We have all had one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong all at once, then you walk in the door and smell natural gas in your home! Where is the panic button when you need one?
There is no need to panic or meltdown, here is a list of the first 5 things to do if this happens to you. Go down this checklist in order and you will be fine.
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1. Do not operate any electrical appliances, turn light switches on or off, do not operate your stove or use anything that might make a spark.
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2. Open the doors and a few windows.
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3. Go outside to a safe place.
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4. If possible, turn off your gas at the meter. There is a shutoff valve at the meter. When the lock hole on the valve line up with the lock hole on the valve stem, then the meter is off. (Usually you can turn the valve with a medium sized pipe wrench or a 12″ Crescent style wrench.)
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5. Call a plumber or gasfitter.
Do not call the gas company unless necessary in cases where the gas valve does not operate and there is an otherwise dangerous leak situation such as a broken or severed line.
Many people want to call the gas company first because we have been programmed to call them at the first hint of the smell of gas. The reason for this is because the gas utilities have a responsibility to maintain control over their product and manage their distribution network with the utmost safety. If there is an accident and it is their fault, they can be liable for millions in damages and therefore safety and leak prevention is their top priority. That being said, their responsibility ends at the meter. All piping beyond the meter is the responsibility of the property owner. If there is a leak on the customer side of the meter, they have no obligation to locate or repair the leak and most often, they will turn off your gas and tell you to call the plumber. What they dont tell you is that in nearly every case, they will not turn the gas back on until the leak has been repaired, a permit has been pulled, and an inspection by a code officer has been passed.
When a gas meter has been turned of or even removed due to a leak, the job gets a lot bigger than a simple repair. What is usually required is as follows:
A. All leaks must be repaired.
B. All piping must comply with current gas code, if not it must be replaced.
C. All gas appliances must comply with current gas code installation requirements and this always includes making sure the exhaust vent is up to code.
D. Gas water heaters must also be brought up to current plumbing code requirements.
E. Gas piping system must be air tested and hold a minimum pressure for a minimum amount of time per local gas code.
If you think this sounds expensive, then you are right! I have seen it cost property owners from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.
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My advice to call a plumber is because if the plumber is the first guy you call, then he can simply locate the leak, repair it and be on his way without all the trouble of permits, inspections, code upgrades and so on.