Natural Gas Safety at Home: Smells, Shut-Offs and CO Alarms
Natural gas runs the furnace, water heater, and often the stove, dryer, fireplace and BBQ in most Vaughan homes. It’s very safe when the piping and appliances are installed and maintained properly. Here’s what every household should know.
If you smell gas
Natural gas has an added odorant that smells like rotten eggs. If you smell it strongly:
- Leave the house right away and take everyone with you.
- Don’t switch lights on or off, use the phone inside, or start a car in an attached garage.
- From outside, call Enbridge Gas’s emergency line or 911.
A faint whiff right at a stove burner when lighting it can be normal. A smell that lingers, or one near the meter, furnace or water heater, isn’t.
Know your shut-offs
Every gas appliance should have its own shut-off valve close by. When the handle is in line with the pipe, it’s open; across the pipe, it’s closed. The main shut-off is at the meter outside. In an emergency, leave it to the utility or fire department.
CO alarms vs. gas detectors
They’re different devices. A carbon monoxide alarm detects CO, which comes from incomplete combustion, like a blocked vent or a cracked heat exchanger. CO has no smell. Ontario requires CO alarms in homes with fuel-burning appliances. A natural gas detector senses unburned gas leaking. It’s optional but useful in basements and near appliances.
Signs your gas piping needs attention
- Rust or corrosion on outdoor gas lines.
- Old flexible connectors behind stoves and dryers, especially uncoated brass ones.
- Pipes that were added DIY, or unused pipe stubs that aren’t capped.
- A furnace that loses flame when other gas appliances run, which can mean undersized piping.
Who should work on gas lines
In Ontario, gas piping must be installed by a TSSA-registered contractor with licensed gas technicians, and new lines are pressure tested before use. Our post on gas line installation explains what a proper job includes.
For gas line inspections, repairs or new appliance hookups, see our gas piping services or contact us at 647-657-2977. We’re based in Vaughan.
