A gas leak is one of the few plumbing-adjacent situations where the right response is immediate and non-negotiable. Here is exactly what to do, and what to avoid, if you smell gas in your home.
Leave The House Immediately
Do not investigate the smell, try to locate the source, or finish what you were doing first. Leave the building right away, and get everyone else out with you.
Do Not Touch Any Switches Or Electronics
Do not turn light switches on or off, do not use your phone inside the house, and do not start your car in an attached garage. A spark from any electrical source can ignite accumulated gas.
If a light is already on, leave it on. If it is off, leave it off. The goal is avoiding any new spark, not adjusting anything.
Do Not Try To Find Or Fix The Leak Yourself
Locating a gas leak safely requires a gas leak detector and, often, soap-solution testing at fittings and joints. This is not something to attempt while gas may be actively accumulating in the space.
Call From Outside, Not From Inside The House
Once you are safely away from the building, call your gas utility's emergency line and a licensed plumber from outside, or from a neighbor's property. Do not go back inside to retrieve a phone or anything else.
What Happens After You Report It
A gas utility crew typically responds to shut off gas at the meter if needed and confirm the area is safe. A licensed plumber then locates and repairs the specific leak, testing the repaired line before it goes back into service.
What Usually Causes A Gas Leak
A loose or corroded fitting, a damaged section of pipe from nearby digging or settling, or an aging line that has simply reached the end of its service life are the most common causes. None of these are something a homeowner should attempt to diagnose or repair without professional equipment.
Gas Line Age Is A Real Factor In Altadena
Older Altadena homes, along with properties currently being rebuilt after the Eaton Fire, both involve gas piping considerations worth understanding. An aging line that has never been inspected can develop a leak from corrosion or a loosened fitting over decades, while a rebuild's new gas piping needs to be sized correctly for every planned appliance before it is ever put into service.
In both cases, the safety response if you smell gas is identical: leave immediately, avoid any spark source, and call from a safe distance, regardless of whether the line is original to a 1950s home or newly installed as part of a current rebuild.
How A Professional Confirms And Repairs A Leak
Once the area is confirmed safe, a suspected leak is checked with a dedicated gas leak detector and soap-solution testing at fittings and joints, never by smell alone, before any repair work begins.
Any repair or new installation is pressure-tested per California Plumbing Code gas piping provisions before the line is put back into service, and most gas line work requires an LA County permit and inspection as part of the process.
Common Questions
What does natural gas actually smell like?
Utilities add a chemical called mercaptan to naturally odorless natural gas specifically so leaks are detectable, which is why it has a distinct rotten-egg or sulfur smell.
Is a faint gas smell near my stove normal?
A brief smell right when lighting a burner is normal. A persistent or strong smell, or one not tied to actively using an appliance, is not, and should be treated as a real leak.
Can carbon monoxide detectors detect a gas leak?
No. Carbon monoxide detectors sense a different gas entirely. A natural gas leak is detected by smell, due to the added mercaptan, or by a dedicated gas leak detector.
How quickly does a gas utility typically respond to a reported leak?
Gas leak reports are treated as a priority by utilities, and crews generally respond quickly, though the exact timing depends on your specific utility and location.
Can a gas leak happen without any smell at all?
It is uncommon, since mercaptan is specifically added for detection, but a very small leak in a well-ventilated outdoor area might be harder to notice than one indoors.
Should I turn off my gas at the meter myself if I smell gas?
Only if you already know how and can do so safely on your way out. Do not delay leaving the house to search for or operate the shutoff valve.
The Bottom Line
A gas leak is not a situation to evaluate calmly from inside the house. Leave first, avoid any spark source on your way out, and call from a safe distance. Every other step, including finding and fixing the actual leak, comes after that, once you and everyone else are safely away from the building. There is no version of this situation where staying inside a few extra minutes to investigate is the right call.
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Related Services
Gas Line Installation & Repair: Once the area is confirmed safe, our gas line installation and repair service locates and repairs the leak, then pressure-tests the line before it goes back into service.
Eaton Fire Rebuild Plumbing: New gas piping installed as part of a rebuild is tested to the same standard before it is ever put into service, which our Eaton Fire rebuild plumbing service covers directly.
Older San Marino estates with original gas piping from the 1920s through 1950s are a common source of the aging-line leaks this guide describes.
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