Smell Gas in Your Home? What to Do, Step by Step

The first minute: what to do

1. Stay calm and leave. Get people and pets out of the house. Leave doors as you find them on the way out rather than stopping to open windows or search for the source.
2. Do not create a spark. Do not turn lights or electrical appliances on or off, and do not light a match, candle or cigarette.
3. Move well away. Go to a neighbor's yard, the sidewalk down the street, or anywhere clearly upwind and away from the building.
4. Call from a safe place. Call 911 and SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200. SoCalGas says it takes these calls at any hour, every day of the year.
5. Wait for the responders. Do not go back inside until the utility or fire department says it is safe.

That order matters. Phones, garage door openers and switches can all make a small spark, and a spark is the one thing a room full of gas cannot tolerate. SoCalGas tells customers not to use any device that could cause a spark, so make the call once you are outside and away from the house.

How do you know it is gas?

Natural gas has no smell on its own. SoCalGas adds an odorant so leaks are easier to notice, and many people describe it as a rotten-egg or sulfur smell. Smell is not a perfect alarm. SoCalGas points out that some people have a reduced sense of smell, that the nose tires after long exposure, that cooking or chemical odors can mask it, and that the odor can fade in pipes and soil.

Other warning signs, as listed in SoCalGas safety material published by the City of La Habra:

• A hissing, whistling or roaring sound near a gas line or appliance
• A damaged connection to a gas appliance
• Dirt or water blowing into the air outdoors
• Dead or dying plants in an otherwise moist area over a buried line
• Exposed pipe after an earthquake, fire, flood or other disaster

If you are unsure whether a smell is gas, treat it as gas. Getting outside costs a few minutes; guessing wrong can cost far more.

Who is the gas utility in the Inland Empire?

SoCalGas supplies natural gas in Riverside and in every town this site covers, from Moreno Valley and Corona to Fontana, Redlands and Yucaipa. Riverside Public Utilities provides water and electricity in the city, not gas, so RPU is not the number to call for a gas leak. Some homes do not use utility gas at all. Rural and foothill properties may run on propane delivered by a private supplier, and some newer homes are all-electric. The company named on your gas bill is the one to call; if you buy propane, keep your supplier's emergency number where you can reach it from outside the house.

Should you shut off the gas at the meter?

Usually you do not have to. SoCalGas says to shut off gas at the meter only if you smell gas, hear it escaping, or see other signs of a leak, and only if it is safe to do so. In many cases there is no need to shut it off at all, and getting out is the priority.

If you do shut it off, leave it off. Only SoCalGas field employees may turn gas back on at the meter. When they restore service they relight pilots, and interior piping and appliances have to be checked for damage first. After a widespread event, such as a strong earthquake, restoring service to many customers can take a long time, which is one reason not to shut off gas unless you have a real sign of a leak.

SoCalGas suggests keeping a 12-inch or larger adjustable wrench with your emergency supplies, near the exit or the meter shutoff, but not stored on the meter or gas piping. Learn where your meter is before you ever need it.

Earthquakes and gas lines

Southern California homeowners plan for earthquakes, and gas is part of that plan. After shaking stops, check for the signs above: the odor, a hissing sound, or a damaged appliance connection. Exposed or broken pipe outdoors is a warning sign in itself. If you notice any of them, follow the same steps: leave, then call from a safe place. SoCalGas also advises against lighting flames or using switches that might spark until you are sure there is no leak. A properly installed water heater is part of earthquake readiness, because a heater that shifts can strain its gas connection.

Where a plumber fits in

Once SoCalGas or the fire department has found the source and made the home safe, the next step depends on what they found. If the leak is in the utility's equipment, the utility handles it. If it is in the house piping or at an appliance, SoCalGas notes that a plumber or heating contractor may need to make repairs before gas service can be restored.

Typical follow-up work includes:

• Repairing or replacing a leaking section of house gas piping, which falls under gas line work in Riverside
• Replacing a worn appliance connector or shutoff valve on a range, dryer or furnace
• Water heater repair when the gas valve or burner assembly is at fault
• Pressure testing the system after repairs

New or altered gas piping is generally permitted work. In the City of Riverside, plumbing permits come from Building & Safety, whose Permit Counter is at (951) 826-5800. Other cities issue their own permits, so ask the plumber who pulls it. For local help outside the city, see gas piping in Moreno Valley or gas line help in Redlands.

Gas smell or something else?

Other odors sometimes get mistaken for gas. A floor drain or unused shower whose trap has dried out can let sewer air into the house, and some people describe that smell the same way. Do not try to sort this out while you are standing in the house. Leave and call first. If the utility checks the home and finds no gas, a slow or dry drain is worth a look, and ordinary drain service or simply running water into seldom-used drains may solve it.

Carbon monoxide is a separate danger

A gas leak and carbon monoxide are different problems. Carbon monoxide comes from fuel that burns poorly, in a furnace, water heater, range or fireplace, and it has no smell, so you cannot rely on your nose. SoCalGas recommends checking that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors work. If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911. Then have the appliance checked before using it again.

Lowering the odds of a leak

• Know where your gas meter is, and keep a suitable wrench nearby but off the meter.
• Test smoke and CO alarms on a regular schedule.
• Have older appliance connectors and the piping to outdoor equipment, such as pool heaters and barbecues, checked when you have other work done; a whole-house plumbing inspection is a convenient time.
• Do not move a gas range or dryer far enough to stress its connector when cleaning behind it.

Not every plumbing problem calls for an immediate response, but a gas smell always does. For other situations, our guide on when a plumbing problem can wait sorts out the rest.