combustible gas detector

[Jesse]

What's the best one? Durable, dependable, interesting features?

[kurt]

Your nose. Durable, dependable, and maybe even interesting.

[Brad Manor]

I bought a real nice ultra-trac. It was a lease return, I got in on eBay from the manufacturer, factory calibrated.........it looks real nice in my tool bag. I only pull it out when the client "needs" to see high tech equipment.

-Brad

[MMustola]

I agree with Kurt. I use my nose. If I can smell gas theres a problem. When I was first starting out I used a TIF 8800. That tool was worthless.

[Jesse]

My nose is definitely interesting, Kurt. It's really the thing I worry most about passing on to my kids.

[chicago]

Mark I use a TIF 8800 and caught a propane leak with it on my very first job,so I concider it worth what I spent already.

If you use your nose you must be part dog.

Try and tell that to the people at the Gas company then tell me their reaction .

Some people use a 9 part water 1 part soap mix.When I was younger I would actually and foolishly use a lighter as since the gas is under light pressure the flame would just shoot out.Got cured of that habit when while trying to replace for safety reasons a brass flex behind a kitchen stove and had forgot to blow out the pilot lights.Pooof! singed hair all over what was exposed.The stupid thing was so deteriorated that it had already been leaking with out me knowing or smelling.

Yes I would do these without turning off the gas so I would not need to go relighting pilots around the house.It was easy to throw a piece of moretite on the opening since Gas pressure is so light.Moral is not to relie souly on your nose

The day you have a cold is the one that gets you in trouble.Oh and anyone who dares try this (don't) but remember to check all the pilots as you are creating negative pressure and it can take a split second to knock out the pilots in other areas.

[MMustola]

Could you smell propane, is that why you went looking for a leak? How many of you guys use a combustible gas detector and check gas line joints, valves, and fittings for leaks?

Even if I smell gas I don't bother to try and find the leak. I document the fact that I could smell gas or propane and recommend that they have the gas company or a heating contractor locate and fix the leak.

Consumers Energy only recognizes leaks if they bubble up with soap and if it bubbles with soap you will be able to smell it.

[chicago]

Okay Mark here's the thing:

At that first job I spoke of above,more than likely I may have been thinking this is just another toy and it gave me something to do or keep moving while thinking of the next step.

Yeah...the shutoff was high and a little out of reach,but decided to scan any way.

Man did that thing go off.You see it was a basement getting plenty of air and of course the double door or cellar entrance had been open for awhile.As far as soap goes,sure it works,(sometimes).One day working for Sears I had run a brand new 1/2" black pipe line across the basement then gave it the soap test.As always I had brushed my solution at every joint , union and shutoff valve.

Well guess what.

Hours later and 50 miles from my home I get a call how the whole basement smells like gas.

I told my customer please call peoples Gas immediately.

The next day my supr sends me back to fix whatever I screwed up.

Well guess what:

Turns out that the pipe I used was on recall for defects in the seams in the elbows.

The customer wrote a letter thanking me for giving the number to call for emergency.

So the answer is yes soap does work [to confirm] what that worthless sniffer will find,so please take it out and you might end up with your own thank you note.

[kurt]

Without trying to sound too arrogant, I will say I have little respect and largely contempt for most of the goombah's working for People's Gas. I've found more stupid stuff that they've either missed or passed, I don't really care what they have to say about gas detectors.

Any gas leak that is significant can be smelled by a human nose. That's why the gas suppliers put the stink in there; so we can smell it.

I used to run around w/a Tiff, then the other one's, then I stopped. Nose is fine. If you smell gas, call the gas company, like Mustola said.

[chicago]

And now for Kurt's next trick he will use his ears to listen for water leaks.

His xray vision is used for determine RF value in sealed drywall.

Watch in amazement as he single handedly determines return temperature at the plenium using nothing but sense of touch.

For an extra fee he will determine with in one month the precise date of failure on all systems and componants.

Remember mold is his main concern so call him at 1-800-mold -lol

[kurt]

Some of it's true, some a stretch, and some impossible.

I've found amazing stuff by being lucky enough to hear it. On more than a few occasions, I've gotten down on hands & knees, and stuck my nose right in the floor drain seeking the source for sewer gas I smell. I taste stuff on occasion.

I use thermometers for checking temperatures. I can't tell the future of systems & components.

When I was lucky enough to experience fire science classwork, we were put in a room w/a smell equal to that of the LEL of natural gas; it made your eyes water it was so intense. There's a reason they do it that way.

I know it sounds non-technical, and it is, sort of, but using your nose and ears can be as useful as employing gadgets for some stuff.

The real danger is complacency, and ignoring stuff your senses are trying telling you.

[chicago]

Every thing you say ,but tasting yech!

Bet you left gum under desk for the next day.

[Chris Bernhardt]

Having equipment is nice if you can afford all of gizmos and gadgets.

Outside of my moisture meter and 3 light tester is eyes, eyes, eyes with the rest of the other 6 senses thrown in for good measure.

What I think the equipment does best is develope your inspection zen.

Chris, Oregon

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by chicago

Every thing you say ,but tasting yech!

Bet you left gum under desk for the next day.

I occasionally taste stuff. On Monday, the apartment building I looked at had a streak of brown staining running down the siding below a stairway landing. A whole train of buyers, sellers, agents & managers were following me around and each had an opinion about this stuff. One said it was coffee, another said it was mold; still another said it was deck stain.

I wet the tip of my finger with saliva and rubbed the stain. It dissolved, telling me that the substance was water-soluble. I touched the tip of my finger to my tongue and rolled it around in my mouth. My conclusion: malt liquor that had been in someone's stomach and come back up again.

The group following me thinned out after that.

- Jim Katen in Oregon

[randynavarro]

Jim, sounds like you're ready to market a whole new unique inspection service.

[Jesse]

Looks like crap. Tastes like crap. It's a good thing I didn't step in it!

[chicago]

Hope you don't do that when they are white.