Natural Gas Safety

What to do if you smell gas in your home or business

  • Leave the building immediately.  Alert other people in the area and take them with you. If you are outside when you smell gas, leave the area immediately.
  • Avoid causing a spark, which might cause the gas to explode:

    1. Do not light a match or smoke.
    2. Do not turn appliances or lights on or off.
    3. Do not use a flashlight.
    4. Do not start a car.
    5. Do not use a telephone.
  • Find a phone away from the area and call 911.  Do not assume others have called 911 already.
  • Maintain a safe distance from the area.  Follow directions from utility employees or emergency responders who are on site and do not re-enter buildings until directed by emergency responders.

Natural gas is odorized with Mercaptan — which smells similar to rotten eggs — so that it’s easy to smell if there is a gas leak. If you detect a gas leak, take action immediately!

Be Prepared

Consider purchasing a gas shut-off tool.  Having a dedicated tool ensures that it is always available should you need to shut off gas service to your home.  Learn how to safely shut off your gas at the meter.  Do not turn your gas service back on – call your gas utility for assistance!

Call 811 Before You Dig

Whenever you’re planting a tree, digging in your yard, or excavating, remember to call 811 to find out where your utility lines are, before you dig. Calling 811 helps to prevent accidents, protecting both you and your community’s pipelines. It’s not safe to guess, and looks can be deceiving. Learn more about the 811 program.

Teach Your Children

Make sure your children understand the importance of natural gas safety.  Teach them to identify the smell of natural gas and what to do if they think they smell it.  Practice your home escape plan in the context of a gas leak, not just fires!  Use this video as a starting point: https://www.aga.org/node/5614