Questions · Gas lines
What to do if you smell gas
Leave the house right away and take everyone with you, including pets. Do not switch anything on or off, do not use a phone inside, and do not light anything. From outside and well away, call your gas utility's emergency line or 911. Let them tell you when it is safe to go back in.
In order
- 01
Get everyone out, and leave the door open behind you if you can do it without delay
- 02
Touch no switches, no thermostats, no garage door opener, no phone while you are inside
- 03
Do not light a match, a lighter or a cigarette anywhere near the house
- 04
From well away from the building, call your gas utility's emergency number or 911
- 05
Stay out until whoever responds tells you it is safe
Why the order is what it is
Natural gas has an odorant added to it so people can smell it, and it is heavier work than most people assume to judge how much is present. A switch, a doorbell or a phone can make a spark, and that is the one thing you are trying to avoid.
Leaving first costs you nothing if the smell turns out to be minor. Staying to investigate is the part that goes wrong.
Where we come in
Once the utility has made the house safe, the gas piping on your side of the meter is where a licensed plumber works: the lines to the water heater, the range, the dryer, a fire pit or an outdoor kitchen. We test, repair and, where needed, replace that piping, and it is pressure tested before the gas goes back on.
The emergency response itself is not our call to make, and we would never want a customer waiting on us instead of on the utility.
Answers
What does a gas leak smell like?
Most people describe it as rotten eggs or sulfur. That smell is added on purpose because natural gas itself has none.
Can I find the leak myself?
Please do not try while you can still smell it. Once the house has been made safe, testing the piping properly is the job, and it is done with the right equipment rather than by nose.
Who fixes it, the utility or a plumber?
The utility handles the meter and its own side, and makes the situation safe. The piping inside your property, running to your appliances, is where a licensed plumber works.
If you need this done
- Gas line repair and replacementDamaged or aging lines repaired or replaced, then pressure-tested.
- Gas line installNew lines for appliances, water heaters and outdoor kitchens, installed to code by a licensed contractor and tested before we finish.
- Water heater repairNo hot water, water that runs cold early, noises or a leak? We find the real cause and give you an honest call on repair versus replacement.
- Where we workEvery town and ZIP across the Valley we cover.
In-home estimate
Rather have someone look at it? Tell us what's going on
We come out, look at the problem and explain what it needs before any work starts. For something urgent, calling is fastest.
Rather talk? Call or text (602) 833-4133.