Get everyone out of the house right away, leave the door open, and once you're a safe distance away, call 911 and your gas utility's emergency line. Don't wait to find the source. Natural gas is given a deliberate rotten-egg or sulfur smell so you can detect it, so treat that smell as real every time.
The steps, in order
- Leave the building. Take everyone (and pets) outside to fresh air. Don't stop to gather belongings.
- Don't touch switches or flames. No light switches, no thermostats, no appliances, no phones inside the house, because any spark can ignite gas. Don't light a match or a stove.
- Leave the door open as you go, to let gas ventilate.
- From outside and a safe distance, call 911 and the gas utility's emergency line (for most of Toms River that's your natural-gas provider). Report a suspected leak.
- Don't go back in until the utility or fire department says it's safe.
What never to do during a suspected leak
- Don't flip switches, on or off. Either can spark.
- Don't use your phone indoors. Make the call from outside.
- Don't start a car in an attached garage near the smell.
- Don't try to find the leak yourself with a flame, and never search with a lighter.
- Don't assume a faint smell is nothing. Ventilate, get out, and let a professional check.
Common sources of a gas smell
Once the utility has made the property safe, the underlying issue is usually a repair a licensed plumber or gas fitter handles: a loose or corroded connection at an appliance, an aging gas line, a faulty shut-off valve, or a problem at a water heater, furnace, stove, or dryer connection. A pilot light that's simply out can cause a brief smell, but a persistent odor is not something to live with.
Gas-line repairs and appliance reconnections have to be done by a licensed professional to code. This isn't DIY territory. We handle gas-line diagnosis, repair, and appliance hookups on our gas-line service.
Who fixes it
The gas utility makes the immediate situation safe and handles the line up to your meter. Repairs to the lines and connections inside your home are handled by a licensed plumber or gas fitter. We do that work (see our gas line repair page), and if you're not sure whether a smell near a water heater is gas-related, our water heater service covers those connections too.
Key takeaways
- Strong gas smell: get everyone out first, then call 911 and the gas utility from outside.
- Don't touch switches, phones, or flames inside, because any spark can ignite gas.
- The deliberate rotten-egg smell is a warning, so treat it as real every time.
- Don't re-enter until the utility or fire department clears the home.
- Gas-line repairs must be done by a licensed professional to code. Never DIY.
Home cleared and need the gas line repaired?
Licensed gas-line diagnosis, repair, and appliance hookups in Toms River, done to NJ code.
Call (732) 978-9083 Request a callback