|  | Public Health Safety | Community

What to Do About a Natural Gas Leak

Many homes in America use natural gas to heat their homes and fuel appliances like dryers, stoves and ovens. Natural gas is a great source of fuel because it doesn't produce any smoke and it burns cleanly and very hot. Despite its relative safety, natural gas can leak and cause emergency situations. As a homeowner or renter, you should know the basic procedures for dealing with a natural gas leak.

  1. What's That Smell?

    • Natural gas actually has no odor to it. However, the gas company adds a special chemical called mercaptan to it in order to give it a distinct smell, so you know if it is leaking. The smell has a sharp odor of sulfur, kind of like a rotten egg. If you smell this suspicious odor in your home, chances are there is natural gas leaking somewhere.

    Check Your Appliances

    • If the odor of mercaptan is only faint, you can first check any gas-powered appliances. The problem is usually as simple as an extinguished pilot light. Learn where the pilot lights are located on common household appliances like your oven, stove range and gas clothes dryer. Do not relight the pilot light right away. First, open windows and set up fans to get the released gas out of the house. After 15 minutes or so, use a long match to light the extinguished pilot light. If this becomes a frequent problem, contact the manufacturer or a repair person to fix the appliance.

    Heavy Odor

    • If the tell-tale odor is stronger, or you hear a hissing sound, the gas leak could be more serious. In this situation, do not attempt to check for the source of the problem. Evacuate the building immediately, making sure that no one is left in the house, including pets. Open doors and windows on your way out. When you are safely outside, call you gas company, which should have an emergency number. Emergency services can be contacted if you do not know the phone number. There are several things that you should remember and teach all family members in the case of a gas leak. Do not use any electrical appliance, which includes cell phones, garage door openers and computers. Don't use any light switches, electrical outlets or start a nearby car. Immediately extinguish any cigarettes or nearby candles. The reason for these precautions is that anything that might cause a spark could lead to an explosion.

    Outdoor Leaks

    • Gas leaks can occur on the outside of your property as well. These kinds of leaks usually occur during construction that includes digging any holes in the ground. Before starting any construction projects, use your state's one-call system, which alerts all of your utilities so that they can mark where any underground pipes and lines may lie. If you don't know the location of your gas line, there is a chance that you could rupture it when digging. Signs of an outdoor gas leak are a whistling sound, blowing dirt or an unusual patch of dead grass. As with an indoor leak, do not use any electrical equipment around an outdoor leak. Do not attempt to repair any lines yourself. Instead, go far away from the area and call your gas company or the fire department.

Community - Related Articles