gas

[HotelMinion]

So I've been smelling gas in my house. No one else smells anything at all. So I thought it was just me. But I don't smell it when I go outside, so...? So I thought it was CO and was about to get a detector. Geez, they're expensive. But then I thought, isn't CO odorless? And I can smell it, so it can't be it right? But then I researched car exhaust (being a mechanic's daughter, I know the smell of that) and it sort of does smell like it. All sulphur-y. Sometimes it's so strong my nose hurts. And it's CO! So how come it has a smell? Is it because there's a LOT? And then I thought it was a gas leak from the stove. But the stove's all fine and turned off. And the smell comes and goes...so maybe it's from the neighbor, and the wind's pushing it into my room? (mostly it's from my room). And I've been feeling sluggish. But no one else is, that much. Soooo....I'm not sure what to do. If it is the neighbor's should I tell them? We have a house but the houses are pretty close to each other, like maybe 25 ft. If they're house explodes it could damage ours, I think. What to do? Anyone else dealt w/ this? I've burnt scent candles to get rid of the gas smell (stupid now, I know) and our house didn't explode, but I think there's has to be a lot for it to? We also have a rail that sends lots of long trains really close, maybe it's from them?

[EricKei]

See if the fire department of the City can send out an inspector (the FD can probably do it free/cheap) -- ASAP! Getting drowsy for no good reason seems to back up your suspicions that *some* kind of gas is around, even if your home is not the source. As for gasses coming from vehicles -- don't those have chemicals added to them intentionally in order to add a discernable scent to them? Ditto household gas such as propane?

[notalwaysright]

I smelled gas in my apartment and they had a guy out in less than 30 minutes. Call your gas company!

[kaherbert]

CO has no odor and binds to your red blood cells instead of O2. Since it is produced by combustion your heater or water heater could be the source. This can cause it to puddle in an area nearer the combustion site. more info https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/syc-20370642

Natural Gas has no natural odor - after the New London School explosion in Texas (1937) and the artificial sulfur odor was added in Texas. It has become something of an international standard now. (there were other issues about how the gas line was hooked up in the school https://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...n-11010292.php )

you really should call your gas company or the non-emergency line for your FD. If you want to talk to someone else about your symptoms first 800 222 1222 is the US poisoning hotline.

[Tanasi]

You need to call the fire department and the gas department now!!! Even if it turns out to be nothing, trust me they won't care in the least. They're very much better safe than sorry. The FD and GD have sniffers that trace down a leak real quick and they'd much rather find the leak now than fight a fire or worse later. Call NOW!!!

[notalwaysright]

Okay, now that I'm home and not on my phone I get to tell my old apartment story. I kept smelling gas in my apartment, it was just a whiff at times and I looked and looked to find the source. I had a gas furnace in the wall and a gas stove. Each one had pilot lights, one in the furnace and three in the stove. These were all lit and seemingly okay. Yet still the smell?? Finally it was worse and I called the gas company.

When the guy came out, he found a leak coming from the connection behind the stove! The stove was seemingly just fine. The gas would sort of build up back there and then a draft in the old house would blow it around. That's why it was stronger or faint. So if you're smelling sulfur, why chance it? If it's not the "rotten egg" smell, then I don't know. Does your house have a CO detector? I'd guess not since you haven't mentioned it. Anyway, hopefully it's dealt with by now but just thought I'd say an appliance could seem like it's fine, when it's not. And I think the gas company can also test for CO? Or would at least know how to help.

[greek_jester]

Seriously, get a carbon monoxide detector. Anyone with a gas supply in or near the house should have one. Even if your appliances seem fine, there's still the chance that a connection somewhere can come loose particularly if you live in an area where there's a lot of vibrations (on a road with a lot of heavy goods traffic, mini-earthquakes, etc.).

It doesn't even have to be in your house to get you. The son of the receptionist in a previous job was a fireman. His crew got called out one night when a lady's carbon monoxide detector went off. She naturally grabbed her mobile and got out of the house at once.

It turns out the couple next door had bought an old banger and committed suicide in their garage. The fumes from the car had seeped out and were strong enough to set off the detector in their neighbour's house.

Even if the gas isn't coming from your house, it could still be strong enough to be deadly. Please buy a detector, even if it is expensive, and follow the advice of others above and get a professional out to check your house out.

[AnaKhouri]

Our detector went off at 2 am one night and the fire department had someone out in 15 minutes (it was a malfunction). He told us to call the local station, sometimes they have free CO detectors to give out. They didn't at the time we called, and we just bought a new one, but that's a possibility too.

[It's me]

Could also be sewer gas. Any sinks or other drains that aren't used very often? Floor drain somewhere? Dump a bucket of water in to fill the trap and block sewer gas from entering the house. You should be doing that periodically with any infrequenlty used drain.

[telecom_goddess]

so how did this turn out?

[Kit-Ginevra]

This post needs a

[TheSHAD0W]

We're starting to get worried here HotelMinion...

[HotelMinion]

We're starting to get worried here HotelMinion...

Ah I'm sorry. Don't worry, nothing's happened. I didn't call the authorities because around here they're uh, not very helpful unless someone's bleeding badly and I just KNOW they'll tell me to call my gas company and the gas company'll tell me to call the authorities. :/ It's just like that around here, everyone pushing responsibilities on each other. I did order a gas detection device online, I'm just waiting for it to arrive. It should arrive this Wednesday. I haven't smelled anything since my first post. However I did get quite a strong headache, and I don't usually get headaches unless I'm sick. Hopefully I'm wrong about the gas leak but better to be sure. My neighborhood was built on what used to be a swamp I'm told so maybe swamp gas?

[Tanasi]

Dude call the gas company and the fire department at the same time. Gas leaks are nothing to mess around with. There's been several houses blow literally to pieces because of gas leaks and waking up dead is no way to live.
I tell you the FD will not care to come out and check it out and if they do screw'em that's their job, same for the gas company. Swamp gas is methane and it has a rotten plant smell because that's what produces it.

[HotelMinion]

Dude call the gas company and the fire department at the same time. Gas leaks are nothing to mess around with. There's been several houses blow literally to pieces because of gas leaks and waking up dead is no way to live.
.

Well my gas detector arrived and it went off almost immediately. I called the gas company and they hung up on me! So I waited til next morning and called again, and finally someone answered. They sent someone over and I explained to him everything. He was in here about 5 minutes and said nothing's wrong. Then why did my detector go off??? Oh well if he said nothing's wrong then I'll know who to blame if I wake up dead. Anyway I still don't smell anything so maybe my detector's highly sensitive, I did turn it up. So that's that.