Does A Gas Leak Cause Physical Symptoms? - Healthline

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HealthlineSubscribeWhat Symptoms Can a Gas Leak Cause?

Medically reviewed by Angelica Balingit, MD — Written by Daniela Ginta — Updated on September 3, 2025

Symptoms
Carbon monoxide
What to do
Outlook
Prevention
Takeaway

Gas leaks can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, eye irritation, and skin blisters. It can also become difficult to breathe. Open your windows and call for help immediately.

Many homes use natural gas for heat, hot water, and appliances. Natural gas has no smell, which means a small leak would be impossible to detect.

A hissing sound is not always present, either. That’s why your utility company adds mercaptan, a harmless chemical, to the gas. Mercaptan smells like sulfur, or rotten eggs, to help you identify gas leaks. But you may not smell anything if the leak is very small.Evacuate the area immediately if you experience the following:

smell sulphur or something like rotten eggs
hear a hissing or whistling sound near a gas line
see a damaged connection to a gas line
see a white cloud, blowing dust, or bubbles in standing water
see plants that are dying or dead for no apparent reason

If you suspect a gas leak, avoid touching electrical appliances or turning on anything that may cause a spark or fire. Instead, leave the building, leave the door open, and head to a safe location. From there, you can call 911, your local fire department, or the gas company to report the leak.

How to tell if your symptoms are due to a gas leak

Gas leaks change the amount of oxygen available. As you breathe in less oxygen, you may start to develop symptoms. If you or others in your family experience sudden and unexplained symptoms, there could be a gas leak in your home.

Here are the symptoms you should look for:

headache
dizziness
nausea
eye and throat irritation
fatigue
breathing problems
pale skin or blisters, which only occur if skin comes in contact with compressed or liquid gas

You may see the same symptoms in your pets if there is a gas leak. Extreme or high levels of exposure may also cause unconsciousness or death.

Another cause for similar symptoms

Other air contaminants can cause symptoms similar to those of gas leak poisoning. If there are no gas leaks, check for other indoor air contaminants such as carbon monoxide or mold.

Incompletely burnt gas can release carbon monoxide, another dangerous gas that can affect your health. If you use natural gas for heating or hot water, make sure to install a carbon monoxide detector in the home.

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

tiredness
nausea and dizziness
headache
chest or stomach pains
vision problems
loss of muscle control

If exposure continues, the skin turns pink and the lips bright red. In case of severe poisoning, the skin on the whole body turns red. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly.

What to do if you suspect a gas leak

Observe your symptoms as you leave the house or move between rooms. If headaches reappear after you return home, you are likely dealing with a gas leak or another type of air contaminant.

For a mild gas odor, you should open up the windows, make sure pilot lights are off, and call your gas company. They’ll advise you on the next steps. You can also turn the gas meter off if you know how.

For strong gas odor or situations that cause symptoms, exit your home or leave the area immediately. Gas is extremely volatile. If you have had a leak in your home for a while, there is an increased risk of explosion.

Call the emergency number for your utility company. But make the call away from the area of the suspected gas leak. Phones can create sparks, which may ignite the gas. Also, head to the emergency room or call an ambulance if your symptoms are severe.

If you notice yourself being extra tired without a lifestyle or medical reason, have a certified inspector visit your home right away.

What not to do

turn lights on or off
use household appliances or sources of ignition
keep doors closed
try to find or repair the leak
make phone calls from your house
assume someone else will report the leak

Life after a gas leak

If a leak is detected by an inspection professional or a qualified inspector from the gas company, you will also need to have other gas-burning appliances, pipeline valves, and other operating controls inspected.

What to do

let an inspector locate and fix your leak
air out your house before returning
have outside pipelines inspected

Ideally, a house inspector will let you know when it’s safe to return. Even if the leak was only on the inside, you should also have someone inspect the outside pipelines. Leaks that occur outside your home are equally dangerous.

Health effects

While exposure to low levels of natural gas is not harmful, long-term exposure can affect your health. Burning natural gas produces nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and methane. These chemicals can trigger respiratory problems, depression, and decrease the quality of your health. Talk with your doctor or healthcare professional if you believe the gas leak is affecting your health.

How to prevent gas leaks

Leaks can occur from oversights during gas line installation, or they can be a consequence of old pipelines and appliances. Have your appliances and pipelines inspected yearly.

The service is usually free of charge. One thing that you need to do if using gas is to educate yourself and your family about natural gas safety. Remember what to look for in case of a leak or if someone experiences gas poisoning symptoms.

Takeaway

While natural gas leaks are rare, they can happen both inside and outside of your home.

If you use gas-burning appliances or natural gas for heating, make sure to have yearly inspections. Gas leaks, while dangerous, are preventable.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Carbon monoxide poisoning basics. (2024).https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html
Carbon Monoxide: What is Carbon Monoxide? (2023).https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/151490
Mei Y, et al. (2022). Research on natural gas leakage and diffusion characteristics in enclosed building layout.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0957582022002518
Natural gas explained. (2024).https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/
Protect your family and yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning. (2024).https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/protect-your-family-and-yourself-carbon-monoxide-poisoning

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Medically reviewed by Angelica Balingit, MD — Written by Daniela Ginta — Updated on September 3, 2025

Does A Gas Leak Cause Physical Symptoms? - Healthline

How to tell if your symptoms are due to a gas leak

Another cause for similar symptoms

What to do if you suspect a gas leak

What not to do

Life after a gas leak

What to do

Health effects

How to prevent gas leaks

Takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

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