Gas safety at home: a homeowner's guide
Natural gas runs the cooktop, hot water and heating in thousands of homes across Matraville, Maroubra, Botany and the rest of the southern Eastern Suburbs. Used properly it's safe and reliable, but gas appliances and pipework need a bit of care. This guide covers what to do if you smell gas, the warning signs worth acting on, how to keep heaters and cooktops in good order, and when to call a licensed gasfitter. It's written by the licensed plumbers and gasfitters who look after local homes from our base in Matraville.
If you smell gas
Natural gas has no smell of its own. A strong odour, often described as rotten eggs, is added so that leaks are easy to notice. If you smell it inside the house, take it seriously and follow these steps in order:
- Don't create a spark. Don't switch lights or appliances on or off, don't use the doorbell, and don't light matches, lighters or cigarettes.
- Turn off the gas at the meter. The valve is on the pipe beside the meter. Turn the handle so it sits across the pipe, not in line with it.
- Open up the house. Open doors and windows to let the gas clear.
- Get everyone outside, including pets, and wait well away from the house.
- Call a licensed gasfitter once you're outside, to find and fix the leak. Don't turn the gas back on until it has been checked.
It's worth finding your gas meter and turning the valve once now, while nothing is wrong, so everyone in the household knows where it is. In most local homes the meter sits on an outside wall near the front of the house, or in a meter box by the side path.
Warning signs to watch for
A gas smell that comes and goes
A faint smell near the cooktop, heater bayonet or hot water unit can point to a small leak at a fitting. Small leaks are still worth fixing quickly.
Yellow or orange flames
Gas burners should burn with a steady blue flame. Lazy yellow or orange flames, or black soot marks, usually mean the gas isn't burning cleanly and the appliance needs a service.
Headaches or drowsiness indoors
A poorly burning or badly ventilated appliance can give off carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell. If people feel unwell with the heater on and better outside, switch it off and have it checked.
Pilot light keeps going out
A pilot that won't stay lit on a heater or older hot water system can be a sign of a faulty part or poor ventilation around the appliance.
Hissing near pipes or the meter
A hissing or whistling sound near gas pipework or the meter is a reason to turn the gas off and call a gasfitter.
Dead plants over the gas line
A patch of grass or garden that dies off along the path of a buried gas pipe can mean gas is escaping underground.
Gas heaters and carbon monoxide
Gas space heaters are the appliance we're most careful about. When a heater is dirty, damaged or not getting enough air, it can release carbon monoxide into the room. This is most likely in winter, when windows are shut and the heater runs for hours at a time.
- Have gas heaters serviced at least every two years, or as often as the manufacturer recommends. We check the burner, flue or ventilation, safety devices and gas pressure, and test for carbon monoxide. See gas heater servicing.
- Keep ventilation clear. Unflued heaters need fresh air to burn safely, so don't block wall vents or use the heater in a sealed-up room.
- Never bring outdoor gas appliances inside. Barbecues, patio heaters and camping stoves are made for open air and should never be used in the house or garage.
- Consider a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms where a gas heater is used, as an extra layer of protection between services.
Many older homes in Matraville, Pagewood and Kingsford still have the original wall heater or a gas bayonet in the lounge room. If yours hasn't been looked at in years, it's worth a service before the next cold snap.
Cooktops, hot water and gas pipework
Gas cooktops are simple, but a loose burner cap or a blocked jet can give an uneven, yellow flame. Keep burners clean and seated properly, and never leave a pan of oil unattended on the flame. If a cooktop is old, hard to light or has a cracked control knob, a gasfitter can repair it or fit a new one with a proper connection. See gas cooktop installation.
Gas hot water systems should have their flue clear, the burner area free of dust and cobwebs, and nothing stored up against them. Our gas hot water page covers repairs and replacement.
Gas pipe in older local homes is often galvanised steel or copper, sometimes with joints that have been added to over the years. Sandy soil across Botany, Eastgardens and Malabar can shift slightly over time, and salt air near the coast is hard on exposed metal fittings, so an older gas line is worth checking if you're adding an appliance or notice a smell.
Why gas work needs a licensed gasfitter
In New South Wales, any work on gas pipework or appliance connections must be done by a licensed gasfitter. That includes moving a cooktop, adding a gas point for a heater or barbecue, connecting a new hot water unit and repairing leaks. It isn't a DIY job, even for a confident handyperson: a small mistake at a fitting can cause a leak inside a wall or under the floor.
When a licensed gasfitter finishes the work, they test it for leaks and lodge a certificate of compliance. Keep a copy with your house papers, as insurers and future buyers may ask for it. Our gas compliance certificate page explains how it works, and our gas point installation page covers adding new connections.
A simple gas safety routine
- Know where your gas meter and shut-off valve are, and show everyone in the house.
- Look at your burner flames now and then: steady and blue is what you want.
- Book gas heaters in for a service at least every two years, ideally before winter.
- Keep vents, flues and the area around gas appliances clear.
- Use only licensed gasfitters for any gas work, and keep the compliance certificates.
Why locals call us
- Local to Matraville and the southern Eastern Suburbs
- Free on-site quotes, with a fixed price before any work starts
- Lifetime labour warranty on our workmanship
- 100+ five-star Google reviews
- Licensed plumbers and gasfitters (Lic. 398171C)
Common questions
What should I do first if I smell gas at home?
Don't switch anything electrical on or off and don't light a flame. Turn the gas off at the meter, open doors and windows, get everyone outside and then call a licensed gasfitter.
How often should a gas heater be serviced?
At least every two years, or more often if the manufacturer recommends it. A service checks the burner, ventilation and safety devices, and tests for carbon monoxide.
Why is my gas cooktop flame yellow?
A yellow or orange flame usually means the gas isn't burning cleanly, often because of a dirty or misaligned burner or a fault with the air supply. Clean and reseat the burner caps, and if the flame stays yellow, have the cooktop checked.
Can I move or connect a gas appliance myself?
No. In NSW all gas fitting work must be done by a licensed gasfitter, who tests the work and issues a certificate of compliance when it's finished.
Related help: gas fitting, gas heater servicing, gas cooktop installation, gas point installation, gas compliance certificates and gas hot water. Local pages: Matraville, gas fitting in Maroubra, Pagewood, Kingsford and Botany. Browse all our plumbing guides. Not sure where your gas valve is? See our gas shut-off guide.