What to Do If You Smell Gas

The First 60 Seconds

Natural gas is the leading cause of non-fire gas-related deaths in the United States, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The decisions you make in the first minute after detecting a gas smell determine whether the situation stays manageable or becomes catastrophic.

1. 1Stop what you are doing. Do not investigate the source of the smell.
2. 2Alert everyone in the home using your voice only. Do not ring doorbells or bang on walls near electrical outlets.
3. 3Leave doors open as you exit. Do not stop to lock up or gather belongings.
4. 4Walk, do not run. Quick movements in an oxygen-displaced environment can cause you to lose consciousness faster.
5. 5Move at least 100 feet (about 10 car lengths) from the building before using any electronic device.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the instinct to investigate is the single most dangerous response to a gas smell. Your only job in those first 60 seconds is to get everyone out.

How to Identify a Gas Leak

Natural gas is odorless in its raw state. Utility companies add a chemical called mercaptan to give it a distinctive smell, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur. But smell is not the only indicator, and in some cases, you may detect a leak before you notice any odor at all.

• A hissing, whistling, or roaring sound near a gas line, appliance, or meter.
• Dead or dying vegetation in an otherwise healthy area, particularly above underground gas lines.
• Bubbles forming in standing water, wet areas, or puddles near your home.
• A white cloud, mist, or fog appearing near a gas line with no obvious weather explanation.
• Dirt or dust being blown into the air from a hole in the ground.
• Physical symptoms: sudden dizziness, nausea, headaches, or difficulty breathing that improve when you step outside.

The American Gas Association notes that some people have a reduced sense of smell due to age, medication, or medical conditions. If you fall into this category, a natural gas detector is not optional. It is essential. Install one near every gas appliance and in your sleeping area.

What NOT to Do

Most people get their gas leak response wrong. The instincts that feel logical in the moment, opening windows, checking the stove, calling for help from inside, are exactly the actions that turn a manageable situation into a deadly one.

• Do not turn lights on or off. The electrical arc inside a switch can ignite gas at concentrations as low as 5% in air.
• Do not use your phone inside the building. Cell phones can produce small electrical sparks. Wait until you are well outside.
• Do not open windows to "air it out." While the impulse makes sense, opening windows takes time you do not have, and window mechanisms can produce sparks.
• Do not try to find the leak. Searching through your home increases your exposure time and keeps you in the danger zone.
• Do not light a match or candle to "check" for gas. This sounds obvious, but the NFPA reports it as a recurring cause of gas explosions.
• Do not start your car if it is in an attached garage. Use the car only if it is parked outside and away from the building.

The core principle is simple: remove yourself from the gas, do not try to remove the gas from the space. Every second you spend inside attempting to fix or manage the situation is a second closer to losing consciousness or triggering ignition.

After You Evacuate

Once everyone is safely outside and at least 100 feet from the building, you can begin making calls and coordinating next steps. Do not re-enter for any reason until professionals have cleared the building.

1. 1Call 911 from outside the building. Inform them you suspect a gas leak and provide your address.
2. 2Call your gas utility company's emergency line. This number is on your gas bill and should be saved in your phone. Most utilities have a 24/7 emergency response team.
3. 3Account for everyone in the household, including pets.
4. 4Warn neighbors if you believe the leak is significant. Natural gas can migrate through soil and into adjacent structures.
5. 5Do not re-enter the building until the fire department or gas company representative tells you it is safe.

When responders arrive, they will use combustible gas detectors to measure gas concentrations throughout the building. They will locate the source, ventilate the space, and make necessary repairs or shut off the supply. According to the American Gas Association, do not assume the situation is resolved just because you can no longer smell gas. Only a professional reading confirms safety.

If you are told the building is not yet safe, make arrangements to stay elsewhere. Contact your insurance company if structural damage occurred. Keep documentation of any emergency responder instructions for your records.

Preventing Gas Leaks

Prevention is always more effective than emergency response. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends annual professional inspections of all gas appliances, connections, and venting systems. Most gas-related incidents are caused by aging equipment, improper installation, or deferred maintenance.

• Schedule an annual inspection of your furnace, water heater, stove, and dryer by a licensed technician.
• Install natural gas detectors near every gas appliance and on every level of your home. Replace them every 5 to 7 years per manufacturer guidelines.
• Know where your gas shut-off valve is and how to turn it off. Use a wrench, not your hands, as most residential valves require a quarter-turn with a tool.
• Check flexible gas connectors (the corrugated metal lines behind stoves and dryers) for corrosion, kinks, or damage. These are a leading cause of slow leaks.
• Never use a gas oven or stovetop for heating your home. This produces dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and increases leak risk.
• If you are doing home renovation near gas lines, call 811 (the national "Call Before You Dig" line) before any excavation.

If you move into a new home, have all gas connections inspected before use. The NFPA reports that a significant percentage of residential gas incidents involve recently moved appliances with improperly tightened connections.

If You Have Children

Children are more vulnerable to gas exposure than adults. Their smaller lung capacity means they inhale a higher concentration of gas relative to their body weight, and they are more likely to lose consciousness before recognizing the danger. Teaching kids to identify and respond to a gas smell is a critical part of family emergency planning.

1. 1Teach children what natural gas smells like. Many utility companies offer scratch-and-sniff cards for this purpose. Contact your local gas provider to request one.
2. 2Establish a simple rule: "If you smell rotten eggs, go outside and find a grown-up." Keep the instruction concrete and action-oriented.
3. 3Practice the evacuation route from every room in the house, just as you would for a fire drill. Children should know two ways out of every room.
4. 4Designate a meeting point outside, at least 100 feet from the building. Make it a specific landmark they can remember: a mailbox, a tree, a neighbor's driveway.
5. 5Teach older children (10+) where the gas shut-off valve is and explain that only adults should operate it during an emergency.

The Red Cross recommends making gas safety part of your regular family emergency conversations, not a one-time lesson. Children retain safety information better through repeated, low-pressure practice rather than a single serious talk. Revisit the topic every few months, especially after moving or changing gas appliances.

For families with infants, keep a go-bag near the door with essentials: diapers, formula, a change of clothes, and any medications. In a gas emergency, you will not have time to gather supplies, so having them pre-staged near the exit eliminates a common source of delay.