Do You Smell Natural Gas? Here's What to Do

Do you smell natural gas? Leave immediately and call 911. Step-by-step emergency guidance for Georgia households.

If you smell gas right now, stop reading. Leave the building immediately, taking everyone with you, and call 911 once you are well away from it. Do not go back inside for any reason.

What to do, in order

  1. Get everyone out immediately. Do not stop to gather belongings, pets aside. Leave doors open behind you as you go.
  2. Touch nothing electrical. Do not flip a light switch on or off, unplug anything, use a landline, or press a garage door opener. A switch contact makes a small spark, and a spark is all it takes.
  3. No flames, no ignition sources. No lighters, matches or candles. Do not smoke. Do not start a car or run any engine in or near the building.
  4. Use your phone outside, not inside. Mobile phones can ignite gas. Walk well clear — a few houses away — before calling.
  5. Call 911 first. Then call Atlanta Gas Light’s emergency line. Report a suspected gas leak and give the address.
  6. Stay out. Do not re-enter until emergency responders or the utility tell you it is safe — not when the smell fades, not to check the stove.

VERIFY-TK: confirm the current Atlanta Gas Light 24-hour emergency number from AGL directly and insert it above before publishing.

What natural gas smells like

Natural gas is naturally colorless and odourless. Utilities add a harmless odorant called mercaptan specifically so leaks can be detected by smell. The result is usually described as rotten eggs, sulphur, or a sharp skunk-like smell. If you notice that smell anywhere it should not be, treat it as a leak.

Other signs of a leak

You will not always smell it — a head cold, a strong cooking smell, or simply becoming used to a faint odour can mask it. Watch for:

  • A hissing, whistling or roaring sound near a gas line, meter or appliance.
  • Dirt, dust or water blowing up from the ground near a gas line.
  • Dead or dying vegetation in an otherwise healthy patch, especially a distinct brown circle.
  • Bubbles rising in standing water or a puddle.
  • A persistent pilot light that will not stay lit.
  • Feeling dizzy, nauseated or unusually tired indoors, improving when you step outside.

That last one matters: those are also symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure, which is a different hazard with no smell at all. See natural gas safety.

What not to do

  • Do not try to find the leak yourself. No soapy water test on a suspected indoor leak while the smell is strong. Leave.
  • Do not try to shut off the gas if that means staying inside or going into a basement or crawlspace where gas may have collected.
  • Do not assume it is minor. A faint smell can mean a serious leak elsewhere.
  • Do not wait to see whether it goes away.

Smell gas outdoors or near a dig site?

Treat it the same way. Move well away, call 911, and report it. If equipment has struck a line during excavation, keep everyone back and do not attempt to operate the machinery. Georgia law requires calling 811 before digging; see natural gas safety.

Who to call is not who bills you

This confuses people in a deregulated market. Your marketer — Gas South, Georgia Natural Gas, SCANA Energy or any other — sells you gas and sends the bill. They do not maintain pipes and do not respond to leaks. Emergencies always go to 911 and Atlanta Gas Light, no matter whose name is on your statement. Why that split exists is explained in Georgia natural gas deregulation.

Afterwards

Once the situation is resolved, have the appliance or line repaired by a qualified technician before using it again, and fit carbon monoxide alarms if you do not have them. Routine prevention is covered in natural gas safety and how gas appliances work.