What to Do If You Smell Gas in Your Home

If you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call your gas utility or emergency services from a safe location. Do not stay inside to investigate, and do not use phones, light switches, or any electrical devices while you are still in the affected space.

This guide covers what to do first, what to avoid, and when a licensed plumber may help after the immediate safety concern is under control.

Leave the area first

Gas odors inside a home or business should always be treated as a potential safety hazard. The most important step is to get everyone — including pets — out of the building and move to a safe distance.

Do not stop to open windows, unplug appliances, or look for the source of the smell. Leave first. Once you are safely outside and away from the building, then call for help.

Avoid flames, switches, and phones near the odor

While you are inside the area where gas odor is present, do not light matches, candles, or lighters; do not turn electrical switches on or off; do not use a cell phone or landline phone while inside the affected area; do not start a vehicle if the odor is near or inside the garage; and do not use doorbells or intercom systems.

Small electrical sparks can be enough to create a serious risk when gas is present in the air.

Call the gas utility or emergency services from a safe location

Once you are outside and at a safe distance, call your gas utility provider or local emergency services. They can assess the situation, check for gas presence, and take the necessary safety steps.

Do not re-enter the building until a qualified professional or emergency responder confirms it is safe to do so.

When a plumber may help after the immediate safety risk is handled

After the gas utility or emergency services have confirmed the immediate risk is resolved, a licensed professional can help with the next steps. Common gas line concerns that may need service include locating and repairing a gas line leak after utility confirmation, inspecting appliance gas connections for stoves, water heaters, dryers, or furnaces, replacing aging or damaged gas piping, upgrading gas lines during kitchen or laundry room renovations, and addressing gas supply concerns for outdoor fixtures, fire pits, or pool heaters.

If a gas line concern was identified during a routine inspection or by the gas utility, contact Andy's Plumbing to discuss the next repair steps.

Gas line concerns that may need professional service

Even when there is no active gas odor, some signs may point to a developing issue: dead or dying plants in one area of the yard with no other explanation, hissing or whistling sounds near gas pipes or appliances, a gas bill that increased without a change in usage, appliances that frequently go out or struggle to stay lit, and visible corrosion or damage on exposed gas piping.

These symptoms do not require leaving the home, but they should be checked by a professional before they become more serious.

Staying safe in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley

Gas line concerns can happen in any home, from newer construction to older properties in neighborhoods like North Hollywood, Burbank, Glendale, Studio City, and surrounding San Fernando Valley areas. The key is responding safely first and addressing the underlying issue after the immediate hazard is cleared.

If you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call your gas utility or emergency services from a safe location. After the immediate safety concern is handled, contact Andy's Plumbing for gas line service support in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.