Appliance safety
Natural gas is a clean, safe, efficient, and affordable fuel for heating your home and operating your appliances. Always use your gas appliances safely and exercise care around gas equipment.
Have appliances installed, serviced, and repaired by a qualified technician.
Follow the directions on the appliance for lighting a pilot light.
Equipment safety
Keep chimney flue and vents for appliances clean and in good condition.
Appliances and heating equipment areas (including water heaters) should be free of paper, debris, and flammable materials.
Clean or replace furnace filters every month during the heating season.
Signs of a natural gas leak
- Dirt or dust being blown into the air
- Water or mud bubbling
- Fire coming from the ground or appearing to hover above the ground
- Dead or dying vegetation in an otherwise green area
- A roaring, blowing or hissing sound
- The odor of gas or rotten eggs
Proper response to a natural gas leak
DO...
- Turn off all motorized equipment in the area
- Leave the area immediately
- From a safe location call us at 800-834-2070 or call 911
- Warn others to stay clear of the area
DO NOT...
- Operate telephones, light switches, electrical appliances/tools or other items that may be an ignition source
- Operate pipeline valves
- Enter structures where gas could accumulate
- Prematurely extinguish fires without stopping the flow of gas
Natural gas pipeline emergencies or failures are rare, however they can occur. An informed emergency responder with the assistance of an aware and educated public can help minimize potential damage or injury in the unlikely event of an emergency.
For more information about our emergency response actions and capabilities, you may download this brochure, or you may contact us at 800-834-2070 or via the contact form on this website.
Keep your family safe
Teach family members what to do if they smell natural gas.
Remind your children not to play on or around natural gas meters and other equipment.
Don't leash pets to natural gas meters.
Never hang things from natural gas pipes in your home.
Never use your kitchen range or oven as a space heater. This can damage the oven and produce carbon monoxide gas.
Other safety tips
Keep at least one approved, dry chemical fire extinguisher in your kitchen in case of a fire. In an emergency, use baking soda, salt or a large metal lid to extinguish a fire on your stove.
Use non-flammable holiday decorations and place them at least three feet from heating vents.
Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year. An easy way to remember is to test them when you change your clocks for Daylight Saving Time in the spring, and again when you set them back in the fall.