Fast Plumbing Answers: What Causes Gas Leaks?

There’s a gas leak in your house. You’ve shut off the gas and started getting quotes for repairs or replacement. But what caused that gas leak in the first place? Is it located along a buried gas line, or within your home’s structure?

Don’t worry: we’ll answer all your questions in 2 minutes or less.

We’re Mother, a Dallas-Fort Worth plumbing company that provides dependable, hassle-free modern plumbing for homeowners who value quality. If you ever need us, we’re here to provide you long-term plumbing solutions that last. 

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Here’s What Caused the Gas Leak in Your House

We spoke to Colton Staley,one of Mother’s Tradesman Plumbers with extensive experience in residential gas lines, for his expert insights about home gas leaks. He told us that the specific reason for your gas leak depends whether your gas line is buried, or whether it’s located within your home structure.

Here are the usual culprits behind gas leaks — one underground and one for in-home gas lines. We’ll start with underground lines, as they’re harder to spot for homeowners.

Corrosion of underground gas lines

Gas lines running beneath your property are constantly exposed to the surrounding soil. Over time, the minerals and moisture in the dirt react with the metal of the pipes, leading to corrosion. This is particularly true for older homes that utilize outdated piping materials. 

As Colton points out, "Older style piping could be galvanized or black iron piping for gas lines. When it's in the ground, sitting in the dirt, it has a high tendency to rust over the years." 

This gradual degradation weakens the pipe walls and causes leaks. The type of piping used significantly impacts the likelihood of this issue. 

Newer homes, fewer leaks: Modern homes now utilize polyethylene piping, a plastic material that is far more resistant to soil corrosion.

Thread sealant failure inside the home

For gas lines installed inside your home, the connections between pipe sections are sealed using a thread sealant. This compound ensures a tight, gas-proof seal at the threaded joints. 

However, this sealant isn't permanent. Over years of temperature fluctuations, vibrations, and the natural aging process of the materials, the sealant can dry out, crack, or otherwise fail. 

When this happens, small gaps can form in the connections, allowing natural gas to escape. While this process is typically slow, it's an inevitable consequence of the materials used in gas line installations.

Fix Gas Leaks Now — Wait at Your Own Risk

Never ignore a gas leak — even if you’re not fully sure there is one. Even a small gas leak leads to significant health, safety and financial risks for your home and family.

Immediate safety risks: The most immediate and severe danger of a gas leak is the risk of explosion and fire. Natural gas is highly flammable, and even a small spark can ignite accumulated gas, leading to devastating consequences. 

Inhaling natural gas causes headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even asphyxiation in high concentrations. Because natural gas is odorless, utility companies add a sulfur-like scent (mercaptan) to make leaks detectable. If you smell this odor, it's crucial to act immediately.

Call Mother for fast gas leak detection services, or call the local fire department if you’re concerned about your immediate well-being.

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Property damage: Even without ignition, a persistent gas leak can cause damage to your property. The escaping gas can dry out surrounding materials, potentially weakening structural components over time. 

If the leak is underground, it can disrupt the surrounding soil and affect the stability of the ground around your home's foundation.

Financial setbacks: Even a small gas leak causes huge issues in your utility bills. You’re constantly paying for gas that you’re not using.

Over time, this can lead to a noticeable increase in your monthly utility bills. Address the leak promptly and avoid these unnecessary expenses.

You Found The Issue. Here’s What to Do Next

Don’t attempt DIY gas leak repairs. Ever. Tampering with gas lines without the proper training and tools can exacerbate the problem and create a serious safety hazard.

Call Mother right away to avoid the inherent dangers involved in addressing gas leaks.

If you suspect a gas leak in your house, stop and follow these 5 easy steps immediately.

• Evacuate: If you smell gas, immediately evacuate everyone from the premises.
• Do Not Use Electrical Switches or Devices: Avoid turning lights on or off, using telephones (including cell phones inside), or anything that could create a spark.
• Do Not Start Vehicles: If your car is parked in the garage, do not start it until you are a safe distance away.
• Call the Fire Department from a Safe Location: Once you are outside and a safe distance from your home, call your local fire department and explain the situation.
• Call Mother Modern Plumbing. Our expert DFW plumbers are specially trained to locate and repair the leak safely and effectively.

Fixing multiple underground gas leaks

The trouble with underground leaks is their ability to spread and proliferate — one small, unchecked leak often becomes 3 or 4 throughout the gas line.

We recently had a customer in Richardson who experienced this exact issue.

“He had multiple leaks,” Colton explained, “and the best route was to replace everything that was underneath his house. In his situation, it was just a better option.”

A professional assessment will determine the most effective and safest course of action for your specific situation.

Call Mother Modern Plumbing Today

There are plenty of times to DIY home repairs. A gas leak is never one of those times. Stop what you’re doing, leave your home, and don’t wait to take action.

Call Mother Modern Plumbing immediately for prompt, reliable, and expert gas line repair service anywhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Get rid of your leak, and get back your peace of mind.

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