Gas line leaks and smells: what to do before you call

A gas smell is an emergency. Know the safety steps first — then call the right people.

Rotten-egg smell, hissing, and dead vegetation

Utility companies add mercaptan so natural gas smells like sulfur or rotten eggs. A hiss near a meter, appliance, or buried line is a leak under pressure. Dead grass or shrubs over the gas line path in an otherwise green yard can mean an underground leak. Don't ignore any of these — gas accumulates in crawl spaces and can ignite from a single spark.

Immediate safety steps

Don't flip light switches, don't use your phone inside if the smell is strong, don't start a car in the garage if you suspect a leak nearby. Open windows if you can do it quickly on the way out. Leave the house, get to a safe distance, and call the gas utility emergency line from outside. They'll shut off the meter and tell you when it's safe to re-enter.

What we handle vs the gas utility

The utility owns the meter and the line to it. You own the lines from the meter to your appliances. After the utility clears the property, a licensed plumber locates and repairs leaks on your side — appliance connectors, buried yard lines, fittings behind the water heater. We pressure-test after repair and coordinate re-lighting appliances when required.

Permits, testing, and new connections

New gas lines, moved appliances, and major repairs need permits and inspection in most jurisdictions. We pull them. Pressure tests with gauge documentation are standard before burying a new yard line or opening a wall. If you're adding a range, dryer, or outdoor kitchen, sizing the line correctly matters as much as the install — undersized pipe starves appliances and creates sooting.