Most gas problems announce themselves quietly: a faint smell near the meter, a yellow-tipped flame, a BBQ hose that's gone stiff in the sun. Caught at that stage, they're minor repairs. Ignored, they become the emergencies nobody wants. Here's a practical checklist you can run in twenty minutes a year — and the parts that legally and sensibly belong to a licensed gas fitter.
The 20-Minute Homeowner Checklist
- Smell test: any gas odour near the meter, bottles, cooktop or hot water unit — even faint and occasional — warrants a professional check
- Flame check: cooktop flames should burn blue and steady; yellow, orange or 'lazy' flames signal incomplete combustion
- Soot check: black marks above burners or on appliance panels are a combustion red flag
- Hose check: BBQ and bayonet hoses should be flexible, uncracked and under 10 years old — check the date stamp
- Bottle check: LPG bottles upright, in ventilated spots, in test date, with valves that close fully
- Meter check: with all gas appliances off, the meter dials shouldn't creep — movement suggests a leak
- CO alarm: if you run indoor gas heating, fit a carbon monoxide alarm and test it yearly
Carbon Monoxide: The One You Can't Smell
The odour added to gas makes leaks noticeable — but carbon monoxide, produced by poor combustion, has no smell at all. Headaches, drowsiness or nausea that improve when you leave the house are the classic warning pattern. Old flued heaters, blocked flues and indoor use of outdoor appliances are the usual culprits. Any gas heater more than a decade old deserves a professional combustion test.
What The Law Says In Queensland
All gas installation, alteration and repair work in Queensland must be performed by a licensed gas fitter and certified with a compliance certificate — DIY gas work is illegal, void your insurance, and genuinely dangerous. That includes 'simple' jobs like swapping a cooktop or extending a line to an outdoor kitchen. Landlords have additional obligations to keep gas installations safe and maintained at each tenancy.
If You Smell Gas Right Now
Turn the supply off at the meter or bottle, open windows and doors, leave switches and flames alone, and get everyone outside. Call a licensed gas fitter — we treat suspected leaks as 24/7 emergencies on 0485 090 185. If the smell is strong or anyone feels unwell, call 000 from outside first.
Creative Coast Plumbing & Gas provides licensed gas fitting, leak detection, appliance installation and biennial safety checks across the Gold Coast — every job tested and certified. Book your gas safety check on 0485 090 185.
Sound familiar?
Get It Checked Before It Gets Expensive
Same-day leak detection across the Gold Coast — found, fixed and reported in one visit.
