How Natural Gas Leaks are Dangerous

Flammable

• If there is a natural gas leak in your home it can be dangerous. Natural gas is flammable and a spark from a cigarette lighter, your computer or a match can cause an explosion.

Suffocation

• When you are exposed to an excessive amount of natural gas it can render you unconscious. If you are not helped out of your home death could follow. Call 911 or your gas company if you smell gas. According to the National Institutes of Health you should use a phone away from the house. Your home phone could produce a spark.

Inefficient Furnace

• A furnace must have the capability to burn natural gas effectively and efficiently and have good ventilation. If a furnace is not functioning correctly carbon monoxide can accumulate in your home and make you sick. When you breathe carbon monoxide the brain and organs are deprived of oxygen according to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• According to Powerhouse Kids the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, upset stomach, fuzzy vision and dizziness when you try to stand. Carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to death if left untreated. If you become sick, move to fresh air immediately and call for help.

Prevention/Solution

• Make sure all new appliances are installed correctly. Old appliances, furnaces, pipes and gas sources should be checked periodically for leaks. Purchasing a carbon monoxide detector can alert you to the presence of this odorless gas.