The order of steps when gas is suspected
Natural gas has no smell of its own. Utilities add a sulfur odor so that a leak is noticeable, and most people describe it as rotten eggs. A strong smell, a hissing sound near a pipe or a dead patch of grass over a buried line all deserve the same response.
Speed matters more than certainty. Nobody is expected to confirm a leak before leaving.
Get out
Walk everyone, pets included, out of the building. Leave doors open if that costs no time.
Avoid sparks
Do not use switches, doorbells, garage openers or phones indoors. Any of them can ignite gas that has built up.
Call from outside
Dial 911 or the gas utility's emergency number from a safe distance. In the Reading area that is generally UGI Utilities at (800) 276-2722, and your gas bill confirms it. Utilities respond to gas calls at any hour.
Stay out
Re-enter only when the utility or fire department says the building is clear.
Who handles what after the smell is reported
In most cases the gas utility owns and works on the piping up to and including the meter, and the utility can tell you where the line falls for your property. Everything after the meter, meaning the pipes inside the house and the connections to appliances, generally belongs to the homeowner. A plumber works on that second part.
| Where the problem is | Who handles it | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Gas main or service line to the meter | The gas utility | Smell outdoors near the street or the meter, bubbling in wet ground |
| Meter and regulator | The gas utility | Hissing at the meter, a damaged meter after an impact |
| Piping inside the house | A plumber | Smell in a basement, utility room or wall, a corroded fitting |
| Appliance connector or shutoff valve | A plumber | Smell near a range, dryer, water heater or furnace |
| Burner or pilot problems | An appliance technician | Yellow flame, soot, a pilot that keeps going out |
The utility will usually shut off the gas at the meter if there is a leak. It may leave a tag explaining what has to be repaired before service is restored.
What a gas line repair involves
A plumber starts by finding the source. That means testing joints and connectors with a leak detection solution or an electronic detector, since a smell alone does not show where the gas escapes.
Common repairs include replacing a corroded flexible connector, tightening or replacing a fitting, installing a new shutoff valve at an appliance and replacing a section of damaged pipe. After any repair, the line is pressure tested before gas is turned back on.
- Flexible appliance connectors age and crack, and older ones are a frequent source.
- Shutoff valves that no longer turn fully need replacement, since a valve you cannot close is not a safety device.
- Corroded black iron pipe in damp basements may need a section replaced.
- Moving a range or dryer, or adding an appliance, means new piping and a test.
Older Reading homes and gas piping
Older houses may have gas piping that has been converted and extended several times. That history can leave old fittings, abandoned pipe stubs and appliance lines added by earlier owners.
A plumber can map what is live, cap what is not and note anything that looks past its life. If you are buying a house or replacing a water heater, that is a good time to ask for the gas piping to be checked.
When it turns out to be something else
A rotten-egg or sewer smell from a drain can be mistaken for gas, and a dry floor drain or a failed trap seal is a common cause. That is a drain issue, not a gas line. If you are not sure which it is, treat it as gas first and let the utility confirm.
What to tell the plumber after the utility clears the house
The more exact the description, the faster the work. Say which appliance or room the smell was strongest in, whether the utility shut the gas off at the meter and whether a tag was left on it.
Also mention any recent work, such as a new range, a moved dryer or a replaced water heater. Gas smells often follow a fresh connection that was not tested properly, and that history points a plumber to the right joint.
- The room and appliance where the smell was strongest.
- Whether the utility shut off service and left a tag.
- Any recent appliance work in the past few weeks.
- The age and material of visible gas piping, if you can see it.