Almost lost my house deposit because I ignored a small gas leak for 10 months

Back in March 2022, I noticed a faint rotten egg smell near my water heater in Portland. I figured it was nothing and just opened a window. Three months later, my neighbor mentioned her gas bill was way high, but I shrugged it off. Then last month, my own bill jumped from $45 to $180 with no change in usage. I finally called the gas company, and they found two tiny leaks in the pipes behind my basement wall. The repair guy said if I waited another 6 months, the leak could have caused a fire or even an explosion. Now I'm out $350 for the fix and wondering what else I've been ignoring around here. Has anyone else had a hidden gas leak sneak up on them like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

cooper.max3d ago

A carbon monoxide detector that also sniffs for natural gas is cheap and worth grabbing at the hardware store. I'd also check the connections on any gas appliance with soapy water once a year to spot tiny leaks before they get worse. That $20 detector saved me from a similar situation last winter, so it's a no-brainer.

miab163d ago

Saw a similar post on Reddit and now I randomly sniff my hot water heater every week.

jana_price3d ago

Oh man, I gotta say I think that's overkill. Your nose isn't gonna catch anything a quick visual check wouldn't, and you're just gonna get a headache from the gas smell.