Smell Gas? The Exact Steps to Take Immediately

A smell of gas is one of the few household emergencies where the order in which you do things genuinely matters. Follow the steps below in sequence. Do not skip ahead.

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Step 1 — Call the National Gas Emergency Service: 0800 111 999

This is a free, 24-hour line run by Cadent (and other network operators). Ring it before you do anything else. The operator will talk you through the situation and, if necessary, send a network engineer to make the supply safe. This call costs you nothing and commits you to nothing.

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Step 2 — Turn Off the Gas at the Meter

If you know where your gas meter is and can reach it safely without using any electrical switches along the way, turn the handle on the emergency control valve so it sits across the pipe (perpendicular = off). Do not touch the meter if it is in a confined space that already smells strongly of gas.

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Step 3 — Do Not Touch Any Electrical Switches

This is the step most people get wrong. A single spark — from flicking a light on or off, pressing a doorbell, or even unplugging a phone charger — can ignite an accumulation of gas. Leave every switch exactly as it is.

Also avoid:

• Lighting matches or lighters
• Using a mobile phone inside the building (step outside first)
• Starting a car in an attached garage
• Pressing any remote controls near the suspected leak

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Step 4 — Open Doors and Windows

Ventilation disperses gas and reduces the risk of ignition. Open as many external doors and windows as you can on your way out of the building. Do this calmly and quickly — you are not trying to air the room out completely, just reducing concentration as you leave.

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Step 5 — Evacuate Everyone

Get all people and pets out of the building. Leave the front door open behind you. Move to the pavement or a neighbour’s home — somewhere well away from the property.

Do not re-enter until the Gas Emergency Service or a Gas Safe registered engineer has confirmed it is safe to do so.

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Step 6 — Call Us for the Repair

Once the network operator has attended and isolated the supply, you will need a Gas Safe registered engineer to find the source of the leak, carry out the repair, and reinstate your gas safely. That is where we come in.

Emergency Plumbers TW covers the full TW postcode area — Twickenham, Richmond, Teddington, Isleworth, Hounslow, Feltham, Staines and surrounding streets — around the clock.

Call us on 07725 479493 and we will get an engineer to you as quickly as possible.

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What Might Cause a Gas Smell?

A few common sources worth knowing about, not so you can investigate yourself, but so you can describe the situation clearly when you call:

• Loose or corroded pipe fittings behind appliances such as cookers or boilers
• A faulty or ageing gas appliance — boilers, hobs, and gas fires all have seals and valves that can degrade
• A recently moved or knocked appliance where the flexible connector has been disturbed
• A pilot light that has gone out on older appliances, allowing unburnt gas to escape

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A Note on “I Can Only Smell It Faintly”

A faint smell still warrants the same steps. Natural gas is odourless in its raw state — the distinctive eggy or sulphurous smell is added deliberately so that even small leaks are detectable. If you can smell it, there is gas present. Treat it seriously.

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Quick Reference

Do	Don’t
Call 0800 111 999 immediately	Touch electrical switches
Turn off the meter if safe	Light a flame of any kind
Open doors and windows	Use your phone inside the building
Evacuate everyone	Re-enter until cleared
Call us for the repair	Attempt to find the leak yourself

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A gas smell is alarming, but it is manageable if you act in the right order. The most important thing is to get everyone out and get the right people on the phone. Once the supply is safe, we are here to handle the repair.

Call 07725 479493 — we are available 24 hours a day, every day.