How to check gas. What to do in case of a gas leak in an apartment

This method cunning began to be used in the field of domestic gas consumption. On a national scale, if from each apartment or household, the cunning "pull out" 700 rubles, then in the end an astronomical amount looms. 700 rubles is not a small amount of money, especially for residents of settlements where there are no jobs and they cannot be earned there. In order to prevent, I decided to write this article so that ordinary residents do not become a financial victim of cunning, whose actions do not fall under the crime. If you give money back to such cunning ones, you will not be able to return it and will not collect it.

Nowadays, normal life cannot be imagined without use. natural gas... Not only our everyday life depends on this, but the state of the entire economy of the country. Gas export brings a lot of revenue to the budget, which is then used for the welfare of the entire state and society. All over the world, they carefully monitor the dynamics of prices for blue fuel and oil and, on this basis, build development prospects and plans. Most of the settlements are supplied with gas. Gas was supplied to almost every household and apartment. Now there is no longer the need to procure firewood and purchase coal.

Blue fuel can be not only beneficial but also harmful if misused. The gas can explode, burn, become a source of poisoning, or even death, therefore, the supply and use of gas is carried out in compliance with strict safety measures. In this regard, gas supply is regulated big amount legislative and regulatory acts.

The crisis has affected all areas of life. The increase in prices affected and utilities... Gas prices are also going to be raised. Inflation is on the rise. The salary level remains almost unchanged. Citizens are trying to save money and earn extra money in every possible way. In the latter case, the work of some subjects even crosses the border of civil legal relations. There are also those who make money on the citizens' ignorance of the norms of the law or use the tactics of psychological surprise, when a person, without realizing himself, voluntarily gives money to another, which he could not give. The cunning people began to use this method in the field of domestic gas consumption. On a national scale, if the cunning "pull out" 700 rubles from each apartment or household, then an astronomical amount will emerge as a result. 700 rubles is not a small amount of money, especially for residents of settlements where there are no jobs and they cannot be earned there. In order to prevent it, I decided to write this article so that ordinary residents do not become a financial victim of cunning, whose actions do not fall under the crime. If you give money back to such cunning ones, you will not be able to return it and will not collect it.

The reason for all this was a real case. The lawyer received a call from a villager who will live in the outback in his private house. In that village there is no state farm, no collective farm, no cooperative, no firms, no peasant farms, and no jobs. The high school was closed. People go to work in other remote settlements. The village is supplied with gas, the houses are connected to the gas network, the roads are of satisfactory quality. City rooks no longer come here, since there is no fodder base (the fields are not plowed, there are no livestock farms, and you cannot eat garbage). But life in the village continues. Whoever can survive. A home can be heated with gas at any time you want, which gives joy and pleasure to live in such houses, especially if it is native.

The villager's private house was supplied with gas several years ago. Before connecting to the gas network, experts checked the compliance technical conditions premises with the requirements: compliance of ventilation, gas pipelines, premises, fire safety, certificates of a gas water heater, meter, etc. After appropriate checks and establishing the possibility of connecting to the gas network, the gas meter was sealed, gas was supplied, which went to gas stove and a gas water heater. The villager regularly paid for the consumed gas volume.

In the summer of this year, gas specialists came to him and checked the operating conditions of his in-house gas equipment and his condition. Approximately two months later, in the last days of September, in the evening, a UAZ car appeared in his village with the inscription “ gas service". Gas workers came in the same all-terrain vehicle in the summer, only the inscription was a different "gas service". The villager's suspicion was caused by the fact that he had known the gas workers who had come from the regional center by sight. Rural area. The regional center is small. He had never seen these gasmen who had arrived. The gasmen knocked at the gate. The owner went out. The uninvited guests introduced themselves as gas workers, said that they had arrived to check the gas equipment, and immediately announced that the owner had to pay them 700 (seven hundred) rubles for these services.

Unfamiliar faces and the fact of a recent summer inspection of gas equipment by gas workers from the regional center alerted the villager, and even more made him think about the demand to immediately pay them the specified amount of money, after which he would be left with pennies. The villager was not ready for such events. In the summer, during a similar check, he was notified in advance through the village council that he would be at home on a certain date, since a check by the gas service would be carried out, and here everything is sudden. To clarify the situation, the villager decided to take a time-out and said that he did not have 700 rubles yet. The gasmen said that they would not check the gas equipment without payment, that if the check was not carried out, then the owner himself would be responsible, after which the gas workers asked the house owner to find money and went further to other houses. The villager decided to make a call.

Having called the lawyer, he briefly described the circumstances of his appearance and his suspicions, asked for advice on what to do in this situation, and asked if he would be cut off from the gas. The lawyer asked if he paid for the gas consumed on time and if everything was in order with his gas equipment inside the house. The owner replied that he made all payments on time, that he had no debts for gas consumption, that he had no complaints about the state of the gas equipment, just as there were no complaints from the previous gas workers who checked in the summer. The lawyer explained that if there is no debt to pay for gas consumption, the gas supplier (in the region they call the gas service) has no right to disconnect the consumer from gas supply, even if he has debts for other types of energy supply. The gas supplier, only in the event of a debt, in unilaterally has the right to suspend gas supplies. The suspension of gas supply in this case can be extended until the subscriber fully repays the debt on payment for the consumed gas (clause "B", article 23 of the Rules for the supply of gas to meet the household needs of citizens, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated July 21, 2008 No. 549 " On the procedure for supplying gas to meet the household needs of citizens ").

Do I need to install gas meters in apartments in 2019?

Who Should Inspect Gas Equipment?
Article 22 of the Rules assigns the following obligations to the gas supplier:
a) ensure round-the-clock supply of gas of proper quality to the subscriber in the required quantity;
b) at the request of the subscriber, install a seal at the point of connection of the gas meter to the gas pipeline within 5 working days from the date of receipt of such an application. The initial installation of the seal is carried out at the expense of the gas supplier, the subsequent (including when restoring the gas meter after verification or repair) is paid by the subscriber;
c) carry out an inspection at least once a year;
d) notify the subscriber in accordance with the procedure established by the contract about the date and time of the inspection, as well as about changes in prices (tariffs) for gas, and so on.

Please note that it is the gas supplier, and not someone else, who is obliged to check. This obligation of the gas supplier is also enshrined in Part 2 of Article 543 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, which states that in the case when a citizen using energy for household consumption acts as a subscriber under an energy supply contract, the obligation to ensure the proper technical condition and safety of energy networks, as well as energy consumption metering devices are assigned to the energy supplying organization, unless otherwise provided by law or other legal acts.

Considering that until recently in the summer the regional gas service conducted an inspection, the villager did not call them, then, in theory, in conducting an urgent re-check the gas service did not. Since, according to the villager, he knew his regional gas workers by sight, and had not seen these before, the lawyer admitted that guest gas workers came to the villager to earn money. The lawyer told the caller about his assumption about the guest performers, explaining that he could not let them in the house, prevent them from checking the gas equipment. Further, the lawyer revealed to the villager the tactics of the cunning guest performers.

The sly ones came to a remote area, because they know that ordinary citizens live there who have little encounter with fraudsters; they do not know much and in detail the laws; where they always follow the instructions of the district chiefs and are used to believing and fulfilling their demands without engaging in polemics; they know little where to turn in case of violation of the law, and even if they do, they do not have enough money to get to the regional center and complain; that such people are easier to mislead. In order not to find themselves without gas, which is used to heat their homes, where their wives and children live, they will go to great lengths, all the more they will pay if they are taught that they are obliged to pay.

Of course, everyone has the right to decide for himself where, how much money to spend. Also, everyone independently has the right to decide when and how many times he should check the condition of his indoor gas equipment. But no matter how many times he, on his own initiative, with the involvement of licensed specialists, checks his gas equipment, the gas supplier will still carry out the verification assigned to him by law. Why then once again check the gas equipment yourself if there is no suspicion of its malfunction, and even more so it is ineffective to spend the family's hard-earned money on it?

To verify the stated version, the lawyer advised to go to someone from the villagers who allowed the gas tour operators to check their gas equipment inside the house, and to get some details of the organization of the gas tour workers. The villager, during conversations from the words of the villagers, and those from the words of the guest performers, learned that the company of the gas workers who had arrived had a license to conduct such inspections, but none of the villagers had seen the license. From one document it followed that the company of the guest performers was located in the city, which was located two districts apart. The firm's address was written in small print. The lawyer's version was confirmed.

For naive villagers, the phrase of the guest performers also sounds like a frightening effect: "If the gas equipment is not checked, you yourself will be responsible." Of course, after such words, the residents of a remote village will have a reaction “I don’t want to be guilty” and they will do everything to take off this burden of thoughts, worries and worries.

Further. Frightened or believing the guest performers, the homeowner will allow them to check their indoor gas equipment. The touring gas workers will actually look at the gas equipment, write out a document that they have checked the gas equipment. If they understand that the villager is naive, they can also “find” or “invent” some work for their own benefit to fix or grease, for which additional money will be added to the price of the check. It turns out that the villager paid, and the gasmen, ordered by this villager, carried out a check for payment. Legal transaction. There is no deception or crime. Everything is legal. The contractor fulfilled the will of the customer for his money.

After some time, a gas supplier will come to the villager in a planned manner with the same check. The fact that the touring gas workers checked the gas equipment of this consumer does not concern the gas supplier, because the gas supplier has a legal obligation to inspect the gas equipment. The gas supplier will not break the law, so the gas consumer cannot avoid being checked by the gas supplier. In addition, the gas consumer is obliged to assist the gas supplier in this and not interfere with the verification (clause "i" of article 21 of the Rules for the supply of gas to meet the household needs of citizens, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated July 21, 2008 No. 549 "On the procedure for supply gas to meet the household needs of citizens "). The homeowner must admit the gas supplier to the check. In the case of touring gas workers - this is the right of the homeowner, he could refuse admission to the inspection, or he could admit it. Is it worth throwing money away? You decide.

Gas supply system in Russian Federation well established and organized. A gas service has been established in almost every district, serving gas transmission lines and gas consumers. The emergency dispatching office of the gas service works around the clock, register all requests, urgently go to the places of malfunctions and quickly eliminate them, because without such an organization it is impossible to ensure the safety of gas use and its continuous supply to other consumers.

Let us suppose, theoretically, that the aforementioned gas tour players discovered a malfunction that cannot be eliminated without a temporary shutdown of the gas supply. Who will repair and troubleshoot? The guest performers cannot stop the gas supply, because they do not have the right to access the gas pipeline and its control panels, and accordingly they cannot repair it. In this case, even the guest performers will still be forced to contact the gas service dispatcher, from where the gas brigade will come, and this brigade will troubleshoot, coordinating their actions with the gas supply system dispatcher in the area.

You should know that in any case, the owner or landlord is responsible for everything that happens in his house or apartment. If gas leaks are detected or other suspicions appear on gas equipment, he himself can report this to the duty dispatcher of the gas service and help will urgently come to him to check the fact of the leak (malfunction) and eliminate them.

Even if a resident of this village concludes an agreement with a specialized licensed organization of gas touring performers on the maintenance and repair of indoor gas equipment, then this company can refuse to perform work at any time, because according to paragraph "B" of Article 35 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 14.05 .2013 No. 410 "On measures to ensure safety in the use and maintenance of indoor and indoor gas equipment" specialized organization the obligation to transport gas to the household in which the in-house gas equipment is located is the basis for the refusal of a specialized organization to conclude an agreement on the maintenance and repair of in-house gas equipment. Whether the company of the guest performers will then voluntarily return the money to the paying consumer is still a question. It may also be so that it is quickly liquidated (ceases its activity) and the customer-consumer, even through the court, will not collect his money. Was this why they came to this village?

After consulting with a lawyer, the villager decided not to allow the guest gas workers to check the condition of the gas equipment and not waste money. The next day, even before the start of the working day, at 7 o'clock in the morning a woman called the villager and reminded him that the gas workers had come to him last night and began to find out if he had found 700 rubles to pay for their services. The villager replied: “I couldn’t,” after which the woman, hurting the pride of the proud man, began to say, can’t a man find some 700 rubles to pay, maybe he should turn to the villagers and borrow money, maybe he should look better, ask around. To the guest performers, the villager briefly outlined his firm position and revealed their tactics to them, after which the woman hung up the phone and did not bother the villager anymore. The villager's money remained intact, and the soul was at rest. The villagers did not allow themselves to be deceived.

The gas workers who have arrived, the guest performers, are not responsible for the money received, because according to the law, the gas supplier and the landlord are responsible for this section of gas supply. Have you seen community outreach organizations start harassing citizens at 7 am? Some are still asleep at this time. Have you ever had a case when employees of the gas service at 7 o'clock in the morning began to call you, inquire about money and read morality, so that you would better look for them? The guest performers proved their shameless self-interest by the fact that when the villager revealed their trick, the woman hung up and did not bother anymore.

Why did the guest performers call in the morning? This is due to the following: Daylight hours in September are still quite long. The guest performers in the village appeared in the evening, that is, when the usual organizations finish their work. Suddenly appearing, the homeowner does not have time to come to his senses and call someone to check what kind of people have come to him, does not have time to figure out how he can and should act in this case. Look, as with a villager: "Hello, we are inspectors, do you have money for an inspection?" If yes, they quickly checked, got the money and left. In this situation, the homeowner, even out of decency and respect for the arriving inspectors, would not have been distracted by a call to his relatives, friends and acquaintances. When the money for a 5-minute inspection was handed over to the inspector, the papers were quickly signed, they immediately became strangers, since the inspectors earned them. At 7 am the organizations are not yet working, so from the evening to 7 am, the villagers will not be able to get information about the activities of the guest performers, especially if their company was recently formed, they will not have time to figure out their trick. This explains that in a short period of time of obscurity, they had to collect as much money as possible from the inhabitants of this village and move to another, in order to loot the local residents in the same way.

In order not to fall into the tricks of such cunning gas workers, one should not worry, be afraid of inspectors, one should not rush to do what they ask, especially if it concerns money. Call the gas dispatcher in your area and find out if their staff is conducting in your area. locality checking the homeowners' gas equipment, who is in charge. If the information is not confirmed, you can advise the guest performers to go on tour. To do this, it is enough to keep the telephone numbers of the gas service of your area or district in a conspicuous place at home or in an apartment. The telephone number of gas workers can also be found through the police station on duty, for which with mobile phone dial "112".

In any case, the owner and users are responsible for everything that happens in the house or apartment.

In the conversation, the villager made a reservation that he cannot remember whether he entered into a gas supply agreement with the gas supplier, that he could not find such a document in the house. It is quite possible that he does not have such a contract, because according to Part 1 of Article 540 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, in the case when a citizen using energy for household consumption acts as a subscriber under an energy supply contract, the contract is considered concluded from the moment of the first actual connection of the subscriber in the prescribed manner to connected network, therefore he does not have such a contract.

According to clause 43 of the Rules for the supply of gas to meet the household needs of citizens, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 21, 2008. No. 549 "On the Procedure for the Supply of Gas to Ensure the Domestic Needs of Citizens" who inspects gas equipment or a person obliged to maintain and repair intra-apartment gas equipment is obliged to perform the following operations:

bypassing the routes of overground and (or) underground gas pipelines - at least once a year;
- instrumental inspection of the technical condition of gas pipelines - at least once every 3 years;
- to carry out maintenance of internal gas pipelines that are part of in-house and in-house gas equipment - at least once every 3 years;

Carry out maintenance of household gas-using equipment, which is part of the household gas equipment of households or household gas equipment. Maintenance of household gas-using equipment is carried out at least once every 3 years, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer of this equipment. Maintenance of household gas-using equipment includes: regulation of the gas combustion process in all operating modes of household gas-using equipment; performance check, commissioning and adjustment of devices provided by the manufacturer in the design of household gas-using equipment, which automatically turn off the gas supply when the controlled parameters deviate beyond the permissible limits; checking the tightness of the equipment; cleaning burners heating equipment from pollution when the equipment is switched on seasonally in order to prepare it for use during the heating season.

Is there a charge for checking gas equipment?

The gas supplier who receives money for the gas consumed by the consumer is responsible for the safety of gas transportation through its gas pipelines. Everything that is prescribed by the laws and regulations to be done by the gas supplier is done free of charge, because this is not a service to the population, but an obligation imposed on the supplier by law, therefore, scheduled inspections of gas equipment by the gas supplier are carried out free of charge.

The citizen pays for technological work when connecting to the gas network, purchasing gas equipment (gas stove, gas water heater, cost of pipes from the point of connection, etc.). After connecting gas to households (gasification), a citizen who uses gas for domestic needs pays only for the volume of gas consumed by him.

In the story described above, the company of touring gas workers is not a supplier of gas to the village of a villager. Nobody can oblige you to involve them in checking your indoor gas equipment, therefore, it is up to you to decide what to do with them, it is your own business.

If the gas supplier or its representatives, in your opinion, once again demanded money from you, to pay for some services, you can contact the prosecutor's office in writing and she will check the legality of the payment request. If, due to health reasons, of advanced retirement age, or disability, you cannot independently defend your rights in court, then the prosecutor's office is obliged to protect your rights and take measures to restore the violated right and compensate for damage (part 4 of article 27 of the Federal Law of 17.01. 1992 No. 2202-1 "On the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation"). In order for the prosecutor to defend your violated rights in court, you need to tell him why you cannot defend yourself in court and document this (certificate of disability, pension certificate, certificate of illness, etc.).

Housing and communal services receipts. Who do we pay? Should the gasman be allowed into the apartment? Who is responsible for the technical condition of the indoor gas equipment? When you can not conclude a contract Maintenance gas equipment? Responsibility for not concluding an agreement on the maintenance of in-house gas equipment. Responsibility for refusing to let the gasman into the apartment. Is it possible to independently change the gas equipment in the apartment? Who should pay the cost of replacing or repairing indoor gas equipment? Frequency of maintenance of indoor gas equipment. Read about this in the article " "

MOSGAZ specialists told how not to break the law and stay safe and sound

The Russian government has adopted a law that provides for a fine of up to 30 thousand rubles for citizens and up to 400 thousand rubles for organizations that refuse to "open doors" to specialists for checking gas equipment, as well as change it in time. But, as MOSLENTA was convinced, it is difficult to condemn citizens for their vigilance.

Caution scammers

It is no secret that sometimes fraudsters come to Muscovites under the guise of gas equipment maintenance specialists. About situations in which it is proposed, for example, to install a new gas meter unnecessarily, police officers often say this: rarely, but still happens. The press service of the Internal Affairs Directorate for the Southern Administrative District of the GU MVD MOSLENTE said that even last year in the Nagornaya metro area there were fake "gas workers", there were such cases in the South-Eastern Administrative District.

Most recently, Mosgaz warned of a new "trend" among fraudsters. "V recent times calls are received from residents that unknown persons under the guise of Mosgaz employees are proposing to install new devices called gas signaling alarms. They convince Muscovites that without this device a gas leak could occur and their lives would be in danger, ”the company said.

The largest number of calls comes from residents of the Eastern and Western administrative districts.

The device that fraudsters want to install is plugged into an outlet. However, it is not displayed on the remote control. dispatch control management company and does not interact with the gas shut-off valve due to its absence.

And these are some of the most harmless deceivers.

Who should check and when?

The gas equipment in your apartment can only be checked by a company with which you have a contract for inspection and repair. Most often, the management company of your house independently negotiates service. You can find out who will help with gas equipment in the dispatching office of the management company of your house. Most likely, these will be Mosgaz employees.

Gas equipment in the apartments of the capital is checked once a year - this period has been approved by the Moscow government. The inspection schedule with specific dates is certified by the prefecture. It can be viewed on the website of the service company (they will be named in the control room of your management company). You can also always call her employees and clarify the date and time of the check. Remember that you will be warned a few weeks before your visit.

Who is responsible for gas problems?

Responsibility for breakdowns of gas equipment is borne by the tenant of the apartment, and not Management Company... Therefore, you will have to pay.

When to change gas meters?

The service life is indicated in the passport of the device. As a rule, it is 10-12 years old. Gas equipment can be chosen according to your taste and color.

What should a reviewer look like?

An employee checking gas equipment must have an official ID with his photo and hologram, as well as a special uniform.

What are the prices for gas equipment repair in Moscow?

Connecting a gas stove will cost about 1200 rubles, adjusting gas combustion at 200 rubles, installing a gas meter without welding - 1500 rubles, connecting a gas water heater - from 2700 rubles.

The cost of maintenance of gas equipment: one gas stove - 125.00 rubles. (without VAT); one flowing gas water heater- RUB 178.00 (without VAT).

Will they replace it for free?

The owners are responsible for the contents of the devices. Remember that free gas equipment is unlikely to be replaced in the event of a breakdown. The warranty period is 12 months after verification. If at this time the equipment is found to have defects, then the company is obliged to eliminate them at its own expense.

True, if you misused the equipment, then you will not be able to receive compensation. If you are one of the privileged categories of citizens, you will be able to reimburse part or the full cost of the repair.

For constant monitoring of gas leaks, special sensors are used, they are called either gas analyzers or gas detectors. This device is something of an alarm type, which, upon detecting an unacceptable gas rate in the room, gives an audible signal.

It is recommended to install such sensors in the kitchen not far from ventilation duct or near the window. Before attaching such an alarm, you should carefully study the climate of the room, since the high temperature in the room can lead to damage to the gas alarm.

A common cause of damage to sensors is their installation in places where they spend a lot of time under the sun. If fixing the device in such a place cannot be avoided, then a sun protection is installed on it.

It should be noted that the gas detector must always be clean, since the slightest dustiness can cause the device to malfunction.

For a visual representation of how such a sensor works, you can watch the video.

How to determine a gas leak on your own without using special sensors

Most reliable way, in order to detect a gas leak on your own - it is to smell a specific smell. Also, when a leak occurs, at the place of a breakthrough, the fuel will come out with a certain sound, it will look like a whistle.

There is another method - it is to spread soapy foam on the alleged breakthrough site, and if it starts to inflate, then there is a leak.

It is strictly forbidden to check the gas breakthrough by lighting a match, as it may suddenly explode. It is also not recommended to turn on the light, the slightest spark causes ignition.

How to fix a gas leak

First of all, after determining that a gas leak has occurred, you should shut off its supply and call the wizard. Also, an increase in air temperature should be avoided until the breakdown is eliminated. It is not recommended to use electrical switches - they can cause sparks, which is not permissible.

Before the appearance of the master, you need to ventilate the room, for this you should open the windows and doors.

If the gas ignites, this means that while there is a fire, it will not explode, so you should not extinguish the ignition yourself. In this case, you need to leave the premises as soon as possible and call the firefighters.

Gas is widely used for domestic purposes. Its leak can lead not only to poisoning or asphyxiation, but also to an explosion, leading to numerous victims.

In order to avoid this, you should follow the rules established for the use of gas appliances and know what to do in the event of a domestic gas leak. Let's consider these questions in more detail.

Because of what the first signs are possible

The reasons that can cause a leak in an apartment can be divided into professional miscalculations or shortcomings, and everyday accidents. The first include errors in the installation of gas equipment, including faulty pipes, cylinders, columns, as well as too loose fastening gas hose... Such causes of a domestic gas leak may not be immediately detected.

Partial or loose closing of the tap, extinguishing of the fire of the gas burner of the stove due to a draft or other reasons, can also cause a leak. Part of what is burning can be seen by the color of the fire. During normal operation of gas equipment, it has a light blue color. If you see that the flame has become yellow or has acquired reddish tints, then this indicates a malfunction and you should contact the master.

The main danger of natural gas is that it is completely neutral in odor and color. But for the timely detection of its leakage into the gas used in everyday life, a special substance is added that has a pungent and strong specific smell.

Therefore, the very first sign will be the appearance of an unpleasant sour smell of gas in the house. If the leak was not detected immediately, then the person develops gas poisoning. Symptoms include headache, dizziness, dry mouth, general weakness, nausea, redness of the eyes and watery eyes, pallor of the skin, sleep and appetite disturbances. Having found them in yourself, you should consult a doctor who will determine gas vapor poisoning.

What to do

The first thing you should do is to stop the leak, doing all the steps, try not to breathe the gas-air mixture indoors, use a wet hoe. Completely close the tap on the gas pipe, turn off the burner, thereby stopping the flow of gas to the stove. You need to notify the neighbors and call the special emergency service... To avoid explosion the best option will happen if you completely de-energize the apartment, since when the light is turned on, a spark may form inside the switch, due to poor-quality wire connections, and at a certain gas concentration in the apartment, this will cause irreversible consequences.

Open wide windows and vents to ventilate the entire room. While waiting for the arrival of specialists, do not under any circumstances try to use electrical appliances, it is forbidden to use matches, a lighter or smoke. Better to go outside. It will be possible to enter the premises only after the disappearance of the smell of gas and permission of the emergency service.

If you smell gas on staircase then do not ignore this fact. Inform gas service about their suspicions. Do not use doorbells. Organize a tour of apartments to identify the source of distribution, knock on the door. If you do not receive an answer, leave the premises.

How to use gas cylinders correctly

Violation of the rules for storing or using containers with gas can often lead to an explosion, so you need to know the following:

1. Store the bottle only in a well-ventilated area. Do not lay it down, it should be upright. Basement with high humidity will not be suitable for storing it. Also, do not bury the balloon. In addition, the place where it is stored should not be exposed to sunlight.
2. Do not start replacing equipment if there is open fire or working electrical devices... The taps must be completely closed. By changing old balloon, do not be lazy, and check the tightness of the connections. To do this, prepare a regular soap solution and apply it to the pipe, if bubbles appear, then the joint should be tightened.
3. Any gas equipment should be checked and repaired only by a specialist.
4. Gas containers that you are in this moment do not use, should be stored in a separate room.
5. Clean the burners regularly. Do not block them.

Preventive measures

Nowadays, there are many different ways... There is also special equipment, which helps to fix the leak from the gas equipment in time and warn people about it. It is called - household gas leakage sensors. They are different both in price and in action.

The simplest and most affordable is the electronic version. It just plugs into an outlet. When a gas leak occurs, it signals it by means of an audible and / or light signal. The main disadvantage is its uselessness in the event of a power outage.

The rechargeable type assumes the presence of a battery with which the sensor can operate without power supply for up to 2 days. The most efficient and more expensive option is sensor systems. They include not only a device that reacts to gas vapors in the air, but also.

However, household gas leakage sensors are only able to warn about a situation in time, and not warn, and even more so not eliminate it.

Better to observe preventive measures to help avoid leakage and its consequences.

1. In the presence of heating furnaces or fireplaces, check the intensity and quality of draft, especially when using gas appliances.
2. There must be good ventilation in the room. Open the vents from time to time.
3. Stay close to the stove while cooking.
4. Do not allow young children to use the gas stove in the absence of adults.
5. When leaving the apartment, close the gas supply valve, and it is also recommended to disconnect household electrical appliances from the network.

There are also categorical prohibitions to be aware of. Without permission, do not start redevelopment or overhaul in a house where there are gas tanks. Without special skills and abilities, you should not try to repair, replace or install such equipment yourself. Any wrong action can lead to disastrous consequences.

Channels and hatches required for ventilation should not be closed or sealed, and their structure should not be changed. Do not make any modifications to the design of the flue gas disposal units. If there are automatic control devices, do not switch them off.

Gas appliances in the apartment have become so common that people no longer see them as a danger. Such a frivolous attitude can lead to a leak, which at best will cause mild poisoning, and at worst, an explosion and death of many people.

On October 6, an explosion occurred in a residential building in Riscani. Four people died, three more are missing, and even more - were left homeless. And the reason for this is the violation of the operating conditions of the gas cylinder. In connection with the incident, we talked with Alexander Radukan, a specialist at Romstal, about how it is possible to detect a gas leak and avoid it.

• 1. Could a household gas leak be enough for a big bang?
• 2. How do you understand if there is a leak?
• 3. Are there safer and more practical ways to identify a leak?
• 4. Will such a detector cost me much?
• 5. What to do if there is no detector yet, and the room smells of gas?

1. Could a household gas leak be enough for a big bang?

Yes! At a concentration of only 5-15% of natural gas in the air, an explosive mixture can form. In this case, an explosion is possible, even if you just turn on the light.

Gas, which is usually used in houses, is of two types: liquefied petroleum gas (in cylinders, they want to document its use in apartments multi-storey buildings) and methane (city main gas). Gas in cylinders tends to spread downward, since it is 2.5 times heavier than air, emits a pungent odor, and its leak can be easily detected. The main gas is lighter, it spreads upward, but its smell is not so strong, but it is also easy to detect.

Most often, the causes of disasters are precisely gas cylinders that may explode from dropping or improper storage and use. It happens that the owners store gas cylinders on the balcony. When you bring it into warm room the gas expands and the balloon explodes.

Wear and tear is also fraught with problems gas pipes and improper operation of gas stoves. So, if boiling water in a saucepan is poured onto a gas burner, the fire will go out, but the gas will continue to flow. Gradually, it will fill the kitchen, and the slightest spark can provoke an explosion.

Another reason for the explosion is a rupture in the hose connecting the gas line to the stove.

2. How do you understand if there is a leak?

You can check whether a gas cylinder is leaking by moistening the cylinder with a sponge with soapy water - bubbles will form at the gas leak. If the gas comes out in a strong stream, you can hear it (like an inflatable ball descending) and feel it (the smell in high concentration is felt very intensely).

For gas stoves, the first sign of a gas leak is a switched on burner without fire. This means that gas is supplied to the room. Another option: if the flame on the gas burner turns orange instead of blue, emits soot or completely separated from the burner itself.

3. Are there safer and more practical ways to identify a leak?

Yes, such devices exist - these are gas detectors. For example, the Romanian company Primatech was one of the first to catch on and created the Prevent [d] gas detector for integrated detection and carbon monoxide and methane. In fact, the device is quite simple and based on the operation of gas sensors: it is equipped with sensors for carbon monoxide and methane, when their level rises, it gives light and sound signals, it is also possible to connect to the periphery: warning systems, air conditioning, etc.

Also in the Prevent line there is a model that recognizes only methane (gas from city pipes), and a device that recognizes carbon monoxide even in small and not dangerous proportions.

Excerpt from the law:

Buildings for any purpose in which gas appliances operating in automatic mode without constant presence service personnel(water heaters,
gas radiators and convectors, infrared irradiation devices, etc.) must be equipped with gas detectors with automatic shutdown and signal transmission to the control room.

5. What if there is no detector yet, and the room smells of gas?

1. Open windows and doors to avoid suffocation. Turn off the gas stove (if it is on), close the taps on the gas pipes.

2. It is forbidden to use electrical appliances (including a telephone) in a room where there is a smell of gas, as well as light a fire or smoke.

3. Go outside, taking, just in case, important documents and money.

4. Call 112 or 904.

Likewise, if you smell gas on the staircase in your house, leave it and call the emergency services. Do not press the entrance bells (they can be electric) - it is better to knock on the door of the apartment so that the residents of the apartments leave the house with you.