If you ever smell a gas leak anywhere in your home, take the following safety precautions;
- Get everyone out of the house at once.
- Use a neighbor’s phone or your cell phone, once you are away of from your home, to call the gas company or the fire department.
- Don’t light a math or turn on/off any electrical switch. The danger of fire or an explosion is high. You should leave as many windows and doors open to help clear out the gas from the house.
Once you know everyone is safely out of your home, you can turn off the gas supply at the main gas shutoff valve. If you feel unsafe to turn off the gas shutoff valve, you can wait for the utility company to arrive to shut it off for you. The valve is usually located on the gas inlet pipe next to the gas meter. To shut off the gas, use an adjustable wrench to turn the gas shutoff valve a quarter-turn in either direction so that the valve flats are in a closed position. The valve should be perpendicular to the pipe.
Don’t turn the gas back on until you’ve discovered the source of the gas leak and have corrected it.
In the event of a natural disaster, you may have to turn off the gas supply to your home. Make sure you and all members of your family know the location of the gas shutoff valve and how to close it. To help your family identify the gas valve, attach a tie-on tag to the valve and label it Gas Shutoff Valve. Leave an adjustable wrench in a reachable location so it will be close at hand in the event of an emergency.