Is it safe to use bug bombs without shutting off the gas in your house?

Question

I want to use some insect fogger/bug bombs I bought but can't figure out how to shut off the gas in our house (like the package recommends). Is it safe to just use them anyway? I have heard from a few other people that they have used them without shutting off the gas and have had no problems...

Answer 1

no it is best to turn the gas off before u use them

Answer 2

If propane the valve is under the tank lid.

Natural gas main shut off is in the line before the meter.

The valve may be a small square or flat that will require a crescent wrench to turn a quarter turn to shut off.

Really all you need is to have the pilots off in any area you are fogging.

Some bug bombs do have flammable gas in them and could be dangerous.

Answer 3

Do not ask the people here! You should turn the can around and read all directions first and fully understand what the directions are telling you, if you do not understand call the company who made the product or DO NOT USE since it could cause harm to you and people around you. You do not want to burn down your house since you are too lazy to read the can. It is called personal responsibility!

Answer 4

The pilot lights and any thing that can cause a spark it what you need to turn off-not the gas.

Answer 5

You are dispersing a flamable vapor with that bug bomb.

If your gas stove etc. has pilot lights, there is some danger,

thus the warning.

You don't have to shut off all the gas. just the pilot lights.

Unless you're fogging the area where the gas furnace and

water heater are located, you can just turn off the gas for your

range at the outlet.

(there will be a stop-c**k there.)

Be sure to relight the pilot lights after you ventilate the place.

Answer 6

There should be a gas meter outside your home. Gray thingy with two pipes, one coming up from the ground and the other entering the home, and a dial or two on it. There is a valve on one of the pipes that will turn off all the gas.

The concentration of insecticide isn't as much of a problem as is the propellant in the bug bomb. Most use some type of propane or butane as a propellant now, both are EXTREMELY flammable. Turning off all pilot lights would be a very good idea.

It is usually a good idea to follow the manufacturers instructions, sometimes they get paranoid but there is usually some reason if they are cautioning you about extinguishing pilot lights or other open flames...

Answer 7

I've often used a bug bomb in the garage where the gas water heater is located and have never turned off the gas.  I doubt the concentration of insecticide is enough to cause an explosion.

Answer 8

Do not use the bombs unless you are willing to risk the explosion. Better yet, use this time to actually find the gas shutoff to be able to shut it off if you had an emergency. Call your gas company and ask. It usually can be found near the meter near where the line enters the house. If you go ahead without using this advice could you let this blog know and we can at least watch the news to see the results?