Natural Gas Safety
Natural gas safety is very important to us. 天然气公用事业的安全记录是杰出的，而且还在不断改善. 沙巴体育手机版app公司为有兴趣学习天然气安全的学校或其他团体提供安全培训项目, as well as these tips about gas safety at your home or business.
Gas Leaks: If You Smell Gas
If you suspect a natural gas leak in your home, business or even outdoors, leave the area immediately. Once everyone is a safe distance away call us at 1-800-222-3121. Do not turn on/off lights, use garage door openers, phones, start a vehicle or anything else that can give off a spark. Do not attempt to turn off any gas valves. 沙巴体育手机版app将立即派出训练有素的维修技术人员调查任何紧急泄漏电话.
You can recognize a natural gas leak in the following ways:
- SIGHT: Blowing dirt, bubbling creeks or ponds, 潮湿地区的干燥点或天然气管道附近被活的绿色植物包围的死植物可能是指示.
- SMELL: 一种无害的硫醇被添加到天然气中，使其有一种独特的“臭鸡蛋”味.
- SOUND: 在燃气器具附近发出不寻常的嘶嘶声或在燃气管道附近发出吹气声可能表明燃气泄漏.
Excess Flow Valves
What is an excess flow valve?
超流量阀(EFV)是一种安全装置，用于在服务管道突然中断时将天然气流量限制在非常小的范围内. 符合49 CFR第192部分规定的性能标准的EFV.381将安装在所有新的国内和商业服务线路上，其中负载小于1,000 cfh (cubic feet of gas per hour). 如果负载大于1,000 cfh，则需要安装节流阀或其他管道阀.
How does an excess flow valve work?
EFV就像一个断路器，当电流超过设定的限制时就会跳闸. 当气体流量急剧增加时，例如当气体服务管线中断时，EFV将启动. 如果在EFV安装位置和燃气表之间的服务线路中断, the EFV is designed to limit the flow of gas to a very small amount.
Where and when would the excess flow valve be installed?
Midwest Energy Inc. will install it near the connection to the main. 它将在您安装新的或修改的服务线的同时安装.
Are there limitations to the protection an EFV can provide?
Yes. EFV的设计不适合由于服务管道缓慢泄漏而关闭, leaks or breaks in the gas main in the street, or leaks in your house piping. 只有在EFV安装位置和仪表设置之间的服务管线中断时，EFV才会关闭气体流动.
Will all Midwest Energy Inc.的客户可以选择在他们的服务线路上安装EFV?
这一强制性要求适用于拥有单一沙巴体育手机版app服务线路的新沙巴体育手机版app和商业客户, 计划修改服务线路的商业物业、沙巴体育手机版app和商业客户, and have a consumption less than 1,000 cfh. EFV可供任何现有的沙巴体育手机版app客户要求并收费. 应用隔离阀适用于负载大于1的商业/工业应用,000 cfh.
What will it cost to install and maintain the EFV?
如果您正在安装新的或修改的服务(如果合适)线路, 安装费用已经包含在你要报价的服务费用中了. 在正常情况下，EFV不需要维护.
Is the EFV also an earthquake valve?
No. 地震阀的设计是在检测到地震活动超过一定程度时关闭. 由于气体流量的突然增加，EFV只会限制气体的流量, such as when a service line is severed.
是否有其他选项提供保护，防止服务线路中断?
Yes. The most common cause of a service line break is third party damage, 所以“挖掘前打电话”至少在挖掘前两个工作日.
Call Before You Dig
Gas, electric, water, 电信和下水道只是埋在地下的公用设施中的一部分, sometimes at very shallow depths. Before you move dirt for any reason – installing a sprinkler system, building a shed, 甚至种一棵树——你应该拨打811拨打堪萨斯一号电话. When you call two business days in advance of digging, 工作人员会找到并标记所有地下公用设施，不收取任何费用. By knowing what is below ground, 你可以省去修理公用线路的麻烦和费用，因为你可能会因为挖掘而损坏它们.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide, often called CO, is a poisonous, odorless, colorless, tasteless, and non-irritating gas. 一氧化碳是由不完全燃烧形成的，当被人或宠物吸入时，可能是致命的.
Parked vehicles are the most common source of CO poisoning. 天然气器具占所有一氧化碳中毒的一小部分, 特别是通风口和烟囱没有正确安装或维护的空间加热设备. 其他原因包括误用器具，例如不正确地使用炉灶和烤箱来加热空间.
A person exposed to high levels of CO may complain of dizziness, headache, nausea, sleepiness or other flu-like symptoms without fever. If you experience these symptoms, 立即疏散大楼内的人和宠物，并拨打911或沙巴体育手机版app公司, at 1-800-222-3121.
You can prevent CO poisoning by following a few tips:
- 不要在封闭的车库或车棚内操作或预热车辆、摩托车或发电机.
- Don’t use a charcoal or gas grill in a garage or an enclosed patio, and never use them to heat a room indoors.
- Have your gas appliances and furnace serviced annually; a thorough inspection will check combustion boxes for tiny cracks, 清理关键区域的任何积聚物，确保气体供应和排气功能正常.
- 使用燃气空间加热器必须特别小心，因为许多安装时没有通风. 特别重要的是要确保有足够的新鲜空气供应，以确保适当的燃烧. 正常的燃烧通常由清晰的蓝色火焰表示. 少量的黄色或橙色是正常的，是由空气中的灰尘斑点引起的.
- 在你家的每一层都安装经过国家测试实验室认可的一氧化碳探测器, and test them annually.
Residential Methane Detectors
沙巴体育手机版app甲烷探测器可以在许多家装店买到，并且可以提供额外的能力来检测天然气的存在. 这些报警器必须按照制造商的说明进行选择和安装. Learn more at the Gas Technology Institute.