Home Gas safety
Gas safety, plainly put
Cooking gas is safe when it stays inside the cylinder, the hose and the burner. These are the habits that keep it there, at home and at our depot.
Golden rules
Six rules for every kitchen
- 01
Never refill or decant indoors or near flames
Only refill at a depot with an open filling bay. Never pour gas from one cylinder into another at home, and never near a stove, candle, cigarette or generator.
- 02
Check for leaks with soapy water
Mix liquid soap with water and brush it over the valve, regulator and hose joints. Growing bubbles mean gas is escaping.
- 03
Never use a flame to look for a leak
A lighter or match near a leak can ignite it. Soapy water is the only test you need.
- 04
Keep the cylinder upright and ventilated
Stand it outside or in an airy space at least one metre from the cooker, never in a closed cabinet or bedroom.
- 05
Close the valve after cooking
Turn off the cylinder valve at the top, then the cooker knob. This stops slow leaks overnight.
- 06
Keep generators and inverters away
Petrol generators produce sparks and heat. Keep them outside and well away from where your cylinder stands.
The soapy water test
Thirty seconds that could save your kitchen
- Mix
One spoon of liquid soap in a cup of water. Stir until foamy.
- Open the valve
With every cooker knob off, open the cylinder valve so the hose fills with gas.
- Brush or spray
Cover the valve, regulator joint, both hose ends and the clips.
- Watch for one minute
Bubbles that grow or keep coming mean a leak. A still film means it is sealed.
- If you see bubbles
Close the cylinder valve, open windows, do not light anything and call us. We test it again for free.
If you smell gas
Stop. Close. Open. Leave. Call.
- Stop. Do not switch lights or fans on or off, and do not light anything.
- Close. Turn off the cylinder valve at the top if you can reach it safely.
- Open. Open doors and windows to let the gas out.
- Leave. Get everyone, including children, outside and away from the building.
- Call. Call us on +234 800 000 1961 or the fire service once you are outside. Example details for this demo.
At our depot
How we keep the filling bay safe
Open bay only
All filling happens in an open sided bay with a roof. Nothing is ever filled indoors.
Six metre rule
No flames, phones, engines or smoking within six metres of the filling point. Riders switch off before they enter.
Extinguishers and sand
Dry powder extinguishers and sand buckets at every bay, checked every month.
Trained staff
Every attendant completes gas handling and fire drills twice a year.
Children and helpers
Teach everyone in the house
Show older children and house helps where the cylinder valve is and how to close it. Keep matches and lighters out of small hands. Make sure everyone knows the smell of gas: cooking gas has an added smell, like rotten eggs, so leaks are easy to notice.
Never leave a pot boiling on the stove when nobody is at home. Boil overs can put out the flame while the gas keeps flowing.
Questions
Safety questions
Is it safe to keep a cylinder in the kitchen?
Yes, if it is upright, in an airy spot at least a metre from the burner, and not in a closed cupboard.
My flame is yellow. Is that a problem?
A healthy flame is blue. Yellow or orange flames usually mean a dirty burner or a failing regulator. Clean the burner and bring the regulator in for a check.
How often should I test for leaks?
Every time you change or refill the cylinder, and any time you smell gas.
Can I lay the cylinder down in a car?
No. Carry it upright and secured, with a window open, straight home.
Want us to check your setup?
Bring your regulator and hose with your next refill and we test them while you wait, free.