Gas Leaks and Early Warning Devices

By Dennis Carroll

According to an article by Angelo Verzoni in the December 2020 NFPA Journal, U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 125,000 residential natural gas or LP gas leaks per year, an increase of 25% since 2007. The theory for the increase is from the fact that the piping infrastructure is aging.

There has been lots of attention in the propane industry to writing safety standards that require leak testing on new installations and anytime there is an interruption in service. For the most part the industry has been vigilant with leak testing requirements. One of the situations where this falls through the cracks is when you have a good customer, who never runs out of gas, never has any issues and just pays the bill on time for years and years. They never get a follow up leak test….but that is another article.

You can perform a leak test today and the system can be 100% leak free. But that does not mean that tomorrow, or a week from now that a leak may develop. As underground pipe deteriorates over the years, at some point it will get to that point of failure. We also know that digging and outdoor construction can also damage underground lines. So, what can be done?

Gas safety experts believe detecting leaks before they result in catastrophe is the best way to deal with the problem. NFPA is currently developing standards for the installation of Fuel Gas Detection and Warning Equipment in NFPA 715 and expect it to be released in 2022. The intent of the new standards is to show us how to do this right and save lives. While the Railroad Commission has not adopted NFPA 715 in our rules, it is expected the NFPA 54 will add something in the near future to reference this or develop code to address the same issue.

Detecting the leak is the challenge. For most propane consumers, the common detector is their nose. Unfortunately, some people have a bad sense of smell and may never notice a gas leak. Mercaptan is added to propane for the purpose of being able to smell a leak but “odor fade” can happen. Underground leaks have been known to have the earth scrub the odor out of the gas. This was evident at a recent propane explosion that occurred in Maine. A maintenance worker reported the smell of a gas leak. When firefighters arrived, no smell was detected but when they started checking with gas detection equipment, high readings were detected. Odor fade is for real.

There are several residential gas leak detectors on the market. Prices start for as little as $18 and go up to over $100. There are UL standards for their performance but little guidance on installation, which is the issue NFPA 715 wants to address. As part of their studies, they have found detectors aren’t as effective when placed near HVAC equipment, doors, stairwells and other areas with higher airflow. Natural gas detectors work best when placed close to the ceiling while propane worked best close to the floor. With the work they are doing, I am hopeful that the code will be well thought out and will make a difference.

The article says not to overlook the human behavior and be sure to educate the consumer. Home inspectors will tell many stories about smoke detectors that have had batteries removed or disconnected because of the “nuisance”.

the name in PROTECTION

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