If You Smell Gas, Do This
Leave Immediately
Get everyone out of the house right away, without stopping to open windows or investigate.
Don't Operate Anything Electrical
Don't flip light switches, use a phone inside, or start a vehicle in an attached garage, any spark is a real risk.
Call From Outside
Call the gas utility's emergency line and then us once you're a safe distance away.
Don't Try To Find Or Fix It Yourself
Leave locating and repairing the leak to trained technicians with the right detection equipment.
Gas Line Installation & Repair In Melbourne
Many Melbourne homes near downtown and Eau Gallie were built with gas service for water heating or cooking decades ago. Older black iron gas piping can develop corrosion at threaded joints over that span of time, which is the most common source of a slow leak we're called to investigate. A joint that was properly sealed decades ago can still degrade gradually as the pipe dope or tape used at the time breaks down.
Newer construction closer to the Palm Bay line more often uses corrugated stainless steel tubing for gas runs, which resists corrosion better but still requires correct bonding and support to meet code, something we verify on every new installation. A CSST run that wasn't properly bonded during the original installation is a real code and safety issue we check for on any inspection.
Common Warning Signs
Rotten Egg Smell
The distinctive sulfur odor added to natural gas specifically so a leak is noticeable; treat this as an emergency, always.
Hissing Sound Near A Line Or Appliance
An audible hiss near a gas connection, even without a noticeable smell.
Dead Or Discolored Vegetation
Vegetation dying above a buried gas line's path can indicate an underground leak.
Pilot Light Won't Stay Lit
On a gas appliance, this can be a sign of a supply issue rather than the appliance itself, worth ruling out.
Dealing With This Right Now?
Call and we'll walk you through what to check while help is on the way.
Finding The Real Cause
For a suspected leak, we use a combustible gas detector to trace the source before touching anything. We never assume the leak's location from a smell alone since gas migrates through soil and wall cavities. For a new installation, we size the line correctly for the appliance's BTU demand and pressure-test every joint before connecting any appliance.
Equipment We Use
- Combustible gas leak detector.
- Line pressure testing equipment.
- Appliance BTU demand calculation.
What Fixing It Actually Involves
Joint Or Fitting Repair
A leak isolated to a single corroded joint or fitting is repaired at that specific point.
Section Replacement
A run of old black iron pipe with multiple corrosion points is replaced rather than repeatedly patched.
New Line Installation
A new line is sized and run to code for a gas range, water heater, dryer, or outdoor grill, completed to Florida Building Code and NFPA 54 fuel gas code requirements.
You approve the price after diagnosis, before any repair begins.
Common Questions
Leave the house immediately without operating any switches or appliances, call the gas utility's emergency line from a safe distance outside, and then call us. Never try to locate or fix a suspected leak yourself.
Yes, we run and connect new gas lines for outdoor kitchens, grills, and fire features, sized correctly for the appliance and installed to code.
Yes, it's common in homes built before more recent code updates. Black iron itself isn't inherently a problem, but corroded threaded joints on an older run are the most frequent source of a slow leak, which is why we inspect joint condition closely on any older system.
Yes, we handle the permit application and coordinate the required inspection through the City of Melbourne Building Department as part of the installation, so you don't have to manage that process yourself.
Often Booked Together
A suspected gas leak is the one plumbing situation where the right first move is to leave and call for help, not to investigate it yourself. Whether it's tracing a leak or running a new line for an appliance, every gas line job gets pressure-tested and inspected before anything gets connected. We never treat a suspected leak as anything less than urgent, coordinating directly with water heater or appliance work whenever a gas connection is involved.