Natural gas is added a distinct sulfur, rotten-egg odor specifically so leaks are noticeable, since the gas itself is naturally odorless. Knowing what to do the moment you notice that smell matters more than almost any other piece of home safety knowledge you'll ever need to act on quickly.
This guide covers both what to do in an active leak situation and what proper, licensed gas line work actually looks like for planned installations and repairs.
What To Do If You Smell Gas
Leave the house immediately, don't stop to open windows, turn off appliances, or flip any light switches, since even a small spark from a switch can ignite gas that's accumulated in the air. Once you're safely outside and away from the house, call your gas utility's emergency line first, then call a plumber once the utility confirms it's safe to return.
Do not attempt to locate the leak yourself, and do not use a phone or any electronic device while still inside the house if you can avoid it. Getting out safely is the only priority in that moment.
If you have pets inside, take them with you if you can do so quickly and safely on your way out, but don't delay your own exit searching for them if it isn't immediate. Once everyone is safely outside, the utility company can advise on next steps for anyone or anything still inside.
Signs Of A Gas Leak Beyond The Smell
A hissing sound near a gas appliance or line, even faint, can indicate a leak at a fitting or connection. Dead or dying vegetation in an otherwise healthy area of your yard, particularly near where an underground gas line runs, can indicate a leak affecting the soil and root systems in that spot.
Bubbles in standing water near a gas line, unusually high gas bills without a clear explanation, and a pilot light that won't stay lit despite repeated attempts to relight it are all worth having checked. None of them is as unmistakable as the classic sulfur odor.
A gas leak inside the home can sometimes show up as physical symptoms before anyone consciously notices a smell. Headache, dizziness, or nausea with no other clear cause is worth taking seriously, particularly if several people in the house feel off at the same time.
Hissing Near A Gas Appliance
Worth checking immediately, even if faint.
Dead Vegetation Near An Underground Line
Can indicate an underground leak affecting nearby soil.
What Licensed Gas Work Actually Involves
Gas line work, whether it's running a new line for an appliance or repairing an existing one, is not a place for guesswork or improvisation. Every job follows California Plumbing Code gas piping requirements for sizing, material, and shutoff valve placement, and new installations or major repairs are permitted and inspected as required.
After any gas line work, the line is pressure tested to confirm it holds without leaking before any appliance is reconnected. This step isn't optional or skippable, it's the final verification that the work is genuinely safe before the gas supply is restored.
Sizing A New Line Correctly
A common mistake we see is a homeowner or unlicensed installer tapping a new appliance, a range, dryer, or outdoor fire feature, into an existing line without checking whether that line was sized for the additional load. Undersizing a gas line can cause appliances to underperform or, in more serious cases, create a safety issue under certain conditions.
We calculate the correct pipe size based on the specific appliance's BTU rating and the existing line's total demand before running or connecting anything, which is a step that's easy to skip if the work isn't done by someone licensed and familiar with the calculation.
This is also why we don't recommend homeowners attempt gas line modifications themselves, even for something that seems as simple as adding a single outdoor fire feature. The calculation involves more than just running a line to the new appliance, it requires reassessing the entire system's total load.
Maintaining Gas Appliances Between Major Service Calls
Beyond the line itself, three habits help: keep gas appliance vents and surrounding areas clear of debris, check that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors near appliances have working batteries, and have appliances serviced according to manufacturer recommendations. They contribute to gas safety even when the gas lines themselves are in good condition.
It's also worth periodically checking that nothing has been stored too close to a gas water heater or furnace, since flammable materials placed nearby, even inadvertently during a garage reorganization, add unnecessary risk that has nothing to do with the line or appliance itself.
What to do if you ever smell gas
- Leave the house immediately without stopping to open windows or turn anything off
- Do not use light switches, phones, or any electronic device while still inside
- Once safely outside, call your gas utility's emergency line first
- Call a licensed plumber once the utility confirms it's safe to return
- Don't re-enter the home until the utility or a professional confirms it's safe
Need A New Gas Line Or A Repair?
We handle licensed, permitted, pressure-tested gas work.
If You Smell Gas In Upland
If you smell gas, leave the building right away and do not use light switches, phones or anything that could spark inside. Call 911 and your gas utility from outside.
After the utility makes the area safe, call us for emergency gas line repair or a safety check. We find the leak, repair the line and test it before it goes back into service.
We also serve nearby Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga, and you can read more on our gas line repair page.
FAQs
Why does gas have a smell if it's naturally odorless?
Utility companies add a chemical called mercaptan specifically to give natural gas a noticeable odor, since the gas itself would otherwise be undetectable by smell, making leaks far more dangerous to notice.
Is it safe to use my phone once I'm already outside the house?
Yes, once you're safely away from the house and any potential gas accumulation outside, using your phone to call the utility or a plumber is completely fine and expected.
How often should gas lines be inspected even without a known issue?
There's no strict universal schedule, but having gas lines checked whenever other plumbing work is being done, or every few years as routine maintenance, catches developing issues before they become a real hazard.
Can you size a gas line for a future appliance I haven't bought yet?
We can plan for reasonable future capacity if you let us know what you're considering ahead of time, though final sizing is most accurate once we know the specific appliance's exact BTU rating and connection requirements.
How do carbon monoxide detectors relate to gas line safety?
They're a separate but related safety layer, detecting a byproduct of incomplete combustion from gas appliances rather than a raw gas leak itself. Both types of detection genuinely matter together for a fully safe, well-protected home.
Who do I call first if I smell gas in my Upland home?
Leave the home, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside. Call Upland 24/7 Plumbing at (909) 505-3225 once the area is safe and you need the line inspected or repaired.