Gas Leaks

If you suspect a gas leak get up, go outside and call SCG from a neighbor’s phone toll free at 800.513.8898 or call 911 for your local fire department.

SCG will respond quickly to ensure that you and your family are safe. 

• Do not operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might ignite the gas and cause an explosion.
• Do not use a telephone or cell phone.
• Do not light a match or smoke and extinguish any open flames.
• Do not assume someone else will report the condition.
• Do not open windows and doors to ventilate the area. 
• Provide SCG with the exact location, including cross streets.
• Let us know if sewer construction or digging activities are going on in the area.

Use your senses to detect gas leaks.

A natural gas leak is usually recognized by smell, sight, or sound. Remember, if you smell natural gas, get up, get out and call us immediately from a neighbor’s phone.

• Smell
  Natural gas is colorless and odorless. For your safety, a distinctive, pungent odor, similar to rotten eggs, is added so that you’ll recognize it quickly. Not all transmission lines are odorized.
• Sight
  You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying for no apparent reason.
• Sound
  You may hear an unusual noise like roaring, hissing, or whistling.

What kind of natural gas piping is in your home or business? 

Homes and businesses built between 1990 and 2006, or older buildings that have had work done to the natural gas system during that period, might have corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) installed. If the CSST was improperly installed and lightning strikes the structure, the traveling lightning could cause a natural gas leak or possibly a fire.

All homes and businesses should have a professional inspect the natural gas system to identify CSST. If CSST is identified, we recommend that a licensed electrician ensure the CSST is bonded and properly grounded.

It’s important to inspect all types of natural gas pipes to make sure they are properly maintained.

Natural gas appliance flexible connectors

Appliance flexible connectors are corrugated metal tubes used to connect dryers, stoves, ranges and cook tops to gas supply lines. Some older brass connectors have a serious flaw in how their tubing was joined to their end pieces. These older brass connectors have not been in production for more than 20 years now but might still be found and in use in older homes and buildings.

These older brass connectors can crack, break and/or pull apart, causing potentially dangerous situations that could result in a leak, fire or explosion. Therefore, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has recommended any uncoated brass connector be replaced immediately by a new stainless steel or plastic-coated brass connector.

Only a qualified professional should check and replace connectors. Do not move your appliance to check the connector! The connector can easily break if moved even slightly. For your safety, have a qualified professional perform an inspection and immediately replace any uncoated brass connectors with stainless steel or plastic-coated connectors.

Each appliance should have a shut-off valve installed on the house piping before the connector. Connectors should:

• Always be installed by a certified contractor every time an appliance is replaced or moved from its location.
• Be installed where no one will step, sit, lean or place a heavy object on them.
• Never be installed through a wall, floor or ceiling.
• Not be more than six feet long.

The maintaining and purchasing of the proper gas connectors is the responsibility of the SCG natural gas customer.

Winter Safety

View our Winter Safety Reminder page for additional tips to stay safe during winter months.