This Red Flag From Your Houseplants Could Mean A Gas Leak

Having a house full of houseplants can be good for your health as they create a better-smelling atmosphere, reduce stress, and boost your mood. Whether it's colorful options like a flamingo flower or simple greenery like a snake plant, houseplants need their own combinations of water, air, and light to thrive. If you previously had a green thumb but are now faced with the unexplained death or wilting of your houseplants, it might not be your own doing — you might be dealing with a gas leak.

Natural gas displaces oxygen in the air. Since plants need oxygen to survive, the lack of it caused by a gas leak can cause them to wilt and eventually die. One underperforming plant might not be an immediate signal of a gas leak, but if every houseplant is simultaneously wilting or dying, that could mean that the entire space is being affected by a problem with air quality.

Having a gas leak is a serious and potentially life-threatening situation that requires immediate action. Usually, you'll notice other symptoms of a gas leak first before your plants start to wilt. Other symptoms of a gas leak include noticing the smell of rotten eggs or sulfur, hearing a hissing or whistling sound, and physical symptoms like headaches and dizziness that get better when you leave the house.

If you suspect a gas leak in your home, it's critical to act immediately. First, you'll need to evacuate everyone from the house, including pets, and move to a safe distance. It's also important to not turn on or use any electronics like your phone or lights inside of the house, since a spark could ignite the gas and cause an explosion. Once you are a safe distance away from your home, call 911 and your gas company to report the gas leak. Do not re-enter the building until the gas company has said it is safe to do so.