We moved into a new house about 1.5 years ago and occasionally there is a faint smell of natural gas in the masterbedroom walk in closet. The closet shares a wall with the kitchen and on that wall is the cook top (gas). When I smell the gas, there is no smell near the hook-ups to the cooktop, just in the closet. I've gone up to the attic where the gas manifold is located and no smell. I had a plumber come over and he checked the connections on the manifold and there was no leak. He also couldn't find one at the cooktop connection (both tests via soapy spraybottle). I'm thinking that maybe when they installed the drywall they nicked one of the supply lines to the kitchen and the gas is leaking in the wall. I'd think if that was the case I'd smell it in the kitchen and attic as well, but never do. What would you recommend?

thanks,

Brad

 

Is there a pressure regulator somewhere in the line?

 

Call your gas company & have them check it. Most gas utilities & many service companies use electronic "sniffer" leak detectors. With such an instrument they could, by drilling a small hole (about 1/2"), even check inside the wall. Natural gas is lighter than air so the hole would have to be high on the wall.

 

I second Grady's suggestion to have your gas utility check things out for you.

I used to do those kinds of inspections when I worked for a gas utility, and we were much better trained and equipped than the typical heating contractor.

For example, among the really dangerous gas leaks you can have is leakage from a gas main or service that infiltrates the ground up against the foundation of a house ---even several houses. This can cause gas to accumulate at explosive levels in basements, crawl spaces or behind walls. Among the first places we were trained to check was along the outside foundations of houses, something the typical contractor wouldn't think to check.

As a general rule of thumb, if you think you smell gas, you usually are, or at least something stinky.

 

The pressure regulator is in the attic.

thanks,

Brad