How to Detect a Gas Leak

Learn How to Detect a Gas Leak.

Natural gas, which is a transparent and scentless gas, finds widespread use in American households, primarily in stoves and water heaters. These installations are popular and energy-efficient, contributing to a reduction in your environmental impact and an increase in your property's market value. Homes equipped with gas connections typically command higher selling prices than those lacking this feature. But, natural gas frequently escapes, giving rise to concerns regarding health and the environment. Other gases can pose problems, including propane, radon, and refrigerants.

Gas leaks are a prevalent issue, with a gas pipeline incident occurring approximately every 40 hours in the United States. These incidents can result in catastrophic outcomes such as explosions, fires, and significant environmental damage.

If you're concerned about gas leaks, understanding how to detect a gas leak in your house is crucial for safety. Gas leak detection services near you, offer professional assistance in gas leak detection and repair. Keep reading to find out more about gas detection in your residential and commercial property.

Emergency Service
(805) 499-0448

What is a Gas Leak?

A gas leak occurs when natural gas or propane accidentally escapes into the air. Now, here's the tricky part – these gases are usually odorless and colorless, making them sneakily hard to notice. To combat this stealthiness, gas suppliers do us all a solid favor by adding a distinctive "rotten egg" smell (they call it ethyl mercaptan) to the mix. You know that unmistakable, unpleasant odor? That's the one!

This foul-smelling addition isn't just to mess with our noses; it's a critical safety measure. It's like a built-in alarm system that makes it easier for us to spot a potential gas leak quickly. So, next time you catch a whiff of that "rotten egg" smell, remember it's your cue to act swiftly and ensure the safety of everyone and everything around.

Signs of a Gas Leak in Your Home

» Unusual Odor

One of the most recognizable signs of a gas leak is the pungent odor of ethyl mercaptan, which is added to natural gas. If you encounter this smell, treat it as a potential gas leak emergency.

» Hissing Sound

Gas leaks sometimes produce a hissing or whistling sound, often near gas lines or appliances. This sound is a cause for concern and should be investigated immediately.

» Dying Plants

Nearby plants may also suffer as a result of gas leaks. There could be a gas leak nearby your home if your plants abruptly wither or die for no apparent cause.

» Physical Symptoms

Dizziness, nausea, headaches, and weariness are just a few physical symptoms that can result from gas exposure. If multiple family members experience these symptoms simultaneously, it's a serious red flag.

Also Read: How To Unclog A Bathroom Sink

How to Check for a Gas Leak

Safety should be your utmost priority when investigating a suspected gas leak. Here are the steps to check for a gas leak safely:

» Visual Inspection

Check Pilot Lights: Inspect gas appliances, including stoves and water heaters. If pilot lights are extinguished, it could indicate a gas issue.
Examine the Gas Meter: Inspect your gas meter for any damage or listen for hissing sounds. Any unusual activity around the meter can be a sign of a gas leak.

» Soapy Water Test

Perform a simple soapy water test to identify gas leaks at connections and valves.
Mix a solution of soapy water.
Apply the soapy water to gas line connections and valves.
If you see bubbles forming, it's a clear indication of a gas leak.

» Carbon Monoxide Detector

Invest in a reliable carbon monoxide detector for your home. This device is an excellent precautionary measure to detect dangerous gases, including carbon monoxide (CO), which is produced during incomplete gas combustion.

What to do if you have a Gas Leak in Your Home

If you suspect a gas leak, immediately follow these crucial steps:

» 1. Evacuate

Immediately evacuate your home, ensuring that everyone, including pets, is safely outside. Do not use any electrical devices, switches, or phones within the vicinity of the suspected gas leak.

» 2. Call for Professional Help

Contact a professional plumber, such as Conejo Valley Home Services Plumbing & Rooter for gas leak detection and repair services in your local area. Plumbing specialists are highly trained and experienced who will identify the source of the leak, address the issue, and ensure your home is safe before you re-enter.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of gas combustion and poses severe health risks. Making sure you recognize these symptoms of CO exposure is crucial:

Headache
Nausea
Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Confusion
Loss of consciousness

If you or your family experiences these symptoms while suspecting a gas leak, seek medical attention immediately and inform medical professionals about the potential gas exposure.

Preventing Gas Leaks in Your Home

Prevention is vital when it comes to gas leaks. To keep your home safe and significantly reduce the risks associated with gas leaks, consider the following steps:

Regular Maintenance: Schedule routine maintenance for your gas appliances and lines. This includes having your gas lines inspected by a qualified professional.
Install Detectors: Equip your home with both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Regularly check and replace their batteries as needed.

Contact a Professional Plumber Right Away

Gas leaks are a serious safety concern and require immediate attention. If you suspect that there’s a gas leak or need assistance with gas leak detection, don't hesitate and call contact Conejo Valley Home Services Plumbing & Rooter at (805) 499-0448 immediately. Our gas leak detection services in Thousand Oaks are available 24/7 to respond swiftly and ensure your home's safety.

Your safety and the safety of your family are of great importance. Only professionals can help you secure your home from gas leaks and provide you with the peace of mind you deserve. Stay informed, stay safe!

Conejo Valley Home Services Plumbing & Rooter

4.9

Based on 187 reviews

Lisa L

09:01 27 Dec 25

I can't say enough good things about Conejo Services. We called them to get a second opinion on a major plumbing issue. Jimmy came out and put a camera though the various lines involved and gave us his opinion, taking the time to explain the issues and the pros and cons of the options we had. He was professional, courteous, and a straight shooter. It's so hard to know what questions to ask when you are trying to care for your home, and Jimmy really made me feel like he wanted to help us make the best choice. While the repair was not cheap, I feel that it was fairly priced. At the end of the day, I am certain he saved us money and a great deal of stress: he put my mind at ease. And when you are trying to make the best decision about your biggest asset, that is truly priceless. After we came up with a game plan, he gave us a detailed quote that clearly stated the scope of work and didn't blink at guaranteeing it for 25 YEARS. Christa at the office called and scheduled our work and was super friendly. The crew was beyond courteous and conscientious and worked their butts off. The actual plumbing work was top notch. In addition, they had to dig up a portion of the yard where there were plants, and they did a very careful job of making sure the plants weren't harmed and put them back perfectly. We are so happy with the whole experience and highly recommend them. Will use them again in a heartbeat!

J Mc

17:51 24 Dec 25

Great technicians! Though IMO overpriced. I joined the Platinum Level Preferred Maintenance Club, to save on dispatching on routine items and get great deals on maintenance routines on HVAC, tankless water heater, water and plumbing. Needed a 30 year old wall shower faucet replaced when I signed up, the job was well done, but the cost was exoberant, imo, and I did not recieve a discount on the repair as I missed the fine print and was not told that when I signed, I needed to be a club member for a consectutive 5 months to obtain those repair discounts. I did ask at least twice to get a call to manager, was told the message was forwarded to the office, no response. Now 5 months later had a Heater Maintenance and Dryer Vent cleaning, Eric was the specialist. Excellent service by Eric. However, I received an invoice that day for $200 for the vent cleaning even though that service is listed as part of the PMC at Platinum level. I called CSHPE customer service and was told they would handle it and to ignore the invoice. Three days later, I got the same invoice, again I called, same advice. Got another invoice yesterday. I have not received one today, but it is still early AM. 🤨 Bottom line, good technical work but undermined by pricing perception, membership benefit confusion/misapplication, and unresolved billing/communication problems.

Jessica Jimenez

01:29 18 Dec 25

George was awesome! He called and let us know he could come sooner but, made sure that was okay with our schedule. He went above and beyond explaining the issue and made sure all was okay to make sure that issue did occur again. He asked if we were okay with the explanation and if we had any other questions or issues to reach out. Excellent service!

Michelle Perez

18:37 12 Dec 25

I have used Conejo Seviced a couple of times now, and they have done a fantastic job both times. They were prompt, professional, easy to talk to, honest, and did the job in the specified time frame. I will happy to continue using them.

Lana Light

02:38 12 Dec 25

Owen was my electric tech,
and from the conversation over a couple of electrical issues here, I understood quickly that Owen knows the line of work very well: educated, smart, polite, with down the the earth professional demineur... He checked the wiring, and explained the possibilities why my appliance keeps tripping the breaker..
Thank you Owen.
The company has a right set up. They would also remind you about the appointment, and would convinietly call you a few minutes ahead.

They have the right codes... they won't walk in their shoes on your floors either...
I strongly recommend the Conejo company for your electrical issues...

Robert Lewis

22:40 11 Dec 25

Juan did an outstanding job. He is very professional and personable. He kept us informed on what he was doing. It was a pleasure working with him and Conejo Services. We have used you before and we have always had prompt and professional service. Thank you so very much.

Leslie Hackney

18:30 08 Dec 25

When our 31 year-old furnace suddenly stopped working, they were out within 24 hours of my call. It was a quick and easy replacement part, but something we wouldn’t dare do ourselves. It’s good to know we’ve found a reliable repair service!

Alejandra Aldana

01:20 05 Dec 25

It was excellent service from the initial request to schedule an appt for electrical repairs and the installation updates as to the time and date of service technician arrival at work site. The service person was timely in his arrival time, considerate , respectful and courteous.

Major Tom

13:06 03 Dec 25

David G. was patient, personable and explained things. He was thorough and cleaned up after himself. He is an asset to the company and exemplifies the level of professionalism and quality that I have come to expect from Conejo Services.

Linda Munday

04:49 03 Dec 25

The entire staff were wonderful. The crew that came out to do the installation were so nice and respectful. I would recommend them to anyone.

Carol Riccobono

23:09 01 Dec 25

Juan did an excellent job checking out our furnace and dryer vent. He was very informative and thorough. And he did not try to upsell us on other services.

Ted Haber

03:36 29 Nov 25

Omar was our electrician. He was very professional and easy to work with. He gets my vote.

Matt Bovard

22:26 26 Nov 25

I like supporting local Ventura county companies and then when they do such a great job it’s double gratification…

Joe F.

00:18 26 Nov 25

Heesse was on time, performed a HVAC tune up, and solved the problem of the thermostat not working. I know who I will contact for future hone repair needs.

Steve Kurasch

21:18 25 Nov 25

Jesse was here right on time to do testing and inspection of our furnaces. He was very thorough, professional and knowledgable and corrected several problems that other companies missed. He also gave us some options to look at in the future. We signed up for their maintenance plan and feel very confident that Conejo Services will meet our needs now and in the future. Thank you for giving us peace of mind!

Mary O'Sullivan

00:55 14 Aug 25

This company really stands behind its work. I have the platinum maintenance for my both HVAC and plumbing, both installed by them and it really pays off. The plumbing area, especially, led by Andrew Dilger and team are honest, thorough, skilled and offer options from minimal to full overhaul with pro’s and cons and short vs. long-term financial differentials of each approach. I have an older home with pipes at end of their 60 year shelf-life and it’s a new area for me. It’s really great to be able to trust a company when the product isn’t visible, but buried in the ground. I liked Derek who identified a potential issue during normal maintenance and the oversight of Andrew confirming it and best approach. I think it’s the honest approach set by senior management, including Andrew, Ralph and others. And highly professional! Kudos!

Jennifer Friedman

00:45 10 Apr 25

We were on Conejo’s maintenance plan for a while. We found they were very thorough in checking our A/C, plumbing and electric systems. It is worth considering these plans.

We had other work done where we felt the pricing was quite high, like for a garbage disposal and for installing a tankless hot water heater. So consumers should be sure to do price comparisons.

When they put in our tankless hot water heater, there were a couple of code violations that needed to be corrected, plus we had some questions about the costs. But when our concerns finally reached the Customer Service managers, their response was excellent and all our concerns were immediately and satisfactorily resolved.

Rick Phillips

00:10 03 Feb 25

I strongly suggest getting cost estimates from other companies before hiring Conejo. I was provided an estimate of $7149 to perform what turned out to be 7 hours of work by two (relatively low paid) employees and a couple hours to use specialty equipment to pinpoint failure point. I had a blockage in my home sewer system caused by root intrusion. By using their tool inserted into the sewer pipe they said the blockage was 8 feet deep and under my concrete entryway walkway and would therefore take two workmen 2 to 3 days to complete the repairs. I questioned that pricing since it seemed too high and was provided a reduction of $850 to $6299. That still seemed like a high price but I needed to get the work done quickly so I accepted the bid. (My big mistake.) I monitored the work when their two workmen came to make the repairs. I am retired from SoCalGas so have some knowledge about excavating and fixing damaged pipe. The sewer pipe was only 3 feet deep, not 8 feet deep. The work involved digging and exposing the 4-inch plastic sewer pipe and then cutting out a 3-foot section and installing new pipe, then backfilling the excavation (which was done poorly – was not well compacted – I did this after they left as best I could. I hope my entryway sidewalk doesn’t fail/crack in the future.) They completed the work in 7 hours. I then contacted Conejo and asked to them to reconsider the price since the basis of the estimate was incorrect. I eventually spoke with their plumbing manager, Nick, who said he would speak with the person who developed the estimate and get back to me. Nick never got back to me even though I called their offices twice and texted Nick. The next contact I had from Conejo was a revised bill reducing the charge by $500, leaving me with a bill of $5799. On the positive side, the people I spoke with in their billing and/or scheduling department with friendly and responsive.

Ben Rogers

17:47 26 Jan 25

Conejo installed a new furnace and water heater at my home, and I’m so impressed with the quality of their work. Their prices are competitive and their team is the best!

Pav G

20:40 08 Aug 24

Outstanding Service from Alfredo at Conejo Valley Heating and AC

We’ve had ongoing AC issues for a couple of years, and after trying other companies, we finally found the solution with Alfredo from Conejo Valley Heating and AC. The level of professionalism and quality of work Alfredo delivered was unparalleled.

From the moment he arrived, Alfredo impressed us with his attention to detail—respecting our home by wearing booties and carefully assessing the situation. He identified the root cause of our AC problems, taking his time and staying late into the afternoon, even after a long, busy day. As the last appointment of the day, Alfredo made sure our AC was fully repaired before leaving.

Beyond fixing the immediate issue, Alfredo also provided valuable advice and options for maintaining our AC in the future, along with some helpful plumbing suggestions. His dedication to his craft and customer service is truly world-class.

We highly recommend requesting Alfredo if you’re considering Conejo Valley Heating and AC. We’ve permanently requested him as our go-to technician for any future needs. His work is simply outstanding, and we couldn’t be more satisfied with the service.