During a recent home inspection where I was representing the buyers, the home inspector recommended that we have the gas lines pressure tested for leaks. He advised the test because the house was built in 1970 and had the original gas lines and, as he said, gas lines don’t last forever - eventually they leak. And the gas lines for this house were all under the slab, so a leak would very likely mean a complete re-piping job with the new lines running across the roof. Cha-ching!
So we called a reputable plumbing company that does gas line pressure testing and had them out early in the morning. It’s a pretty simple test. They shut off the gas valves to all the appliances and water heaters and whatnot, turn off the main gas line to the house and pump air into the line. And with the aid of a fancy looking pressure gauge they determine whether or not the lines are holding pressure.
These weren’t. According to the gauge they were losing 2 lbs. every 10 minutes. I saw it myself. So the plumber replaced a couple of valves on the water heaters that looked like they could be the leaky culprits, and re-tested. Same results, 2 lbs. every 10 minutes.
And now, because he found a leak, it was a safety hazard and he couldn’t reconnect the gas. He suggested we call Southwest Gas and report it and he advised us that they would put a lock on the meter.
So suddenly and out of nowhere, not only did the homeowner face a big and unexpected repair bill, but they were going to have to live without gas until the house was re-piped. Talk about starting the day off on the wrong foot.
But what are you going to do, they called Southwest Gas and reported the leak. And Bam, they were there in a flash. The SW gas tech spent more than an hour going over every inch of the house with his high-tech detecting equipment. And the verdict, no leak. Guaranteed and in writing from Southwest Gas. Happy days are here again,
The SW gas tech thought the plumber had followed all the correct procedures and tested properly. And he thought the false-positive might be due to having run the test early in the morning when the temperature is changing rapidly, which can alter the pressure. That, or the plumbers equipment was out of calibration.
In any case, if you encounter this situation, or for any reason suspect a leak, call Southwest Gas and report it immediately. They’ll come out and check and either verify there is a leak, or, if you’re lucky, give you a clean bill of health. But they don’t come out to do routine leak tests. For that you need a plumber.