Natural Gas Leak Detector from Home Depot or Lowes
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If you want to buy a natural gas detector, your best bet is to buy one at either one of the two major home improvement centers: Lowe's and Home Depot. Here is what you can expect to get at each of the major retailers...
Lowes
General Tools and Instruments Gas Detector: A gas leak detector that can detect methane, propane, butane, and other combustible gases. Includes 2 AA batteries. -- $29.98
Kidde AC Plug-in Carbon Monoxide/Explosive Gas Combo Alarm with Battery Backup: Features a digital display that contains the level of carbon monoxide detected. Has an 85 decibel pulsing alarm. -- $59.97
First Alert DC Plug-In Combo Explosive Gas and CO Alarm: Senses either methane or propane, and has an alarm as well. -- $59.97
General Tools Pen Style Natural Gas Detector: A detector that can sniff out natural gas, methane, ch4, butane, propane, liquid petroleum gas, and liquid natural gas in pipe like settings. --$49.95
General Tools Combustible Gas Leak Detector: Ideal for plumbing, HVAC, plant maintenance, and other industrial uses. It can detect everything from methane to coal gases to ammonia. -- $199.00
General Tools 3 Color LED Natural Gas Detector: The same as the aforementioned, except with color leak detection. -- $199.00
Kidde AC Combination CO/Gas Alarm: A combination of carbon monoxide detector and explosive gas alarm. -- $59.97
First Alert Plug-In Combination Explosive Gas and Carbon Monoxide Alarm: Detects carbon monoxide, propane gas, natural gas, and methane gas with a digital display and an alarm.
Kidde Battery-Operated Carbon Monoxide Alarm: An alarm that protects against odorless carbon monoxide. -- $17.78
Kidde Plug-In Digital Carbon Monoxide Alarm with 9-Volt Backup: A carbon monoxide detector with an alarm. -- $39.97
If you have a large house you may need to buy more than one detector. Furthermore, if your hearing isn't too good, you're going to want to get a gas detector, which emits light, rather than sound. In general, the cheaper a gas detector is, the lower its sensitivity level is, meaning that you'll likely get a low of false alarms with a detector that has low sensitivity. False alarms are one of the most mentioned problems in the reviews for detectors that have poor ratings.
Keep in mind that natural gas refers to many different types of gases. This would include methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, and carbon monoxide. As such, when you are shopping for a natural gas detector, you have to see exactly what the detector detects.You
Although you can purchase one of these detectors, you can detect natural gas with no tools, assuming that the leak is sever enough. Because natural gas is odorless by its nature, natural gas companies put in a rotten egg odor to warn you if something is leaking. If you see a damaged connection to an appliance that uses natural gas (this would include your stove or your BBQ grill for example), there's a good chance that there is gas coming from out of it. If you think that you have a damaged connection, to find out the exact source of the trouble, pour a 50/50 mixture of soap and water onto the connection. Where you see bubbles, you will see the source of the leakage.
Whether or not you buy a gas detector, once you sense the presence of gas, it is required that you don't ignite any type of flame (in the form of smoking or stove). It is also a must that you don't use any electrical devices (even your phone), because it produces an electrical spark, which may ignite the gas and start a fire and/or explosion. Of course, these are all pre-cautionary measures. The natural gas leak has to be extensive for any type of fire and/or explosion to take place.
There are some online sources, which claim that you should evacuate your house right away if you sense a leak. Other online sources say that you should stay and take care of it. Which advice should you take? Use your judgment. If you feel that the leak is strong enough, by all means, clear your property. If you feel that the leak is minor, stay and take care of it yourself. Otherwise, call a plumber and he'll take care of the problem.
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