Best light source to examine a natural gas leak in a pipe in your basement?

[LeftyFingerPop]

Poll question: Best light source to examine a natural gas leak in a pipe in your basement?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. Don't take any chances. You MUST find the leak!!

in the infamous words of Lee Mercer JR .....USE ALL THREE!!!

[SOteric]

2. If you can't tell from the glow of your lit stogie, you're no kind of man.

:nuke:

[sarge43]

3. Blow torch. Make that statement! n/t

[kentauros]

4. Zippo lighter.

They make the most sparks, and that's what you need most for an ignition source

[motely36]

5. K & R

This is important stuff to know!

[Robb]

6. The terrible truth: lighters. For teh realz.

A few years back I remodeled my kitchen. Dad and grandpa were plumbers, I had done a bit growing up, but with the remodel I was moving a gas line. Which I'd never done.

So I talked to dad on the phone a lot. Finally got the gas pipes where I wanted them, doped 'em up and tightened 'em. Before I let gas into the lines, I called dad thinking to ask how he tested lines for leaks.

You know, maybe some soapy water, or some other clever lifetime plumber trick.

"Bic lighter," says dad.

:wow: I about dropped the phone. But there it was.

Turns out he would run a lighter's flame over every joint, briefly, to see if a little burst of ignited gas appeared. If so, shut 'er off and try again.

On the matter of soapy water, apparently that choice is for wusses. :D

[Schema Thing]

10. Achtung, thy name is wuss

[Heidi]

7. Flamethrower, of course.

As far as I know, those tales about natural gas being combustible are just urban legends.

[jmowreader]

8. Natural gas isn't combustible. Really.

Combustible means it will burn, but you have to work at it. Asphalt is combustible--you CAN set it on fire, but you've got to use a propane torch to light it.

Natural gas is flammable, which means it's easily ignited.

There's also the "flash fire hazard," which is REALLY flammable, and "explosion hazard" which is even more flammable than that.

[krispos42]

9. I would use a glow-stick,, personally.

But for you? Kerosene lamp. :P

[Deep13]

11. To be sure you have enough light...

...take a bucket of salt water and put a plugged-in toaster in it.

[DainBramaged]

12. Cow

[Midlodemocrat]

13. I would use a Yankee Candle to cover up that nasty natural gas stink.

:thumbsup:

[PVnRT]

14. The blood of virgin goats