If you smell gas, leave immediately, do not use phones, switches, or flames, call the gas company from outside, and let professionals handle the situation before anyone returns.
Take the Smell Seriously and Act Fast
If you smell gas, treat it as an emergency, because natural gas is flammable and a leak can be dangerous. The odor you notice, often described as rotten eggs or sulfur, is added to the gas so leaks can be detected. Never try to find the leak yourself or assume it is minor.
Move everyone out of the house immediately. Do not stop to open windows, do not turn off lights, and do not use your phone inside the building. Every one of those actions can create a spark.
The Do-Not-Do List
Inside a building with a gas smell, some actions are dangerous and should be avoided completely. Do not use light switches, outlets, doorbells, or any electrical device, since they can spark. Do not light matches, lighters, candles, or any flame. Do not use the phone, including a cell phone, until you are safely outside. Do not start a car in the garage.
Do not open the garage door with the electric opener. If you are already outside, do not go back in for anything, and do not let anyone else enter until a professional says it is safe.
Call From Outside
Once you are safely outside and away from the building, call the gas company's emergency number and 911. Report the smell and follow their instructions. The gas company will send a technician to find the leak, shut off the gas if needed, and make the building safe.
If you smell gas in your neighborhood or suspect a line near the property, call from a safe distance and let the utility investigate. Better to make the call and have it be a false alarm than to ignore a real risk.
Prevention and Knowing Your Shutoff
Preventing gas problems starts with knowing your home and maintaining its appliances. Know where the gas shutoff valve is and how to turn it off, but only do so if you are trained and it is safe. Have gas appliances, furnaces, and water heaters serviced on schedule, and keep vents and flues clear.
Install a carbon monoxide detector near sleeping areas, since carbon monoxide is a byproduct of incomplete combustion and is odorless and dangerous. Good maintenance and working detectors turn a hidden risk into a managed one.
Smarty's Advice Expert Insight
John Smart (Smarty) · Smarty Home Solutions / eXp Realty Agent, AI Certified Agent
Your Next Step for Gas Safety
If you smell gas, leave now, skip every switch and flame and phone call inside, and call the gas company from outside. Never trade a minute of convenience for your family's safety, and keep carbon monoxide detectors working year-round.
John Smart, AI-Certified Agent with eXp Realty shares this kind of practical home-safety guidance across the Philadelphia region. Call 215-598-6848 or schedule a free consultation.
Related reading: Home safety and security | Emergency kit essentials