LPG has a strong added smell so that a leak can be noticed quickly. If you smell gas in your kitchen, act calmly and in the right order. The first few minutes matter most.
If you smell gas: do this now
- Do not switch any lights or electrical appliances on or off. Even a small spark from a switch can ignite gas.
- Do not light a match, lighter or the stove.
- Turn off the cylinder valve and the stove knobs if it is safe to reach them.
- Open doors and windows to let the gas clear, and get everyone out of the area.
- From outside, call your LPG distributor’s emergency service. The LPG emergency helpline is 1906.
- Have the system checked by a professional before you use gas again.
Make the call from outside the house, away from the smell of gas.
What not to do
- Don’t search for the leak with a flame.
- Don’t switch on an exhaust fan, chimney or any electrical appliance.
- Don’t restart the stove to “test” it.
- Don’t try to repair the regulator, hose or valve yourself.
Common signs of a gas leak
- A smell of gas near the stove, hose or cylinder
- A hissing sound near the regulator or a joint
- A cylinder that seems to run out much faster than usual
- A flame that behaves oddly, or a burner that is hard to turn off
Where leaks usually happen
Most kitchen gas leaks happen at the connections: the regulator on the cylinder, the hose and its clips, the joints of a kitchen gas pipeline, and the stove or hob valves. Hoses harden and crack with age and heat, so a hose that has gone stiff, cracked or is past the expiry date printed on it should be replaced.
Preventing leaks
- Have your stove or hob serviced regularly.
- Get the hose, regulator and joints inspected, especially after moving house or renovating the kitchen.
- Keep the hose away from the hot parts of the stove and out of reach of children.
- Close the regulator when you leave home for a long time.
Get your gas setup inspected
AeroGas Solutions inspects gas stoves, hobs, hoses, regulators and kitchen gas pipelines at your doorstep across Ernakulam district and Trivandrum. If you’ve noticed a smell or anything unusual, message us on WhatsApp. If you smell gas right now, follow the safety steps above first.