topic Re: Smelly Gas in Energy - General

Smelly Gas Heater, kerosene smell

ronaford — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 05:46:35 GMT

Hi, has anyone else suffered from smelly gas over the last week? We had guests staying with us last weekend and the gas heater had smelly gas fumes coming out (not like normal) from Friday night, and we had to turn the heater off as we were feeling sick from the fumes and had headaches as a result. Can you imagine how we felt having guests feeling cold in the middle of the coldest weekend this winter?

I think this is probably the gas company using cheap gas mixed into the normal high-quality gas at a time of high usage to make extra profits by using cheap smelly gas.

I tried calling and they passed me off to someone else who didn't answer the phone after hours. This is NOT good customer service by a supposed reputable Aussie company!! It is also despicable that we are charged for smelly gas when we need heating most! Tonight it is still smelly and we had to turn it off again.

Ron

Re: Smelly Gas

ronaford — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 23:42:48 GMT

Hi Jaden,

It is not a gas leak. When the appliance is turned off there is no smell. This is a Rinnai portable space heater and there is always a small slight smell from the gas burning, but this is ridiculous and smells like kerosene or something as the heater is burning the gas.

Ron

Re: Smelly Gas

Staceyabraham — Thu, 14 May 2020 05:15:34 GMT

Noticed this same smelly gas last night thought it was my heater then today while cooking the same stink filled my house making it a waste of food as appetite was lost due to the stink 🤮

Re: Smelly Gas

Howie2 — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 10:38:47 GMT

Hello, We also have the same issue for the last two days our two Rinnai gas heaters are both pumping out heavy kerosene smells so much that we cannot use them the fumes are so intense !!!! We have not had this trouble before, i am suspicious that the last delivery was contaminated ?? We are frightened to turn them on again...

Re: Smelly Gas

Ellen1 — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 00:17:51 GMT

Hello Howie2!

Welcome to AGL Community!

Having a strong gas smell is always cause for concern, however you have stated your last delivery, is this a main line gas supply or bottles?

AGL does not supply bottled gas, however if you have main line gas, this could be through us.

If you have concerns of a gas leak in your water system, I would recommend that you consult a plumber, if the leak is in the meter or after the meter on the street side, you can contact the faults and emergency number on your bill.

Thank you

Ellen

Re: Smelly Gas

Ms_B — Sat, 04 Jul 2020 00:00:45 GMT

We’ve also been experiencing smelly gas for a couple of weeks. We’re on natural gas and this is occurring in both an old Rinnai space heater and a 7 day old one. I’ve had the gas connection checked - there’s no gas leak. It’s an unpleasant kerosene like smell (as other people have commented) whenever the heater is operating. Why is this so AGL?

Re: Smelly Gas

David_AGL — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 02:59:33 GMT

A kerosene-like odour from a gas space heater is a common issue, but the smell is not caused by the gas itself. Often it's the result of small amounts of other aerosols in the air (cleaning products, air fresheners, paint fumes, insect spray etc) being burned by the heater.

It may be worth contacting the appliance manufacturer (e.g. Rinnai) or having the unit serviced if you have not done so in a while.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

If you do suspect a gas leak, follow the instructions here: What should I do if there is a gas leak?
If you believe there's a risk to life or property, call 000 immediately.
The smell of gas is not an indicator of "low quality" gas. Natural gas is odourless, and the distinctive "gas smell" (a bit like rotten eggs) is from a harmless but smelly chemical called mercaptan, which is deliberately added to gas as a safety measure - because it's important to be able to smell a gas leak!

Re: Smelly Gas

ronaford — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 22:11:48 GMT

Well, there seemed to be some improvement this winter, however, today the Kerosene smell is back from our reticulated gas service supplied by AGL.

Get this fixed by stopping the use of cheap gas!!! AGL makes enough money from our high rates without having to cut corners on quality.

Ron

Re: Smelly Gas

David_AGL — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 02:18:08 GMT

@ronaford Hi Ron, please check out my response above on this. In particular:

The smell of gas is not an indicator of "low quality" gas. Natural gas is odourless, and the distinctive "gas smell" (a bit like rotten eggs) is from a harmless but smelly chemical called mercaptan, which is deliberately added to gas as a safety measure - because it's important to be able to smell a gas leak!

Re: Smelly Gas

ronaford — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 01:22:39 GMT

This response is not adequate. We did not use cleaning solutions as we woke up and didn't clean the day before.

We have lived in the USA for 20 years before returning to AUS, and smelly gas WAS associated with low-quality cheap gas. We are very familiar with this type of thing which arose from time-to-time for us in California.

Re: Smelly Gas

cookinwithgas — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 07:35:58 GMT

Hi Everybody,

To all of you who have experienced the strong kero smell form your gas heaters natural gas or LPG, there is nothing wrong with the heater.

What is causing the heater to make the kero smell is that you....yes you...you have used some type of oil based product somewhere in the house. Even around outside the house..... even your neighbours using something. Yes, the wind can blow the fumes everywhere. Even if you can't smell it and the fumes are in the air and the heater is turned on....it will produce a kero smell.

Any product that has the red triangle symbol on the container meaning it's flammable will cause the kero smell if you use the heater.

So stop blaming AGL or your heater.

But you still need to have your gas heater serviced every 2 or 3 years.

David, Northgas Appliance Services

Re: Smelly Gas

Rob73 — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 12:30:54 GMT

Hi, we have noticed the same thing, especially at night, we just bought a brand new heater. And the smell of like kerosene burning. Due the heater being 1 week old and it came up with a fault low gas pressure is very strange...and it wasn’t a cheap heater $1400. so I went and switched the gas cooktop on and that exact same smell...very disappointing that such a big company has so many people complaining about the same thing and smell.

Re: Smelly Gas

rmilliken100 — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 10:27:54 GMT

Today (07/07/21) our gas in also smells like kero and no it's has nothing to do with remnants of arosole, cleaning products or any other excuse as yesterday there was no smell and today it is really smelly. Please explain this. No other excuses or blaming something else please.

Re: Smelly Gas

ConnorM0 — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 09:59:33 GMT

I have same problem

brand new

I'm allergic so have zero petrochemical cleaning products

the result is it not being burnt in,its not gas I'm on LPG when I smelt it my gas fitter came round in 10 mins,he told me these Rennai heaters all smell,but yet in the manual it says it is not a fault that it omits an odour

gas leaks smell like rotten eggs

Why do they not say not recomended for allergy or asthmatic sufferers

I have to leave my windows open and it still stinks

They tried to tell me all gas heaters smell

over my life I grew up with gas heating in the 60's and had different gas heated properties,my last gas heater was 2nd hand for $50 no smell

far out we can produce non toxic gas heating in the 60's

but not now

why does not rennai take responsibilty

Re: Smelly Gas

Lester — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 23:25:51 GMT

I have read recent and current news articles about state govcos wanting the ban gas from new home installations, and they say this is for health reasons . . . although I have seen Victoria cited to have a supply issue looming in the near future for some reason too . . . also minor mentions of climate change and switching to 'greener' renewable electric and hydrogen options.

I just googled > why does Australia want to ban gas in homes < and health reasons were mostly brought up . . .

Some gas appliances can release dangerous gases including carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Note 'SOME' appliances above ?

I assume this is generic as in how some appliances burn gas and how much efficiency it the way it burns, ventilation, etc.

It could be a Rennai thing, or gas stoves without a good extractor hood system to outside air (not the ceiling cavity), might cause issues.

NO2 apparently smells 'pungent', whatever that means, an 'acrid, ammonia-like odor' and 'a bleach like smell'.

Re: Smelly Gas

ConnorM0 — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 21:16:30 GMT

I heard Back From Rennai and they are going to replace it with another space heater,I told them I wanted a Radience heater instead,but company policy said NO,WTF I even am happy to lose money to get one that does not make me sick

I live in Tweed Heads so really not much opportunity to use it yet,but for the first time in 6 yrs I just got another script of Asthma medication.

I find it interesting I dont have this is writing,they called me.

Gone are the days you can just send it back and get a refund

These heaters should have warnings for allergy and asthmatic suffers

truth is I will suffer this winter and buy Altese radient heater next winter