Gas leak repairs at Albion - Gas leak found under the house

10 Jul 2023

by Brett Mulhall

Usually, the smell of gas gives away a gas leak, and most likely noticed when you return home to a closed-up house. Different to the norm, we were recently called by a new client who thought they might have a gas leak at their Albion house. She had been away for months and had a substantial gas bill despite her absence. It can be the smallest leak that racks up a bill and "flies under the radar," as it remains hidden during regular usage. However, as experienced by this homeowner, it becomes evident when the gas bill is unexpectedly high despite being away.

Given the nature of the concern, we treated it as a priority and had one of our plumbers on site within 24 hours. All our trade qualified plumbers have their gas certificates and have extensive experience in handling gas plumbing problems and installations of all kinds. Our expertise in gas related works is well known by clientele which includes many rental property managers. This reputation is one of the reasons why approximately 25% of our work is related to gas, whether it involves bottled gas or natural gas from the street.

With one of most experienced plumbers on the job, it was not long until he found the culprit. An examination of the gas piping left him curious as the pipe from the meter leading under the "Queenslander" style house was galvanised steel, while the pipes in the kitchen were made of copper - somewhere in the system there must be a meeting point and a join. A prior owner of the house had the kitchen renovated and investigating under house our guy found the join. A simple suds test revealed bubbles forming and popping at the rate of about 1 every 5 seconds, which is not enough for smelling with the human nose - particularly in a ventilated place.

Although the leak may not pose an immediate danger at that rate, it is still a serious concern due as any gas leak should be. There is a risk of it leading to a fire, nevermind the gas bills.

In this case, the fix was relatively simple and involved tightening the parts of the joining system. After the repair, a check was performed to ensure that no soap bubbles would not form. As part of our service, our plumber took the time to show the homeowner the nature of the problems that were discovered and provided an explanation in simple english. Armed with the knowledge our client was satisfied, but being cautious she requested a follow-up check in a month's time, which we gladly scheduled as a service call even though it is not strictly necessary as metal fixtures are reliable for a long lifetime once properly installed.

No matter the nature of your plumbing or gas problem, across Brisbane or Moreton Region shire, you can call on the 5 star rated plumbing professionals at Aptus Plumbing and Gas on 07 3205 1991.

Good morning!
Where do you need a plumber?

Aptus Plumbing and Gas have a team of plumbers covering Brisbane & Moreton suburbs. Enter your address to see immediately if we offer service to your home or business location: