Gas 101

I've learned a lot of new things since moving to California.  Some learned things are small and trivial, such as always take a lightweight jacket with you, come prepared with snacks when you go to the beach, Disneyland is super crowded on weekends during the summer.  While other learned things are much more significant.  I experienced one of these just last night, as a matter of fact.  So sit back, read on, and learn from my inexperience.

Setting:  late afternoon, dinner in the oven, Carson upstairs in his bedroom, Calleigh and I sitting at the dining room table working on her homework (yes, that's right, homework in kindergarten, but that is a different story)

When out of the blue, our gas monitor begins to shriek very loudly.  Now, I know that I bought this monitor as a safety precaution, but I fully believed I would never hear it or have to deal with it.  So my mental intake of the directions for said monitor was minimal at best.

I jump from the table, move the couch (because the monitor was behind the couch), read GAS on the display and unplug the unit from the wall.  I take the monitor outside where it stops shrieking, and go back into the house.  Don't smell gas.  Not one bit.  I open the doors and proceed to finish homework with Calleigh.  Carson is now downstairs scared out of his mind and thinking there is a fire in the house.  After some reassuring him that there is no fire, everything seems normal around the house.

Did I mention that I am naive?  Well. . .

Michael calls a few minutes later.  I fill him in on the details.  He asks if I have left the house and called the gas company.  I say "no" and tell him I didn't smell gas.  He thinks I've lost my mind.  He tells me to hang up, go outside, and call the gas company.  I do as instructed.  I'm prompted through a series of number prompts by the gas company's wonderful automated line and instructed to report a gas leak.  A gas leak?  Doesn't that equal an explosion?!  By now the feeling of panic has settled into my little mind and I am keeping the kids outside of the house in case it blows up!  

The gas company arrives two hours later (thank you McDonalds!) and finds no gas leak.  They asked what the "beep pattern" was from the monitor.  Beep pattern?  What is that?  It seems that the monitor has a very specific beep pattern for when it is a false alarm, when the batteries are low, and when there really is a gas leak.  Who knew?  Apparently we have a stove with no ventilation outside and the gas monitor was too close to the stove.  The gas fumes, although at perfectly normal levels, were swirling around in my little kitchen and living room with no place to go but inside the monitor.  Their recommendation:  open a window or sliding glass door when using the stove to allow for proper ventilation.  

Lesson learned:  When the gas monitor shrieks, do not ignore it and declare it a false alarm.  Remember the beep pattern.  Get out of the house.  Call the gas company.

What?  Did you really think this post would be about tooting?  No, that is on Celeste's blog.  Go here to read all about it.