Every Los Angeles homeowner is at risk, whether he knows it or not. We don’t often think of them in this way, but our homes are actually potential disasters. We’re talking of course about gas lines. While they’re necessary to keeping our houses running smoothly, they’re also incredibly dangerous, and in some cases even deadly. Homes have been known to explode due to gas leaks. Sometimes this worst-case scenario is just a freak accident. But sometimes it happens because the homeowners weren’t properly prepared for how to deal with a leak.

To ensure that you don’t fumble the next time you smell gas in your home, here are a few actions to avoid.

Ignore it

Like many household problems, it might be easy to ignore the smell of gas. Generally, most repairs can wait until a more convenient time. However, gas leaks are not one of these things. The minute you detect that very particular odor, it’s time to leave the house. You may want to check the stove on your way out to make sure that you didn’t just leave a burner on. Otherwise, gather your family and evacuate as soon as possible.

Once you’ve left the premises, contact the gas company right away. Typically, it’ll send out a technician within minutes to inspect the problem. As a utility company, it cares about your safety, but it also has a responsibility to your neighborhood. In a worst-case scenario, an explosion may affect the other homes on your block.

Fix it yourself

For those of us who possess a handy man’s abilities, we may be tempted to try and locate and fix the leak on our own. After all, this could be a fun and valuable learning experience, right? Wrong! This type of problem should most definitely be left to the capable hands of experienced professionals. Not only are you putting yourself at risk by trying to fix it, you may exacerbate the problem if you make a mistake.

If you believe that your gas line may be disrupted, or just want to take preventative steps to ensure that it’s working properly, call the best plumber in Los Angeles. Ritz Plumbing will deftly inspect and repair any type of gas line disturbances. From Santa Monica to Downtown LA, we’ll fix a leak or keep one from forming in the future.

Use electricity

Hopefully we all know that flames should never come into contact with gas; the result is extremely dangerous. If you do experience a gas leak, you should obviously avoid lighting fire of any kind or turning on the stove (in other words, don’t use an open flame). However, what most people don’t know is that electricity can also trigger an explosion during serious gas leaks. If more than one area is omitting gas, turn off all of your lights or any other appliance that relies on electricity. This one simple step can mean the difference between a simple annoyance and a full-blown disaster.