Think You Have a Leak? Do This First
A gas leak is a safety event before it is a repair job. If you suspect an active leak, take these steps before anything else:
- Leave the building immediately and get everyone — including pets — outside
- Do not flip light switches, unplug anything, or use any phone or device inside
- Do not light matches, lighters, or anything with a flame
- Once outside and away from the building, call 911 or your gas utility's emergency line
- Do not go back inside until the utility or fire department says it is safe
- Then call Perfect Catch at 727-788-4086 to locate and repair the leak
Signs of a Gas Leak
Not every leak announces itself. These are the signals Largo homeowners should never ignore:
- Rotten-egg or sulfur smell inside or around the home — the odorant added to gas exists for exactly this reason
- Hissing or whistling sounds near a gas line, appliance, or the meter
- Dead or dying vegetation in a patch above a buried gas line
- Gas bills climbing with no change in usage
- Pilot lights that repeatedly go out, or burner flames that are orange instead of blue
- Headaches, dizziness, or nausea indoors that improve when you leave the house
Electronic Detection & Pressure Testing
Finding a leak by smell alone is guesswork — and guesswork is not acceptable with gas. We use electronic combustible-gas detectors to trace the leak to its source, whether that is a buried line, a fitting behind an appliance, or a connection inside a wall. We then isolate and pressure-test the system: the line is charged, monitored, and any pressure drop confirms and localizes the failure. This is the difference between "we tightened a fitting and it seems fine" and a documented, verified diagnosis.
Repair & Re-Test Before Anything Turns Back On
Once the leak is located, we repair or replace the failed section — pipe, fitting, valve, or flex connector — with materials rated for the fuel and the location. Then the entire system is pressure-tested again before gas is restored. No system we touch goes back into service on an assumption; it goes back on a passed test. Where the repair scope requires it, we pull the permit and coordinate the inspection as part of the job.
Appliance-Connection Leaks
A large share of residential gas leaks are not in the buried line at all — they are at the appliance connection. Aging flex connectors, over-tightened or under-tightened fittings, and DIY appliance swaps are common culprits behind ranges, dryers, and water heaters. We inspect and correct appliance connections as part of every leak call, and we replace outdated connectors with current code-compliant ones. If you are adding a new appliance, our gas line installation & hookup service gets it connected right the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
I smell gas right now. What do I do?
Leave the building immediately without touching switches or devices, and call 911 or your gas utility's emergency line from outside. Once the situation is made safe, call us to locate and repair the leak and restore your system.
The utility shut off my gas. Can you turn it back on?
The utility shuts gas off to make the situation safe; a licensed gas contractor repairs the system and verifies it with pressure testing so service can be restored. That is exactly what we do under license LI4527.
How do you find a leak you can't see?
We use electronic combustible-gas detectors to trace the leak to its source and pressure testing to confirm it. This finds leaks in buried lines, wall cavities, and appliance connections without tearing anything open on a guess.
Is your pricing upfront?
Yes. Once the leak is diagnosed, we provide upfront pricing on the repair before any work begins.
Is the repair warrantied?
Yes. Every gas leak repair we complete is backed by our warranty on parts and labor.