LPG itself is odourless — the rotten-egg smell is an additive (ethyl mercaptan) put there specifically to warn you. Learn the signs and a simple test you can run today.

The 7 Warning Signs

  1. The smell. A rotten-egg or cabbage-like odour near the cylinder or cooker — the most reliable sign.
  2. Hissing. A faint hiss near the valve, regulator or hose means gas escaping under pressure.
  3. Bubbles. Soapy water painted on a joint that keeps bubbling = active leak.
  4. Gas finishing too fast. A cylinder that empties weeks early is often leaking slowly.
  5. Dead houseplants near the cylinder — prolonged low-level exposure affects plants first.
  6. Dizziness or nausea in the kitchen that clears when you leave the room.
  7. Visible damage — cracked hose, loose clips, a regulator that doesn't seat squarely.

The Soapy Water Test (Do It Monthly)

  1. Mix dish soap with water until sudsy.
  2. Paint it on: the valve-regulator joint, both hose ends, and along the hose.
  3. Open the cylinder valve briefly (burner OFF).
  4. Bubbles that grow = a leak at that spot. Close the valve immediately.

Never use a flame to check for leaks.

Where Leaks Happen Most

  • Regulator-valve joint — worn O-ring or cross-threaded connection.
  • Hose ends — clips loosened or hose hardened and cracked.
  • Mid-hose — rat bites and age cracks (a braided hose resists both).
  • Burner valves — knobs left slightly open.

If You Find a Leak

Small leak at a joint you can fix: close the valve, reseat the regulator or tighten clips, retest. Anything else — smell persisting, valve damage, a leak you can't locate — evacuate the kitchen, keep flames and switches off, and read the emergency steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I smell gas but find no leak?

Check the floor level — LPG is heavier than air and pools low. Also check a recently-delivered cylinder (a slight smell on delivery day can be residual; if it persists past a day, exchange it).

Is a tiny leak dangerous?

Yes — LPG accumulates in low spaces and a small leak can reach flammable concentration in an unventilated kitchen overnight.

Do gas detectors help?

Electronic LPG detectors alarm before concentration reaches danger levels — worth it for rentals and staff kitchens.

Suspect a leak? Close the valve, ventilate, and call us — we'll advise or dispatch help. Contact PataGas →