Natural gas is lighter than air and rapidly dissipates into the air when it is released. When natural gas burns, a high-temperature blue flame is produced and complete combustion takes place producing only water vapor and carbon dioxide. It has a heating value of about 1000 BTUs per cubic foot.
Natural gas is lighter than air, so it will rise and disperse if allowed to vent freely.
Natural gas is much lighter than air so when it is released into the air it rises quickly and dissipates outside. The mercaptan is heavier though so it can often sink and hang closer to the surface. This difference is important to why under certain weather conditions you might smell gas.
For homeowners, the main difference between the two is that propane is compressed into a liquid form and either sold in portable canisters, or delivered via truck to a permanent storage tank on their property. Natural gas, however, remains in its gaseous state and is delivered to the home via a pipeline.
While smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are a critical part of protecting your home and family, they will not detect a natural gas leak; you'll need a natural gas detector for that. However, carbon monoxide detectors can alert you when your appliances improperly burn natural gas.
Gas leaks are incredibly hazardous—not only because of their fire risk, but because the carbon monoxide they exude can slowly kill people without warning.
Detector Options
Some manufacturers of carbon monoxide detectors offer combination or 3-in-1 detectors to alert when carbon monoxide or an explosive gas such as natural gas or propane is detected.
You need to know what gas comes in to your home in order to select the right appliance! Here's a general rule: if your gas comes from a city source (pipe coming out of the ground with a meter on it), it's usually Natural Gas. If you have a tank that needs to be refilled periodically, it's usually Propane.
Propane is usually more expensive than natural gas on a per-unit basis, but it's also much more efficient. In fact, propane produces about twice as much heat energy as an equivalent amount of natural gas.
Conversely, trying to use a propane appliance with natural gas could lead to a smaller—if not non-existent—flame. This can and will lead to a variety of problems with your appliances. A natural gas stovetop fueled with propane will get way too hot, way too quickly.
Inhalation: A natural gas leak in an outdoor environment is usually not concentrated enough to cause symptoms. A leak into a small-enclosed space can result in a lack of oxygen in the air and symptoms of hypoxia. These include headache, decreased vision, fatigue, shortness of breath and loss of consciousness.
Who Pays for Gas Line and Gas Leak Repair. The financial responsibility for gas line repair or leak rectification largely hinges on the leak or repair site. Usually, if the issue arises outside your property boundaries or in the pipelines up to and including the meter, the utility company will bear the cost.
One often not considered source of a “gas-like” smell that can come from your home is bacteria inside of your sink or sewer system. It has a similar smell to the sulfur that is added to gas to give it an odor but is obviously less dangerous.
A lit cigarette is hot enough to ignite natural gas. Matches, lighters, and even the sparks generated by the starter or alternator of motor vehi- cles can ignite natural gas.
Hydrogen Sulfide
The gas has a strong scent of rotten eggs, which makes it distinct from other, similar gases. If you detect this rotten egg scent and you are using hydrogen sulfide at your facility, this could be evidence of a leak.
Traditionally, demand spikes during the winter months as households and industries ramp up heating needs, causing prices to soar. During the summer season, natural gas demand for air conditioning can also increase prices and induce volatility depending on the weather conditions and supply levels.
But if running out of fuel is a concern, propane is a better choice because it will last you longer. Second, propane is a cleaner-burning fuel than natural gas. This means that it produces fewer emissions, which is better for both the environment and your generator. Finally, propane is easier to store than natural gas.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, non-corrosive gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, natural gas, propane or oil) burn incompletely.
Propane burns cleaner – While both fuels are considered to be “clean,” natural gas is a fossil fuel that releases methane when burned; propane combustion produces almost no greenhouse gas.
A sweet, fruity odor – usually indicates natural gas leaks from pipes that run through fruit orchards. A rotten egg odor – usually indicates natural gas leaks from pipelines carrying ethane and methane. A sulfurous odor – typically indicates propane tank leaks.
Generally, yes, but pipe sizing has to be reviewed when going from propane to natural gas to ensure they are of adequate size to allow the higher volumetric flow of lower BTU-density NG in propane pipes. A cubic foot (or cubic meter) of propane has 2.56 more energy in it than the same volume of methane.
A natural gas alarm should be installed indoors in any room that has a gas-fueled appliance. This can include a stove, furnace, water heater, gas fireplace, or a gas dryer. It should be installed on the wall, within 12 inches from the ceiling.
Natural gas is always lighter than air, and will rise in a room if allowed to escape from a burner or leaking fitting. On the contrary, propane is heavier than air and will settle in a basement or other low level. Incomplete combustion can occur when the gas mixture is richer than 10%.
Having natural gas and carbon monoxide detectors in your home can help protect yourself and your family from the dangers of gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. Contact us to find out how DeNova Detect can help protect you and your loved ones.