Avoid the Unthinkable
Have you ever taken time to think about the dangers of piped natural gas into your home? We mean, really think about it. While it’s true natural gas provides consumers a reliable method of heating their homes, storing hot water, or cooking with precision; this method of energy delivery presents extreme dangers – beyond carbon monoxide poisoning – most people avoid considering. Below and to the right, we encourage you to explore actual, recent events that affected families and business owners, irreparably.
Unique, Regional Risks
You live in a community pre-piped for gas delivery to each house. This is standard fare throughout much of America. You didn’t opt for it.. it just existed as part of your purchase. What if an earthquake altered the landscape, raised portions of the earth 15 feet, or slid horizontally a foot or two – or 20? What do you think the impact on underground, highly volatile gas pipelines might be? And it’s piped straight into your home….
Making your Home Safer
Great Basin Power provides tailored natural gas to electric conversions. It’s affordable, easy to implement, and creates actual peace of mind. Better, we offer pressure free consultations to help you understand your options. No strings. No Gimmicks. Just straight forward information to help you make an informed decision.
In 1964 Anchorage Alaska endured a 9.0 earthquake spanning 4 minutes. That’s right…4 minutes of relentless shaking centered not far from the city. A vertical seam raised one side of town 33 feet higher than the other. Lateral shifting, liquifaction, and tsunamis tore apart several cities’ infrastructure, homes, businesses – and lives.
Ten years ago the City of Christchurch NZ suffered a historic earthquake that, to this day, leaves the once bustling downtown center rebuilding. Despite prolific damage and loss of life, both cities avoided what Californians, Oregonians, Nevadans, and Washington residents may not: unfathomable reticulated gas damage.
Reticulated gas is an industry term for piped in fuel. Neither Christchurch nor Anchorage possessed broadly spanned systems of this underground-to-your-home fuel source, sparing both untold fire and explosion decimation. The western United States has built significant hub to neighborhood networks of natural gas pipeline under streets, centered at intersections, into office buildings – and your kitchen. We believe this presents inordinate risk should the right type of earth movement strike.
Californians tend to make light of their exposure to earthquakes, understandably, as living in constant fear is no way to live. However, most people in the Western US do understand that at some point the so called “Big One” will hit. The major utilities – despite significant evidence to the contrary – tell you not to worry. They’ll have it all under control when everything goes out of control.
What do you think?
In July of 2018 a construction crew inadvertently severed a gas line in the Madison WI suburb of Sun Prairie. As emergency crews entered the scene a massive explosion leveled part of a city block, killed a fireman, injured 11, and caused significant damage to the area. This scene is more common than you’d imagine.
On October 8, 2020 a construction worker accidentally severed a gas pipe in Montgomery, Ohio. The explosion occurred in the heart of town yet, amazingly, no one was hurt. Massive flames brought the area to a standstill as it took the local energy company 3 hours to shut gas to the area off.
Look up construction gas explosions in your favorite search engine… a litany of results show devastation across the globe. Repeatedly, you’ll read that the local utility provider took an hour, two, three or more to finally shut gas off to the area.
3 hours.
Recently, a boiler malfunction set off a series of events that led to a massive explosion in a University of Reno dorm building. Amazingly, the explosion took place during summer break leaving only three students injured; otherwise, it could have been an accident talked about for decades to come.
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On September 10, 2010 In San Bruno CA, a natural gas pipeline explosion took the lives of 8 people and completely destroyed 38 homes, the cause of which remains undetermined. The western United States, especially, presents widespread risks of this sort because most newer suburban communities include natural gas piping into each house. Annually, natural gas explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning leaks take hundreds of lives, permanently injure many more and forever change families who’ve lost cherished loved ones
The majority of natural gas pipelines in the United States exceed 100 years in age. You read correctly, 100 years old. The pipeline in the famous San Bruno fire was laid down in 1956. Much natural gas infrastructure was built using iron pipes… less than favorable over time.
It’s incredibly important for all members in a community still using old piping to stay vigilant about possible sources of damage. Report any of the following to your gas company – even if you think it’s probably nothing:
Likewise, in your home or business it’s imperative that you stay on top of anything related to your gas or propane delivery. Take advantage of free inspections by your provider, visually inspect connections, stay aware of even faint gas smells, use carbon monoxide detectors, and look for tell-tale signs of trouble common to certain appliances. For example, orange flame on a gas stove may mean that it’s not burning fuel correctly. For more information, tips, and how to recognize gas line dangers, please visit your gas providers website or contact them via telephone. Stay aware to stay alive.
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