If you smell gas (rotten eggs or sulfur) in your home, leave immediately with everyone, including pets. Don't flip switches, use phones, start cars in an attached garage, or light anything. Once you are outside at a safe distance, call your gas utility's emergency line or 911. Don't go back in until they say it's safe.
Reviewed by Ron Olsen, Master Plumber, certified in Washington
Where a Gas Smell Can Come From
- Leaking fitting or appliance connector
- Loose or corroded connections at ranges, dryers and water heaters.
- Pilot light out
- On older appliances, a pilot that has gone out can let gas escape.
- Damaged gas line
- Corrosion, digging or construction can damage gas piping.
- Stove burner left on
- A burner turned on without lighting releases gas.
- Sewer gas
- A dry drain trap can let in a similar sulfur smell. If you're unsure, treat it as gas.
What to Do Immediately
- Leave the building immediately.
- Don't use light switches, phones, doorbells, or anything that could spark inside.
- Leave doors open behind you if it's safe to do so.
- Call the gas utility's emergency line or 911 from outside, away from the building.
- Don't go back inside until responders clear the home.
When to Call a Plumber
After the gas utility or fire department makes the home safe, call a licensed plumber or gas fitter to repair the leak, pressure test the system and get it inspected before the gas is turned back on.
The repair is usually part of gas line repair, which explains what the plumber does and what affects the cost.
Gas Smell Questions
Will the gas company come out for a suspected leak?
Most gas utilities respond to suspected leaks around the clock. Repairs on your side of the meter are usually your responsibility and need a licensed professional.
Should I have a carbon monoxide detector?
Yes. Put CO detectors on every level of the home and near sleeping areas. Natural gas itself is odorless; utilities add the smell so leaks can be detected, but carbon monoxide has no smell.