Gas Leak Detection Wollongong

Gas leak detection in Wollongong: what to do first and what happens next

A suspected gas leak is a safety problem before it's a plumbing job, so the first steps are about getting people clear. The advice below follows Jemena, which runs the natural gas network in Wollongong, and the NSW Government. Jobs we've completed around Shellharbour City include gas leak work, and gas fitting appears in our records for areas including Bellambi, Wollongong and Lake Illawarra.

Natural gas and LPG have no smell of their own; a chemical is added so a leak can be noticed. Jemena describes the smell as rotten eggs or cabbage.

If you smell gas right now

• Put out any naked flames and don't smoke. Never use a lighter or match to look for a leak.
• Leave the area straight away, and don't use your phone until you're away from the smell.
• Only if you can do it safely: shut off the gas at the meter or cylinder, open doors and windows, and switch off appliances, including electrical ones, and pilot lights.
• If you smell gas inside your home, the NSW Government's advice is to get out of the building, call 000 and ask for the fire service.
• Report a natural gas leak to Jemena's faults and emergencies line on 131 909, which takes calls around the clock, every day.
• If your home runs on LPG, contact your gas supplier; their number is on your gas bill.

How the leak is found

Once the area is safe, a licensed gasfitter tests the installation to confirm whether it's losing gas. If it is, the search narrows section by section through joints, fittings, flexible hoses and appliance connections until the source is pinpointed. Typical places to check include the connections behind a cooktop, heater fittings, the gas hot water unit and any pipework disturbed during renovations.

Call us on 0411 251 759 when the immediate danger has passed and the leak needs finding in your home's pipes or appliances. We're open 24 hours, 7 days.

After the leak is repaired

The faulty joint, fitting, hose or length of pipe is repaired or replaced, then the installation is tested again before the gas is restored and appliances are relit and checked. Some appliances may need to stay off until that test is passed.

Because a leak repair is gasfitting work, you'll receive the certificate NSW requires for it: a certificate of compliance on natural gas, or a certificate of inspection on bottled LPG. For the wider range of gas work we do, see our gas plumber and gas fitter page.

Spotting a leak earlier

A strong smell isn't the only warning. Our guide on how to spot gas leak signs at home covers the quieter clues worth acting on, and regular servicing of your gas appliances, done by a licensed gasfitter to the manufacturer's specifications, is the routine way to catch worn connections before they leak.