Check your gas appliances!

Never compare anything here with anywhere else.
NFM.

Very true New Horizonz. The first time it happened to me I was like, I'm sure this should cut out and not flood my house with gas! It's been a while since I lived in the UK and I forget that this wouldn't happen there and have learnt to be extra careful here, especially with kids in the house who have been known to play with the cooker 

redmik wrote:

Never compare anything here with anywhere else.
NFM.

One expects when issues relating public safety are so well known and implemented for many years elsewhere, they are also known and implemented here too.

What's NFM stand for redmik?

coxf0001 wrote:

Very true New Horizonz. The first time it happened to me I was like, I'm sure this should cut out and not flood my house with gas! It's been a while since I lived in the UK and I forget that this wouldn't happen there and have learnt to be extra careful here, especially with kids in the house who have been known to play with the cooker 

The problem is that cooking invariably releases two things in the air (steam and smells) so we have to leave the windows open for ventilation. Also children will always be drawn to the cooker probably because they see their mummy spending so much time there.

I do a lot of cooking every day. I've learnt that once cooking is underway (the desired temperature reached), we don't need big flames and I can turn it right  down; so low almost invisible. There's still enough heat to continue the cooking process but that also makes the flame more vulnerable.

That by the way makes a lot of difference to gas usage because people have told me gas bottles should last 1 to 2 months. I've been using one for over 9 months and still plenty of gas in it. I cook every day and very often more than once.

I can tell you there is a silver lining: they add something smelling fowl to the gas! It's so smelly, that with the windows open in a windy day, I felt it in a room over 10 meters away with the door shut!!! Whatever it is, it's probably burnt off in normal use and we don't smell it at all but when the flame is out...
As the gas is imported in liquid form and only put into bottles/distributed here, I wonder if that's a Maltese safety measure or implemented elsewhere! Any thoughts or information?

I think the foul smell you talk about in LPG is standard, we have an LPG cooker here in the UK its the same also I used to run an LPG car and that was the same and you got a good wiff when you disconnected the pipe from the car, its just a safety feature.

.... and it works!

I always thought it's natural gas in the bottle, never thought it's LPG - are they the same thing?

New Horizonz wrote:

.... and it works!

I always thought it's natural gas in the bottle, never thought it's LPG - are they the same thing?

Good question, i would have thought LPG, if its the bottle that fits a moveable heater its deffo LPG, never known natural gas in a cylinder but not sure on Malta

In the old days here in the UK for mains gas they added a chemical to make it smell because coal gas used to have a natural smell then when natural gas came in there was no smell so hence adding the chemical.

LPG has always had a chemical added.

NFM = Normal For Malta 

Recently there has been an issue with an unregulated supplier recharging and supplying  gas bottles. Liquigas is currently taking legal action against them as Liquigas is the only authorised supplier of gas bottles here.
So, check your supplier is Liquigas.

Article: http://liquigasmalta.com/consumers-shou … customers/

Also, as others have stated, gas does have additives to give it a very detectable smell.

Thank you redmik.

I was told the different colours of gas bottle signify the company they belong to although they are the same and interchangeable. We know that they come at least in bright green and yellow, but I've noticed some in pale blue and occasionally half painted matt black, without paying particular attention.

With above in mind, I find your assertion surprising redmik considering the information you provide is normally very accurate (the opinions you express are different matter):
"Liquigas is the only authorised supplier of gas bottles here."

I looked on their website:

"As from 1 February 2009, Liquigas Malta Ltd. has taken over the distribution and marketing of LPG from Enemalta Corporation, whose Gas Division still stores and bottles liquefied petroleum gas in cylinders and bulk service on behalf of Liquigas. "

and elsewhere:

"Gas bottles are supplied by 2 companies in Malta: Liquigas & Easygas."
http://bigmalta.com/gas_eng/Gas%20Bottl … Malta.html

Apologies, you are correct, I had missed that Liquigas' monopoly had ceased some years ago.
Thank you 
As for my opinions, I make no apology and as opinions, they cannot be inaccurate as I am no longer a professional and they are personal.