Home emergency playbook

Gas smell indoors

Conservative first steps for homeowners before cleanup, repair, or contractor dispatch. When safety is uncertain, leave and call first.

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Immediate steps

Leave the home immediately without using light switches, appliance controls, phones, or garage-door openers inside.
Call the utility emergency line first before hiring private repair.
From outside, keep everyone away from doors, windows, meters, and vents until the gas utility arrives.
Call 911 as well if anyone feels ill, the odor is strong, or you hear hissing.

Do not flip switches, unplug cords, light flames, or use a phone inside the building.
Do not open windows if doing so delays evacuation or requires walking deeper into the odor.
Do not re-enter because the smell faded after a door was opened.

Call 911 if anyone is injured, trapped, in medical distress, or if fire, shock, collapse, or active crime is present.
Call the utility emergency line before private repair when gas, electric service, public water, sewer main, or buried lines may be involved.
Call a licensed gas, plumbing, or HVAC pro only after the utility or responders clear the property.

Tell the utility which appliances were running, whether work was done recently, and where the odor was strongest.
Keep the utility red tag or clearance note for the gas technician and insurer.
After clearance, photograph disconnected appliances, capped lines, or damaged connectors before repair.

Have flexible appliance connectors replaced when kinked, corroded, or moved during remodeling.
Keep combustion appliances serviced and accessible for leak checks.
Teach occupants to leave first and call from outside when mercaptan odor is noticed.

Utility emergency response is typically no charge; customer-side appliance or piping repair can be moderate to high.

Gas leak repair is often maintenance unless an explosion, fire, or covered accident causes damage; keep utility findings and pressure-test records.