Educate yourself on potential gas hazards and find the appropriate gas detectors.

Different gases are present in different environments, and a gas leak detector is only useful if it senses the right gases.

I recommend: The National Institute of Health has an article on the dangers of natural gas leakage as well as features to keep in mind when considering natural gas detectors. Detector manufacturers, such as RKI Instruments, offer downloadable information sheets on hazardous gases and the environments in which they are found.

Find the gas detector most appropriate for your needs.

While a home may need nothing more than a carbon monoxide gas detector, many industries and professionals need a wider variety of gas detectors for safety. Most gas detector manufacturers and dealers offer single-gas and multi-gas detectors, portable and fixed detectors and home and industrial detectors.

I recommend: Specialized portable detectors are available from RKI Instruments. Honeywell Analytics is the largest gas detector manufacturer and offers a feature that tells you which detector is best for each specific gas.

Find local suppliers of gas detectors.

Many types of gas detector are readily available from suppliers and from home improvement stores. They have the advantage of speed and avoid shipping costs.

I recommend: Thomas Global provides a list of over 1,000 suppliers of gas detectors worldwide, ordered by country. Manufacturers, such as RKI, also give locations of dealers across North America.