Immediate action guide
Gas Technician Emergency Action Steps
What to do right now before a gas technician arrives, with clear lines for 911, utility, and contractor calls.
First rule
If there is fire, smoke, shock, collapse risk, gas odor, carbon monoxide alarm, injury, trapped people, or any uncertainty about safety, leave the area and call 911. Use these steps only when you can act from a safe position.
E1
Gas Smell Inside
Do this now
- Move people, pets, and valuables away from the entire home and any room with fuel-burning equipment.
- Leave immediately; do not use switches, phones, appliances, garage doors, or flames inside.
- From outside, keep everyone away from doors, windows, meters, and the suspected source.
- Photograph safely, note the time, and save temporary-material receipts.
- Call the gas utility from outside first, then a gas technician only after the scene is cleared.
Do not do this
- - Do not search for the leak, relight pilots, or turn valves inside a gas odor area.
- - Do not re-enter while alarms, odors, sparks, smoke, water, or movement continue.
E2
Pilot Will Not Stay Lit
Do this now
- Move people, pets, and valuables away from the appliance, burner compartment, and nearby gas control.
- Stop trying to relight it and turn the appliance control to off if safe.
- Ventilate only from a safe path and keep ignition sources away.
- Photograph safely, note the time, and save temporary-material receipts.
- Call a gas technician and report appliance type, odor, and how many relight attempts occurred.
Do not do this
- - Do not keep relighting, bypass thermocouples, or leave gas controls partly open.
- - Do not re-enter while alarms, odors, sparks, smoke, water, or movement continue.
E3
Damaged Gas Line
Do this now
- Move people, pets, and valuables away from the damaged pipe, appliance connector, meter, or excavation area.
- Evacuate and avoid touching the pipe or meter unless the utility instructs you from a safe place.
- Block people and vehicles from the area and keep engines, tools, and flames away.
- Photograph safely, note the time, and save temporary-material receipts.
- Call the gas utility immediately; call a gas technician after the utility makes the line safe.
Do not do this
- - Do not clamp, tape, bury, or cover a suspected gas leak.
- - Do not re-enter while alarms, odors, sparks, smoke, water, or movement continue.
E4
Gas Appliance Venting Concern
Do this now
- Move people, pets, and valuables away from the furnace, water heater, boiler, fireplace, or vent connector.
- Turn the appliance off if you can do so safely and leave the area if alarms or odors are present.
- Open an exterior door only from a safe path and keep people away from the equipment room.
- Photograph safely, note the time, and save temporary-material receipts.
- Call an HVAC or gas technician after any CO alarm or gas odor is handled by 911 or the utility.
Do not do this
- - Do not run exhaust fans or fuel-burning equipment to test draft yourself.
- - Do not re-enter while alarms, odors, sparks, smoke, water, or movement continue.
E5
Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Do this now
- Move people, pets, and valuables away from the home and all rooms served by fuel-burning appliances.
- Leave the building immediately and account for everyone outside.
- Keep people out until responders or the utility say the building is safe.
- Photograph safely, note the time, and save temporary-material receipts.
- After clearance, call a gas technician to inspect appliances and vents before reuse.
Do not do this
- - Do not remove batteries, silence the alarm, or re-enter to open windows.
- - Do not re-enter while alarms, odors, sparks, smoke, water, or movement continue.