Do I have a potential gas leak?

[Smith333]

Yesterday I decided to turn off the water heater (the only active natural-gas using appliance in the house) and see if the gas meter would register any gas use over the next 24 hours. At the end of this time period, the "half foot" dial had moved approximately 10 degrees. By my calculations, this would be about 0.014 of a cubic ft of gas. Is this enough to necessitate doing a leak test on the pipe system or can this be attributed to temperature fluctuations, etc? (the meter is outside and exposed to sunlight part of the day)

 

[James Henry]

Spray all the exposed pipe fittings and appliance connections down with a mixture of dish soap and water and look for expanding bubbles.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[wwhitney]

(Edited) If I did the math right, that rate of leakage would be a 1/2" diameter bubble once every 5 minutes. If it is a leak.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[James Henry]

That's useful knowledge.

 

[wwhitney]

That's useful knowledge.

I made a factor of 10 error the wrong way, so it's really a 1/2" diameter bubble every 5 minutes, or 80 mils diameter bubble per second.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Smith333]

My calculation is based on 10 degrees/360 degrees per revolution (times) One-half cubic ft per revolution = 1/72 cubic ft (0.0138888) "leaked" per day.

To put my question another way: in a gas system with no leaks, can one expect any movement of the gas meter dial when there is no gas use, regardless of how much time passes?

 

[Jeff H Young]

so your leak equates to one revolution per 36 days 10 degrees times 36 days equals 360 degrees (one turn) I think the gas company would pass that they turn it on and wait like a few minutes to observe

 

[WorthFlorida]

Yesterday I decided to turn off the water heater (the only active natural-gas using appliance in the house) and see if the gas meter would register any gas use over the next 24 hours. At the end of this time period, the "half foot" dial had moved approximately 10 degrees. By my calculations, this would be about 0.014 of a cubic ft of gas. Is this enough to necessitate doing a leak test on the pipe system or can this be attributed to temperature fluctuations, etc? (the meter is outside and exposed to sunlight part of the day)

You can turn off the gas "before" the meter and you might have a shut off right after the meter, either at the meter or immediately inside the home. If you do shut the gas off right after the meter and then check it. If you are suspecting a leak inside the home, it wouldn't be that difficult to add a shut off after the meter.

 

[Dj2]

To elaborate what WF said, turn your gas valve before the meter off, observe the meter reading and see if it changes in 24 hrs.
If it shows a leak, call you gas supplier, they will determine if you need a new main shut off valve and probably will supply it.

 

[Jeff H Young]

turning gas valve off before the meter? problem is obviously after the meter or the meter wouldn't turn at all. in any case I think this is insignificant leak. I'm sure your provider has an opinion call gas man either to house or by phone its customer service . And Smith 333 share what you find out