Natural Gas Safety and Hurricanes

Georgia’s coast and the counties inland from it see tropical storms and hurricane remnants most years, and the effects reach well past Savannah — wind, flooding and falling trees cause damage as far north as Augusta and the Atlanta metro. Natural gas systems are generally resilient, but storm damage creates specific hazards worth preparing for.

At any point, if you smell gas: leave immediately and call 911 from a safe distance. See do you smell natural gas?

Before the storm

• Locate your meter and main shut-off valve now, and keep the correct wrench with your emergency supplies if the valve needs one.
• Do not shut the gas off pre-emptively unless instructed by the utility or emergency officials. Gas appliances often keep working when electricity fails, and restoring service afterwards requires a utility visit that may take days when crews are stretched.
• Clear the area around the meter of loose furniture, planters and anything that could become a projectile.
• Secure outdoor propane tanks and grills so they cannot move.
• Check your carbon monoxide alarms and fit fresh batteries. CO risk rises sharply after a storm, when generators come out.
• Save the emergency numbers offline — 911 and Atlanta Gas Light — somewhere that works without internet.

Generators: the post-storm killer

More people are harmed after a storm than during it, and portable generators are a leading reason. Carbon monoxide from a generator can reach lethal concentrations within minutes.

• Never run a generator indoors, in a garage, in a carport, on a porch, or in a crawlspace — not even with the door open.
• Place it well away from the building and point the exhaust away from doors and windows.
• Never connect a generator to your home wiring without a proper transfer switch.
• Let it cool before refuelling.

The same applies to charcoal and gas grills, camp stoves and patio heaters: outdoors only, always.

Flooding

Water is the main threat to gas equipment. If any gas appliance has been submerged or even partially flooded, do not use it until a qualified technician has inspected it. Floodwater damages controls, valves and burners in ways that are not visible, and it can leave sediment that causes incomplete combustion later. Appliance control valves that have been underwater should generally be replaced rather than dried out.

If your home has flooded and you suspect gas is escaping, do not wade in to investigate. Leave and call 911.

During the storm

Stay away from windows and keep clear of the meter and gas lines. If you hear hissing, smell gas, or your CO alarm sounds, leave if it is safe to do so and call 911. If conditions make leaving genuinely unsafe, move as far from the source as possible, ventilate if you can do so without opening the building to the storm, and call for help.

After the storm

1. Inspect from outside first. Look for damage to the meter, shifted piping, fallen trees across lines, and scouring around buried lines.
2. Smell before you enter. If there is any gas odour, do not go in.
3. Do not use electrical switches if you suspect a leak.
4. Have appliances checked before relighting pilots, particularly after flooding.
5. Report damage to Atlanta Gas Light, and report downed power lines separately to your electric utility.
6. If the gas was shut off, only the utility or a qualified technician should restore it. Never attempt to turn service back on yourself.

Billing after a storm

If you were evacuated or without service, your usage will be unusually low, and an estimated read may not reflect that — check it against the meter. Marketers generally work with customers affected by declared disasters, so contact yours if a payment will be late rather than waiting for a late notice. Your rights are in Georgia natural gas consumer protections, and help with bills is covered in Georgia energy assistance programs. General guidance is in natural gas safety.