Is it normal to smell natural gas near water heater?

[peter]

When I stand right next to the water heater, I smell a little bit of gas at
certain height. If I move to 1 foot away, I no longer can smell it.

See this photo:
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/990857
The red ellipse shows where I smell the gas. I smell some at lower spots,
but it's not continuous, meaning when I go lower, I don't smell it, then I
smell it, ...

I assume it has been like this during the last year, and there is no
cumulation of natural gas (like I said, only can smell it within a foot). So
I wonder, is it normal for a water heater with pilot light to emit some
natural gas odor, or should I try to seal all the pipe joints?

[Joseph Meehan]

How long has the water heater been there? Was it a replacement or a new
install?

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

[m Ransley]

Your fire dept and gas company will check it out free, it could be Co
from a poor draft, blocked flue, There are Co-Ng detectors for about 40$
at HD, get it checked out by a pro you obviously dont have your
equipment serviced or cleaned regularly and you should.

[tra...@optonline.net]

No, it;s not normal to smell any gas near a water heater. It needs to
be checked out. You can start checking yourself by applying some soapy
water with a brush to the pipe joints. If there is a leak, you will
see bubbles. It's most likely the problem is before the combustion
occurs, not the exhaust, because the combustion products are odorless.

[delph...@gmail.com]

I have a followup question to this answer - unrelated to water heaters,
but sort of on topic - is there a "safe" amount of natural gas to
smell? Reason: I can smell natural gas near my meter, but only when I
put my nose right near the pipes. Anywhere else along the ground
around the meter I can't smell it - and I can't smell it on any of the
pipes in my house that I could reach (my neighbors probably think I've
lost my mind). I've had the gas company out several times, each time
they told me they could smell it too (with their nose up next to the
pipe), but said that they couldn't find a leak. I watched the last guy
who came out and he soaped up the entire pipe & meter and found
nothing. None of them has given me a good reason why this is
occurring.

Thanks
Doug

[Edwin Pawlowski]

<delph...@gmail.com> wrote in message

>
> I have a followup question to this answer - unrelated to water heaters,
> but sort of on topic - is there a "safe" amount of natural gas to
> smell? Reason: I can smell natural gas near my meter, but only when I
> put my nose right near the pipes. Anywhere else along the ground
> around the meter I can't smell it -

Any time the gas does not explode could be considered safe in a loose sense
of the term.

The odorant that is put into gas can leave a residue over time. I've
sniffed pipes and fittings removed from gas service and months later and
could detect an odor. If their equipment does not detect any gas, it is
probably safe and the leak may be gone, but the residue remains. So, you
are not smelling gas necessarily, but the odorant. Natural gas has no odor.

You did the right thing having it checked.

[mm]

On Wed, 12 Jul 2006 06:01:55 -0500, ran...@webtv.net (m Ransley)
wrote:

I'm not saying this case is the same, but a few weeks ago, someone
died in a motel in Ocean City, Md. Apparently it was CO. About a
week ago, someone announced that it was because of "a missing pipe"
from a gas water heater. The motel said it moved the water heater
outside. It gets pretty cold some of the time in Ocean City, and I
don't think anyone else keeps their water heater outside, but they
have to do something to make people feel their motel is safe.

[Bob]

I installed a new gas waterheater and for weeks later kept getting a
faint smell of gas odor. Rechecked my connections and they were tight.
Finally checked the internal connections and found a loose one - came
that way from the factory. Tightened it and never smelled gas again.

Bob

[Eigenvector]

"peter" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:Oz0tg.5732$pB.4088@trnddc06...

Your question is pretty dangerous, remember that this is a public forum and
therefore we can't tell what your situation and what your intelligence level
really is, so a question involving highly flammable gas typically is
answered very conservatively.

As to whether it is normal or not, it can yes. I have spoken with people
who do home calls and people who do training for PSE (Puget Sound Energy)
and on certain gas water heaters it is normal to smell gas around the burner
control knob. But your circle doesn't indicate that location so in my mind
you should perhaps ask your gas supplier if they can verify the installation
for you. It's what I did when I smelled gas in and around my gas control
box. No reason to risk sending your water heater into low orbit.

[peter]

"Joseph Meehan" <sligojo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:n84tg.32262$u11....@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...

It is a replacement water heater installed about 1 year ago. If I turn off
the gas valve on the water heater itself, then the smell is gone.

Then I turn it to the pilot lighting setting and lit the pilot. Immediately
after this I stuck my nose near the control box (where the valve, lighting
button, and the temperature control is mounted) and smell gas.

I think it's safe (dangerous?) to say the leak comes from that control box.
And it's only 1 year old. The water heater is made by state industries
(http://www.stateind.com/).

[Eigenvector]

"peter" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message

news:_w8ug.197$rT6.27@trnddc03...

Did you call the gas company? There were a few people who suggested it and
it really is a good recommendation.

[Joseph Meehan]

That eliminates what I was thinking of. I suggest that you call the
manufacturer or your local gas company. I would consider it a hazard.

[peter]

>>> peter wrote:
>>>> When I stand right next to the water heater, I smell a little bit of
>>>> gas at certain height. If I move to 1 foot away, I no longer can
>>>> smell it.

I found the problem. There are two gas tubes coming out of the temperature
control box, a big one supplies the burner, and a small one supplies the
pilot light:

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/990857/1/82458064

The installer did not use any joint compound on these tube fittings, so they
leak a little. Instead, he overtightened the large nut, but that still
doesn't work.

I bought some joint compound from HD (says ok to use on gas pipe) and put
them in the threads. That's the white stuff you see in the threads. This
eliminates almost all the gas odor. I no longer smell gas when standing next
to the water heater. I still smell a faint odor at the bottom of the control
box.

I think a little bit of gas is leaking out between the nut and the tubes.
How do you seal this? Yes, I know I can call the gas company, or call the
installer to fix it. That would be the last resort. I want to learn
something in the process if I could.

[dpb]

peter wrote:
> >>> peter wrote:
> >>>> When I stand right next to the water heater, I smell a little bit of
> >>>> gas at certain height. If I move to 1 foot away, I no longer can
> >>>> smell it.
>

...

> The installer did not use any joint compound on these tube fittings, so they
> leak a little. Instead, he overtightened the large nut, but that still
> doesn't work.

...

Then you need to replace the fittings--joint compound is for _threaded_
pipe fittings where the threads make the seal, _not_ for tubing
fittings. In a tubing fitting (or a pipe union, as well) the seal is
the mating between the taper and the sleeve _not_ the threads at all.

Sounds like they tried to reuse an old fitting that has either corroded
enough to no longer have a precise matching or, in trying to make that
connection, overtightned and likely crushed the ferule.

The real solution is to replace the fittings if you have sufficient
length to get a fresh tubing end or the tubing and fittings if not.

[Daniel]

replying to delphiprog, Daniel wrote:

> delphiprog wrote:
>
> I have a followup question to this answer - unrelated to water heaters,
> but sort of on topic - is there a "safe" amount of natural gas to
> smell? Reason: I can smell natural gas near my meter, but only when I
> put my nose right near the pipes. Anywhere else along the ground
> around the meter I can't smell it - and I can't smell it on any of the
> pipes in my house that I could reach (my neighbors probably think I've
> lost my mind). I've had the gas company out several times, each time
> they told me they could smell it too (with their nose up next to the
> pipe), but said that they couldn't find a leak. I watched the last guy
> who came out and he soaped up the entire pipe & meter and found
> nothing. None of them has given me a good reason why this is
> occurring.
> Thanks
> Doug

I have exactly the same issue before or after replacing my water heater. I
always smell a waft of gas at a certain height near the pilot fire
chamber. All tests prove negative, but the smell still haunts or hovers
around that spot from time to time, giving me an eerie sense that gas is
oozing out from some tiny leaks.

--

[Tony Hwang]

Hi,
No gas detector in the house?

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

OK - what you are smelling is the odorant Ethyl Mercaptan which is
added to natural gas to make it detectable. Somehow the mercaptan is
being released into the air - with or without the gas. My suspicion is
some has "settled out" of the gas at the pilot. Only a fraction of a
small drop will be detectable by a sensitive schnozz.

[terrable]

"Tony Hwang" <drag...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:Wfz8w.558914$Q61....@fx13.iad...

Who would have a natural gas detector in their house?

I don't and don't know anyone who does.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 11/12/2014 10:31 AM, terrable wrote:
> "Tony Hwang" <drag...@shaw.ca> wrote in message

>> Hi,
>> No gas detector in the house?
>>
>
> Who would have a natural gas detector in their house?
>
> I don't and don't know anyone who does.
>

Some campers and RV have a LP detector near the
floor. But NG detector in a home? Not heard of
such.

When I did HVAC, I used to have a gas beeper for
use on the job, but that's not the typical HO
situation.

-
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi,
I do, NG, CO, flame, smoke detectors, why not?
I even had them in my fiver when I had it. Any thing wrong
having them?

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 10:31:47 -0500, "terrable" <terr...@terrable.net>
wrote:

>> No gas detector in the house?
>>
>
>Who would have a natural gas detector in their house?
>
>I don't and don't know anyone who does.
>
>

You lead a sheltered life. They are readily available from Home
Centers. You can get a combo flammable gas and carbon monoxide
detector. For that price, why would you NOT have one if you have gas?
(I don't have gas so I don't)

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-Plug-In-Combination-Explosive-Gas-Carbon-Monoxide-Alarm-Detector-with-Battery-Back-up-KN-COEG-3/100003545

[dpb]

On 11/11/2014 8:24 PM, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 01:44:02 +0000, Daniel
> <caedfaa9ed1216d60e...@example.com> wrote:
>
>> replying to delphiprog, Daniel wrote:
>>> delphiprog wrote:
>>>
>>> I have a followup question to this answer - unrelated to water heaters,
>>> but sort of on topic - is there a "safe" amount of natural gas to
>>> smell? Reason: I can smell natural gas near my meter, but only when I
>>> put my nose right near the pipes. Anywhere else along the ground
>>> around the meter I can't smell it - and I can't smell it on any of the
>>> pipes in my house that I could reach (my neighbors probably think I've
>>> lost my mind). I've had the gas company out several times, each time
>>> they told me they could smell it too (with their nose up next to the
>>> pipe), but said that they couldn't find a leak. I watched the last guy

>>> who came out and he soaped up the entire pipe& meter and found

>>> nothing. None of them has given me a good reason why this is
>>> occurring.
>>> Thanks
>>> Doug
>>
>>
>>
>> I have exactly the same issue before or after replacing my water heater. I
>> always smell a waft of gas at a certain height near the pilot fire
>> chamber. All tests prove negative, but the smell still haunts or hovers
>> around that spot from time to time, giving me an eerie sense that gas is
>> oozing out from some tiny leaks.
> OK - what you are smelling is the odorant Ethyl Mercaptan which is
> added to natural gas to make it detectable. Somehow the mercaptan is
> being released into the air - with or without the gas. My suspicion is
> some has "settled out" of the gas at the pilot. Only a fraction of a
> small drop will be detectable by a sensitive schnozz.

I've had gas co out numerous times as the mercaptan smell is noticeable.
To date they've never been able to set off their high-priced,
presumable sensitive(???) detectors at any location.

I've become convinced by characteristics it's a remnant of the odorant
having been left after repair/replacement when piping has been open.
It's noticeably stronger in the well house if get a little water on the
floor near where the heater sits which I replaced the old "wild" pilot
valve on a couple of years ago with one of them newfangled, gee-whiz
thermocouple-countrolled doo-jobbie ones a couple of years ago.

I've not gotten one of the n-gas wall monitors thinking the likelihood
of them being sensitive enough to help if the gas company can't find it
with a portable going around all the piping and end devices was likely
near zero.

It is disconcerting on occasion, however, 'cuz one wonders for absolute
certain whether it's just getting missed or what...

--

[TimR]

Odorant can fool you.

I worked at a place out in the country that had a small motel for new employees until they found a place. There were maybe a dozen rooms. The place smelled so strong of gas I wouldn't have walked near it. Their claim was that it was normal. The odorant addition machine only came in one size, and so they had a large unit for that tiny motel. With that much odorant being added it was bound to smell.

In hindsight, they were probably lying, but we all did survive. And move out quickly.

[Don Phillipson]

> delphiprog wrote:
>
> is there a "safe" amount of natural gas to
> smell? Reason: I can smell natural gas near my meter, but only when I
> put my nose right near the pipes. Anywhere else along the ground
> around the meter I can't smell it - and I can't smell it on any of the
> pipes in my house that I could reach

No "safe amount" of any explosive gas can be detected
by human nose. Our noses have not been trained to
discriminate between safe and unsafe odours. This is
why gas companies ask people to notify them if they
ever smell gas.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

[dpb]

Natural gas has no detectable odor at all -- it's only the mercaptan
oderant added that can be detected by the nose. It's so strong simply
so that a tiny amount is detectable by almost everybody (albeit I can
often not notice the trace amounts spoken of above when some others
claim it smells strongly of it to them; my sniffer ain't so hot as some
I gather).

The measurement devices used by the gas co aren't "smelling", they're
using active sensing to detect the actual methane/propane/whatever...

--

[dpb]

On 11/12/2014 3:15 PM, TimR wrote:
> Odorant can fool you.
>
> I worked at a place out in the country that had a small motel for
> new employees until they found a place. There were maybe a dozen
> rooms. The place smelled so strong of gas I wouldn't have walked near
> it. Their claim was that it was normal. The odorant addition machine
> only came in one size, and so they had a large unit for that tiny

> motel. With thatmuch odorant being added it was bound to smell.

>
> In hindsight, they were probably lying, but we all did survive. And
> move out quickly.

This is a farm residence/homestead; the pot is at the tap off the
pipeline at the meter location some quarter-mile from the house...which
brings up other stories that initially was un-metered tap for farm/house
use as part of the right-of-way easement grandfather negotiated in the
30's when they built the line. Some 30 yr ago now, the original
pipeline company was acquired by another and they somehow found an
escape hatch that state corporation commission backed them up on to
break all those existing agreements. I've been extremely surprised they
haven't come around trying to pull the tap entirely in order to get rid
of the hassle of these scattered residential taps all over the county...

--

[micky]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 10:41:00 -0500, Stormin Mormon
<cayo...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>On 11/12/2014 10:31 AM, terrable wrote:
>> "Tony Hwang" <drag...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
>>> Hi,
>>> No gas detector in the house?
>>>
>>
>> Who would have a natural gas detector in their house?
>>
>> I don't and don't know anyone who does.
>>
>
>Some campers and RV have a LP detector near the
>floor. But NG detector in a home? Not heard of
>such.

Why is it worse when a camper goes boom than when a home does?

[micky]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 09:01:11 -0700, Tony Hwang <drag...@shaw.ca> wrote:

>
>>
>> Who would have a natural gas detector in their house?
>>
>> I don't and don't know anyone who does.
>>
>>
>>
>Hi,
>I do, NG, CO, flame, smoke detectors, why not?

I have CO and smoke detectors, but wrt NG and flame, I say, Bring it on!

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 10:41:00 -0500, Stormin Mormon
<cayo...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Getting more common - Co detectors are now MANDATORY in any living
space in Ontario, joining smoke detectors.
Many Co detectors are combination natural gas detectors. $63 is about
the average cost. Likely more like $40 yankee bucks.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

At least it is natural gas, which is lighter than air and dissipates,
instead of propane which pools on the floor until it reaches an
ignition source.

[micky]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 20:36:54 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:

>
>Getting more common - Co detectors are now MANDATORY in any living
>space in Ontario, joining smoke detectors.

Years ago my brother gave me a CO detector for my birthday. He always
finds good things to buy, that I don't even realize would be good**

I don't remember how the problem started. but the loud CO alarm woke me
up one night. I opened the window and turned off the oil furnace. It
was a cold night, and after a while I was torn whether to shut the
window again, so I could go to sleep. But I didn't want the big sleep.

The alarm wasn't alarming, but I think I had a slight headache and
didn't want to take chances. But it was getting cold quickly. After 20,
25 minutes I shut the window and went back to sleep.

Next day called the furnace guy. He took off the 6" stove pipe leading
to the chimney. A two-inch doughnut made of nothing but soot!!!.
Leaving only 2 inches in the middle for the exhaust. That's 1/4 the
intended cross-section.


BTW, there's a story running around that oil furnaces can't make CO.
NOT true.

**He also gave me an electronic stud finder. My brother doesn't do home
repairs. I wonder how he even thought of that. My reaction was, I'll
never use it, but I used it over and over and over agains.

>Many Co detectors are combination natural gas detectors. $63 is about
>the average cost. Likely more like $40 yankee bucks.

Wow. The difference has grown. Last I noticed, I think 93c US was a

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 22:42:01 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

It's more than the difference in the buck (right now in the 88 cent
range).A lot of that type of stuff is just plain cheaper in the USA
even taking exchange into consideration. I guess having a market ten
times the size of the Canadian market has something to do with it??

[micky]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 22:51:50 -0500, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:

>
>>>Many Co detectors are combination natural gas detectors. $63 is about
>>>the average cost. Likely more like $40 yankee bucks.
>>
>>Wow. The difference has grown. Last I noticed, I think 93c US was a
> It's more than the difference in the buck (right now in the 88 cent
>range).A lot of that type of stuff is just plain cheaper in the USA
>even taking exchange into consideration. I guess having a market ten
>times the size of the Canadian market has something to do with it??

Hmmm. I guess there's a lot about marketing and economics that I don't
know.

I know a lot of electronics products made in Japan, or at least made by
Japanese companies in countries near them, are cheaper in the US than in
Japan. But I thought that had to do with Japanese taxes or something.

(I don't know what prices are like in China, or how many Chinese can
afford to buy their products, even at US prices.)

I would think one could treat Canada as any 30 million person section of
the US. Most chains in the US don't cover the whole country, or if
they do like the mail-order catalog, I mean webpage, of Sears, they are
still just one of many buyers.
.

Does NAFTA only affect things made in the US, Canada, and Mexico, and
not how Chinese or Japanese companies exporting here elate to us?

[Brock O'Bama]

On 11/12/2014 10:41 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> Some campers and RV have a LP detector near the
> floor. But NG detector in a home? Not heard of
> such.

Excellent point!

Given that propane is heavier than air, having a *small* propane leak in a house with a basement or below grade crawl space is an explosion waiting to happen.
A *small* propane leak is probably less dangerous in an above grade slab house.

Given that natural gas is lighter than air, a *small* natural gas leak seems far less dangerous.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 11/12/2014 8:14 PM, micky wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 10:41:00 -0500, Stormin Mormon
> <cayo...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 11/12/2014 10:31 AM, terrable wrote:
>>> "Tony Hwang" <drag...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
>>>> Hi,
>>>> No gas detector in the house?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Who would have a natural gas detector in their house?
>>>
>>> I don't and don't know anyone who does.
>>>
>>
>> Some campers and RV have a LP detector near the
>> floor. But NG detector in a home? Not heard of
>> such.
>

> Why is it worse when a camCenter posted, like your reply.
Campers usually lighter weight material, they burn down FAST.
Of couese, now days homes go down fast, also. per goes boom

[Stormin Mormon]

On 11/12/2014 8:36 PM, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 10:41:00 -0500, Stormin Mormon

>> Some campers and RV have a LP detector near the
>> floor. But NG detector in a home? Not heard of
>> such.

>> Christopher A. Young
>> Learn about Jesus
>> www.lds.org
>> .
> Getting more common - Co detectors are now MANDATORY in any living
> space in Ontario, joining smoke detectors.
> Many Co detectors are combination natural gas detectors. $63 is about
> the average cost. Likely more like $40 yankee bucks.
>

New York State passed some thing about monoxide
detectors, about five to ten years ago. So, it's
aparently favored by socialist governments in the
US, also.

--

[Tekkie®]

micky posted for all of us...

You could have called the fire dept (I responded to many of these calls). If
you had symptoms (which you seem to allude to) you would have gotten EMS.

--
Tekkie

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 23:04:39 -0500, micky <NONONO...@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

Well you can go into any Target store in the USA, then come up to
Canada and go to a Target store, and the prices will shock you. Same
with book stores. Even when out dollar was up to $1.15, a book that
sold for $8.99 in US stores was $14.99 here.

Part of it is taxes, but definitely not all of it.

Part of it is the fact that to sell any product in Canada it MUST have
both english and french on the lable, and have all instructions and
warnings in both languages - so they can't just toss a box across the
border from Detroit to a store in Windsor, or from Buffalo to Niagara
Falls.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

You don't need to worry about gas leaks or Co poisoning in your
drafty trailer.

[micky]

Well, I'm shocked and I didn't even have to get out of my chair, let
alone drive to Target.

>
> Part of it is taxes, but definitely not all of it.
>
>Part of it is the fact that to sell any product in Canada it MUST have
>both english and french on the lable, and have all instructions and
>warnings in both languages - so they can't just toss a box across the
>border from Detroit to a store in Windsor, or from Buffalo to Niagara
>Falls.

What a shame. Other than safety warnings, I don't think products sold
in the US have to have any English on them at all. Maybe in some
states safety warnings of some sort may have to be in Spanish too.

A lot of instruction manuals etc. inside the box are now in English,
Spanish, and French, And the polycarbonate I bought that was made in
the US had instructions in English, Spanish, French, and German. (I
hope they don't know something about the Western Hemisphere that I don't
know.) The polycarbonate made by Saudi Arabia, had almost no text,
just graphics. The only text was a web page, which said nothing about
how to use polycarbonate.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 11/13/2014 5:45 PM, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
> On Thu, 13 Nov 2014 07:23:20 -0500, Stormin Mormon

>> New York State passed some thing about monoxide
>> detectors, about five to ten years ago. So, it's
>> aparently favored by socialist governments in the
>> US, also.
> You don't need to worry about gas leaks
> or Co poisoning in your
> drafty trailer.
>

I presume you're willing to bear the full replacement
value and medical expenses, should such occur?

--

[TimR]

On Thursday, November 13, 2014 6:09:55 PM UTC-5, Stormin Mormon wrote:

> > You don't need to worry about gas leaks
> > or Co poisoning in your
> > drafty trailer.
> >
>
> I presume you're willing to bear the full replacement
> value and medical expenses, should such occur?
>

Medical expenses? I never take a trailer to the doctor. Just shoot it and drive on.

[Stormin Mormon]

You must be from Texas?

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Fri, 14 Nov 2014 10:13:21 -0500, Stormin Mormon
<cayo...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>On 11/14/2014 8:32 AM, TimR wrote:
>> On Thursday, November 13, 2014 6:09:55 PM UTC-5, Stormin Mormon wrote:
>>
>>>> You don't need to worry about gas leaks
>>> > or Co poisoning in your
>>>> drafty trailer.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I presume you're willing to bear the full replacement
>>> value and medical expenses, should such occur?
>>>
>>
>> Medical expenses? I never take a trailer to the doctor. Just shoot it and drive on.
>>
>
>You must be from Texas?

Why waste a bullet - all that does is add another hole.

[Tekkie®]

cl...@snyder.on.ca posted for all of us...

+1 claire (snicker)

--
Tekkie

[Blauengel]

replying to Daniel, Blauengel wrote:
Me too!! I panicked and called the gas company out yesterday and they couldn't
find anything with their little machine doohickey but I can still smell it and
it's freaking me out!

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/is-it-normal-to-smell-natural-gas-near-water-heater-127340-.htm

[Thomas]

If you smell it, it is there. Get out and get another opinion. 911.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Wed, 3 May 2017 15:31:37 -0700 (PDT), Thomas <cano...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>If you smell it, it is there. Get out and get another opinion. 911.

Natural gas is odorless. The mercapitan smell may persist for a LONG
time after, with no trace of natural gas.

[philo]

On 05/03/2017 03:14 PM, Blauengel wrote:
> replying to Daniel, Blauengel wrote:
> Me too!! I panicked and called the gas company out yesterday and they
> couldn't
> find anything with their little machine doohickey but I can still smell
> it and
> it's freaking me out!
>

You have replied to an 11 year old post!

[Tommy K]

replying to philo, Tommy K wrote:
this 11 year post is giving me good info

[Frank]

I once heard that a single drop of mercaptan used in a football stadium
with 80,000 fans can be smelled by all present.

I had a friend using these in plant lab where he worked and a neighbor 2
miles from the plant could smell it and asked if he was using mercaptans
in the lab on those days.

You still want to make sure there is no gas leak but it is hard to keep
that odor down. Mercaptans can be detected by smell at levels less than
1 part per billion.

[Frank]

The odor must still remain;)

[Matt.t]

replying to Edwin Pawlowski, Matt.t wrote:
Can this residue being "clogged" in one spot or connection become a problem
over time? As of now the gas gets to where it has to go. This is on a newly
installed gas water heater.

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

On Thursday, August 24, 2017 at 3:14:10 PM UTC-5, Matt.t wrote:
>
> replying to Edwin Pawlowski, Matt.t wrote:
> Can this residue being "clogged" in one spot or connection become a problem
> over time? As of now the gas gets to where it has to go. This is on a newly
> installed gas water heater.
>
>

Bad connection. Get your local gas company or plumber out there
to repair it.

[trader_4]

On Thursday, August 24, 2017 at 4:14:10 PM UTC-4, Matt.t wrote:
> replying to Edwin Pawlowski, Matt.t wrote:
> Can this residue being "clogged" in one spot or connection become a problem
> over time? As of now the gas gets to where it has to go. This is on a newly
> installed gas water heater.
>

This what? You revived a ten year old thread and don't explain what your problem is. If you're smelling a slight whiff of gas at a water heater, I would mix up some soapy water and apply it at all connections, look for bubbles. If it's more than a slight whiff and/or you don't know what you're doing, shut it off and call the installer.

[The Right Answer Always]

replying to clare, The Right Answer Always wrote:
Remember: you will always smell the rotten egg smell with the igniter is first
trying to kick on. That's the gas being deployed so the spark can cause a
flame to heat your water. Only when you are not trying to heat your water
should you never smell the rotten egg smell. When it's idling it should not
smell. When it's active you will definitely smell it.

[trader_4]

BS. I've had many water heaters and never had one where it was normal to smell gas. The igniter or pilot sets the first gas to come out on fire and if there was any odor it should be going out the exhaust, not into the building. C

[Praaline]

replying to Tommy K, Praaline wrote:
Right. Didn’t know there was a problem with new information. People are
always searching for answers

[Blazeaglory]

Funny thing is when you ask the person who is complaining about others "reviving" an 11 yo post, as if it's a bad thing when the information is relative, they can't even explain WHY they're complaining or seem to think it's wrong...lol I for one have found MANY a revived old thread with information I found useful in only that particular thread. Beats me

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For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/is-it-normal-to-smell-natural-gas-near-water-heater-127340-.htm