· 5 min read · Taylor Plumbing
Gas is safe when it's installed and maintained by a certified gasfitter. Almost every serious incident traces back to uncertified work, an ageing appliance or a flue that was never checked.
Signs of a gas leak
- A rotten egg smell (the odourant added to gas)
- Hissing near an appliance, bottle or pipe
- A yellow or orange flame instead of crisp blue
- Soot or scorch marks around an appliance
- Headaches, nausea or drowsiness that improve when you leave the house
What to do right now if you smell gas
- Don't touch light switches, appliances or your phone inside
- Put out any flame and don't smoke
- Open windows and doors
- Turn the gas off at the bottle or meter if you can reach it safely
- Leave the house, then call from outside
- If anyone feels unwell, call 111
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide has no smell. It comes from incomplete combustion, most often an unflued heater in a closed room or a blocked flue. A CO alarm near sleeping areas costs very little and is the only reliable warning.
Servicing and certification
Have gas appliances serviced roughly every two years, and any gas heater checked before winter. All gasfitting in New Zealand is restricted work: it must be done by a certifying gasfitter, and a Gas Safety Certificate must be issued for new or altered installations.
Keep those certificates. Insurers and buyers ask for them.
LPG bottles
- Store and use bottles upright, outdoors, with clear ventilation
- Check the test date stamped on the collar, bottles need recertification
- Brush soapy water on connections to check for bubbles after a bottle change
- Never use an outdoor LPG appliance indoors or in a garage
Frequently asked questions
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