Wednesday, January 30, 2013

URGENT WARNING: SAFETY FIRST! Gas meters, ANYTHING involving Natural Gas outside AND inside your home! An EMERGENCY happened to us last night! PLEASE READ!

URGENT - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ!
Just below this photo is EXTREMELY important information for you to know about. PLEASE read it! Also, NOT MENTIONED is the fact of extreme temperature changes, from freezing to a thaw in less than a few hours. PLEASE read this below, and then read what happened to us last night. I feel this VERY IMPORTANT AND WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU!


COPIED AND PASTED from my Utility Company and further down there is MORE information like this from another Utility company that explains MORE DETAIL as to "What do I do after I smell the gas and called the Utility Company?" IMO, "my" Utility Company STINKS with their directions, especially when you compare this information with the information I have listed for you below from a different company! We should have been told to LEAVE! That is how strong the odor was AND I had a headache already. Here is what MY Utility Company says to do:

Natural gas meters and pressure regulators are designed to withstand extreme outdoor weather conditions, but did you know that snow and ice build-up can damage them? 

If you find your meter or pressure regulator covered in frozen ice or snow, do not attempt to remove the ice or use de-icer. Contact SEMCO ENERGY Gas Company, toll free, at


Now, this is what happened to us:

First, let me tell you last week our battery died in our Carbon Monoxide Detector, and on Saturday when my husband does the grocery shopping (No, "I" cannot do it due to my disability.) he and I BOTH forgot to write "BATTERY" on the grocery list! We did NOT replace the battery, and SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY! FOR REASONS YOU WILL READ ABOUT HERE:  

MAY I INSIST YOU DO THE FOLLOWING IF:
YOUR BATTERY DIES IN A SMOKE ALARM, A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR, OR "WHATEVER" TYPE OF ALARM THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE,HAPPENS TO DIE: 
IMMEDIATELY DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND GO TO THE STORE THAT MINUTE! DO NOT WAIT! DO NOT PUT IT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW, OR THE WEEKEND -  
"GO" NOW! BUY THE BATTERY "NOW!" 

Why am I saying this?
IT HAPPENED TO US! WE WAITED! "WE" COULD HAVE BEEN AN 'ALMOST'! WE HAD A GAS LEAK! Even though the leak occurred outside, the Carbon Monoxide could have built up INSIDE THE HOUSE.

I WANT YOU TO SAVE YOURSELF, SIGNIFICANT OTHER, AND/OR YOUR CHILDREN'S LIVES! EVEN A PET, IF YOU HAVE ONE!
This IS a SERIOUS MATTER! DO NOT WAIT BECAUSE YOU "WILL" FORGET, just like WE DID!
I 'DO' change out our SMOKE DETECTOR batteries every year on my daughter's birthday, BUT, I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR!  I DIDN'T EVEN GIVE IT A THOUGHT! GIVE IT A THOUGHT AND CHANGE THE BATTERY IN THAT, TOO!
So, here's what happened to us:
----
My husband works afternoons and did not happen to get off of work and home until a little after 2:00am. Hubby went to bed about 3:15am. I was still awake, and reading. It was 3:30am and my dog wanted outside. I'm trying to get her to go to sleep instead, as I really did not want to get up as I was nice and cozy, but then I thought how uncomfortable "I" would be if I did not get to use the bathroom before "I" went to bed, and I could NOT do that to my dog!
I let the dog out at 3:30am. I waited for her, as she took a little longer, and I did not know why? I thought that was strange. I opened the door to let her in, and WHOA! I was hit with this powerful smell of NATURAL GAS! My DOG saved our and possibly our neighbors lives as well! Thank GOD my dog HAD to go out!
I happen to be very sensitive to the smell of natural gas, or the odor that is added to it by the Gas Company. It has been known to happen that people 'have asked ME' to take a whiff if they think they have a gas leak to see what I think. I have NEVER been wrong! I was NOT wrong last night, either. I closed the door to the house, and sat back down for a few minutes. I thought just in case it's some other odor . . . maybe sewer, as it had started raining pretty good a little earlier. I opened the door again a few minutes later, all the way open. I was NOT mistaken. It WAS natural gas.
I immediately started getting a headache. I came back in the house and pulled up my Utility Company online, called their Emergency number. They were out here in LESS THAN '5' MINUTES!
YES! IT'S "THAT" IMPORTANT!
The man could NOT smell the gas! I could. He eventually found it was 'OUR' meter that was in the back of the house in a corner I could never have gotten  to if I tried. I'm in a wheelchair, and I would have gotten stuck as the ground was practically flooded from all the rain and the melted snow.
What happened? Due to erratic temperatures, freezing, thawing, freezing, thawing, and it also being in direct sunlight, time made some of the pieces wear out. Some part just below the area where the gas comes in through my meter, the seal wore out. (I'm supposedly NOT to be charged for that gas?) It filled the neighborhood with gas. Our house, the neighbor next to me and behind us.
What 'could' have happened, I wondered? I knew it would not have been good, and the man on the telephone when I called was concerned about my headache, but I couldn't go outside, so . . . today I Googled to find out what 'could' have happened had I NOT BEEN AWAKE AT THAT TIME! (Thank GOD I WAS AWAKE!) Here is what I found, and it was MUCH MORE INFORMATIVE than what I found at my own Utility!
The following is COPIED AND PASTED from Consumer's Energy:


The 3 Rs of Natural Gas Safety

If you think you have a natural gas emergency, go to a safe location. Then call Consumers Energy toll-free at . It is important that you call -- DO NOT E-MAIL -- and report the emergency. Feel free to print this page and leave it with your emergency numbers in case you have a gas emergency.
Knowing how to recognize, react to and report natural gas emergencies can eliminate or minimize their consequences.

Recognize

Signs of a natural gas leak include:
  • A "rotten egg" odor
  • A blowing or hissing sound
  • Dead or discolored vegetation in an otherwise green area
  • Flames, if a leak has ignited
  • Dirt or dust blowing from a hole in the ground
  • Bubbling in wet or flooded areas

React

If you suspect a natural gas leak, follow these steps:
  • Leave the area immediately and call us at , then follow our instructions
  • Do not use any electrical device, such as light switches, telephones or appliances such as garage door openers. They could spark and ignite the gas.
  • Do not use an open flame, matches or lighters
  • Do not try to locate the source of the gas leak
  • Do not try to shut off any gas valves or appliances
  • Do not start vehicles
  • Do not re-enter the building or return to the area until a Consumers Energy employee says it's safe to do so
  • If the natural gas ignites, let it burn. Do not put out the flame; burning gas will not explode.
  • If you are digging and think you may have damaged a natural gas pipeline, leave the area immediately. If you are using motorized equipment and can turn off the motor safely, do so to prevent the ignition of any leaking gas. Then abandon the equipment and leave the area. Never restart equipment until the surrounding environment has been checked and declared safe.

Report

It is important that you call about natural gas emergencies. Do not e-mail us.
  • If you think you have a natural gas emergency, go to a safe location. Then call Consumers Energy toll-free at 
  • If you see unusual activity near a natural gas pipeline or facility, call us immediately at 
Calls can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We will respond promptly and at no charge.

Help prevent a gas emergency in your home with these safety tips: 

  • Natural gas lines should not be installed from the meter to any other buildings in which people live
  • No building or other structure may be built over any natural gas pipeline
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions in operating and caring for natural gas appliances, and use each appliance for its intended purpose
  • Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids indoors or in the same room or area as a gas appliance or other ignition source
  • After a flood or other disaster, check for the odor of gas before entering any area.  If gas is detected, leave the area immediately and call   Replace any appliance submerged in water
  • Ensure fuel-burning appliances are installed, used and maintained properly and safely.  Hire a qualified technician to inspect heating and venting equipment annually, and use a carbon monoxide alarm that meets current standards.
  • Use a broom to keep gas meters, pipes and other service equipment clear in winter.  Gas-appliance chimneys and vents must be cleared after snow and ice storms to ensure proper venting and prevent carbon monoxide accumulation.
  • Ensure gas space heaters are installed by a qualified professional and used and maintained properly
  • Don’t use fuel lines for storage. Heavy coats or other items hanging from a fuel line (often located near the ceiling in basements) can stress the joints in the pipe and cause gas leaks. Don't allow children to swing on the pipes, either
  • Set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees or lower.  Check the water temperature before placing a child in the bathtub, and never leave a child alone or with other young children in the bathtub.
  • Replace flexible connectors. Cracks can form and cause serious gas leaks in these flexible pipes that attach appliances to fuel lines. Limit the number of times you move natural gas appliances, and replace flexible connectors at least every 10 years with an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved model.
Again, PLEASE DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING THE MINUTE THAT ALARM STARTS BEEPING THAT THE BATTERY IS DEAD! DON'T WAIT! "WE" COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE!

I want to THANK Consumer's Energy for having SO MUCH MORE DETAILED INFORMATION than what my OWN Utility Company had for me!

Everything ended well! The Gas Technician got finished at 5:30am, and my husband got to bed by 6:00am! I felt WIDE AWAKE! I paid for it later at about 3:00pm! I napped for a few hours! I don't even remember falling asleep!

REMEMBER: Pick a certain day EACH YEAR TO REPLACE ALL THE BATTERIES IN YOUR SMOKE ALARMS, AND DON'T FORGET THOSE CARBON DIOXIDE METERS, TOO! EVEN IF THEY PLUG INTO THE WALL LIKE OURS DOES! OURS WILL "NOT WORK" UNLESS THEIR IS A WORKING BACK-UP BATTERY IN IT! Those are SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE IN YOUR HOME! This is another thing that can happen while you are sleeping in which you may never wake up from.

AGAIN, PLEASE TAKE THIS ADVICE TO HEART!
SAFETY "FIRST" FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

See you next time under SAFE CONDITIONS!

3 comments:

  1. Laurie, I'm so glad that nothing bad happened! How awful! I just don't think I can ever be down with natural gas. So much can go wrong. Again, I'm glad you all are safe. Give that dog of yours an extra treat. =O)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Michelle!
      Thanks for the comment about our 'natural gas mishap'! I WILL give the dog an extra treat! Thanks! She always gets treats - SPOILED! But hey, it's a dog's life! The 'only' 2 things that use natural gas in our house is the furnace and hot water tank. We paid about $800 out of pocket because the landlord had a natural gas range/oven in the kitchen and I refused to have it in the house! I only like an electric stove/oven. I'm FULL of grace, in that I bump into about EVERYTHING! I could just see myself leaning up against the buttons on a gas stove - NOPE! Plus, the days I need to use the wheelchair - NOPE! Just the fear of bumping into the buttons and accidentally turning the stove on and not knowing it scares me, too. Not in my house!
      Thanks for commenting!
      Laurie

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  2. I work for a gas company as an emergency responder. This is very good information for people relating to natural gas. The only problem I have with it is that carbon monoxide and natural gas are two different things. A carbon monoxide detector alone will not pick up a natural gas odor unless your detector is listed as detecting both. Carbon Monoxide and and natural gas are both odorless but natural gas has mercaptan added to it to give it that rotten egg smell. Carbon monoxide comes from natural gas that is not burning cleanly, perhaps from a dirty burner, an improper flame on the burner or pilot, improper installation of an appliance, a cracked heat exchanger or a blocked chimney (which can prevent carbon monoxide from escaping safely). Please do not tell people a carbon monoxide detector will save them from a natural gas leak because it will not. You are giving them a false sense of security. There are detectors that will alarm for both but you must make sure you have that type, they are more expensive than a regular Carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide detectors will also pick up car exhaust, if you have an attached garage. If you run your car to warm it up in the winter, pull it out of the garage so you do not cause your carbon monoxide detector to go off. Also a plug in Carbon monoxide detector will work without a battery as long as the power does not go out. The back up battery is to ensure that it will work in the event of a power outage. Also in the event of an emergency, most gas companies will arrive within an hour after you call or you can call your local fire department, they also have detectors for natural gas & carbon monoxide, they will stand by until we arrive. Thanks and glad all turned out well.

    ReplyDelete

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