sensitive, we are taking in the <1 PPM range. See if you can just contract a guy to come over with his meter and run it around your gas piping for a hour. The cost of that would be a lot less than buying one of those meters yourself.
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Post by rmc on Nov 17, 2020 16:39:49 GMT
Another way to look for leaks is to make up a spray bottle of soapy water. Just water and dish soap mixed well and put into a spray bottle, mixed well. Spray that on your pipes and look for bubbles to form. Leaks are most common at the joints, pipe fittings, and any threaded connections. So spray your soapy water and see if anything forms. 2nd most common issue is flexible lines between hard pipe and the device itself. You can use a rag to mop up any excess water when you are done. Have you done a sniff check? Natural gas in the US is required by law to have an odorizer added to it. Even a very small leak that is not a fire hazard can result in a scent powerful enough to smell. As long as you have a reasonable sense of smell and are not sick, have allergies, or otherwise congested, you should be able to catch a whiff of it. Option 3, contact your local HVAC installer. A good HVAC tech will have a gas detector to sniff for coolant leaks. A good pro meter is VERY sensitive, we are taking in the <1 PPM range. See if you can just contract a guy to come over with his meter and run it around your gas piping for a hour. The cost of that would be a lot less than buying one of those meters yourself. I'll put it this way: though I tend to occasionally be a bit off or forgetful at times these days, whenever I'm in my recliner, located right next to the suspect airbox (having gas lines), I get that telltale odor of gas, something like when you are around such fixtures but when they are said to not really be leaking. But, you know you are around such gas fixtures anyway. You can just tell. Air seems to not satiate your breathing requirements, you know? My typical "off feeling" becomes even more so while in that recliner. I'm taking your suggestions. I just need to know if I am, some how, slowly gassing myself into a stupor. Sure feels like it. But, I do have medical situations too. So no telling. No point making them worse, though. Thanks! |
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Post by the light works on Nov 17, 2020 18:24:16 GMT
a residential gas alarm will be much less sensitive than a professional model "gas sniffer". so it wont work for finding a leak that the pros couldn't detect.
as far as a leak triggered by the duct cleaning - it there are gas lines passing through the air ducts, where the rattle wire could hit them, that would seem to me to be a code violation, though that may vary by location. I do know that gas pipe failures, while rare, tend to get worse relatively quickly. so you should notice it in your gas bill (usage, not price, because price always goes up) another possibility is that the heat exchanger in your furnace is starting to fail, and so you're getting traces of exhaust in the heating air.
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