Since natural gas is odorless and colorless in its natural form, a distinctive odorant called mercaptan is added to help you detect a gas leak. Mercaptan makes the gas smell like sulfur or “rotten eggs”.
INDOOR GAS LEAKS
If you smell a faint gas odor near an appliance:
- Check all pilot lights. If you find a pilot light extinguished, open windows and doors to vent the area and then wait 15 minutes before relighting the pilot light.
- Call your local gas company if the smell doesn’t go away.
If you smell gas inside your home or business and the smell is a strong persistent natural gas odor, or you hear a hissing or leaking sound ….
- Leave the building immediately, taking everyone with you (including pets), and leave all doors and windows open behind you.
- Call your local gas company from a home or business nearby.
- Use telephones, cell phones, computers, appliances, elevators or garage door openers.
- Touch electrical outlets, switches or doorbells.
- Smoke or use a lighter, match or other open flame.
- Position or operate vehicles or powered equipment where leaking gas may be present.
- Re-enter the home to open doors and windows.
OUTDOOR GAS LEAKS
You may be observing signs of an outdoor gas leak if:
- You hit a gas line while digging
- Smell a strong gas odor in the air
- You see or hear any unusual occurrences such as a high-pitched whistle or hissing sound, blowing dust, dead vegetation in a normally green area, continuous bubbles in an underwater area or ground fires
- Evacuate. Keep unauthorized people from getting near the site.
- Call your local gas company immediately.
- Call 911 if you believe the situation is dangerous.
- Abandon your car, backhoe, or other equipment until the scene is deemed safe by the authorities.
- Use anything that could generate a spark or flame.
- Start up or shut down motor vehicles or electrical equipment.
- Use a telephone or cell phone in or near the area where the signs of the leak were observed.
- Attempt to repair or backfill any damaged or potentially damaged pipeline.