Not every gas line is in plain sight. Many Cerritos homes have buried lines running from the meter to the house, a detached garage, a pool heater or an outdoor kitchen. When one of these leaks, the gas escapes into the soil, and the first clue is often a patch of dead lawn or a smell near the yard instead of inside the house.
Finding a buried leak takes patience. We test the line in sections, use a gas detector along the route and narrow the location before any digging starts, so your yard, patio or driveway is disturbed as little as possible.
What our underground gas line repair service includes
- Pressure testing to confirm a leak in the buried section
- Tracing the route of the line from the meter to its end point
- Narrowing the leak location with a gas detector at the surface
- Calling for utility markings before we dig, as required in California
- Excavating at the leak and replacing the damaged pipe with material rated for burial
- Testing the repaired line, then backfilling and tidying the area
How the job works, step by step
- Confirm the leakWe isolate and pressure test the buried section so we know the problem is underground and not at an indoor fitting.
- Trace and markWe locate the route of the line and request utility markings so we do not hit water, electric or other gas lines.
- Dig and repairWe excavate at the leak, cut out the damaged section and install new pipe and fittings made for underground gas service.
- Test and backfillThe line is pressure tested with the trench open, then we backfill and leave the yard as close to how we found it as we can.
Signs of a leak in a buried gas line
- A strip or patch of dead grass along the path of a buried line
- Bubbles rising in puddles or wet soil after rain or watering
- A gas smell outdoors near the meter, a pool heater or a detached building
- A pool heater, BBQ or garage heater that struggles to stay lit
- A rising gas bill with no change in how you use your appliances
When to call us
Call us if you smell gas in the yard, notice dead grass in a line across the lawn or see bubbling in standing water. Buried leaks can also let gas travel along the outside of the pipe toward the house, so they should not be left alone.
If you are planning to dig for landscaping, a fence or a patio and do not know where your gas line runs, call us before you start. Damage from digging is one of the most common reasons buried lines fail.
Strong smell of gas? Leave the house first and call 911 or your gas utility from outside. Then call us for the repair.
