You smell gas. Here's the order of operations.
That rotten-egg smell is an additive put there so you'd notice. Notice fast, move slow and deliberate.
Do this now
- Do not touch any switch, outlet, or flame. Not the lights. Not even to turn something off.
- Get everyone out — walk, don't search for the source. Leave the door open behind you.
- From outside or a neighbor's, call 911 and your gas utility's emergency line.
- Stay out until the utility or fire department says it's clear. Their meter decides, not your nose.
Why the switch rule is absolute
A light switch makes a spark you never see. So does a phone charger seated into an outlet, a garage-door opener, a doorbell, a car ignition in an attached garage. At the right gas concentration, any one of them is an ignition source. This is why the answer is always leave first, act from outside.
Faint smell, obvious cause?
If the smell is faint and clearly a stove burner someone bumped: turn the burner off, open windows, and step outside anyway until the smell clears. If there is any doubt at all about the source — treat it as the real thing. Gas utilities respond to smell calls around the clock and would rather come out for nothing.
Afterward
If your home has a shutoff wrench hanging at the meter and the utility instructs you to close the valve, that's the one time to touch it. Once the meter valve is closed, only the utility relights the system — the pilot-light chain matters.
Do not
- Don't flip any switch — on or off. No lights, no fans, no garage door.
- Don't use your phone until you're outside.
- Don't start a car in an attached garage.
- Don't go back in for anything until you're told it's clear.
Common questions
What does a gas leak smell like?
Like rotten eggs or sulfur. Natural gas is odorless; the smell is an additive (mercaptan) put there specifically as an alarm.
Can I turn a light OFF if I smell gas?
No. The spark inside the switch happens on and off alike. Touch nothing electrical; leave first.
Who do I call for a gas smell — 911 or the gas company?
Both, from outside the house: 911, then your utility's emergency line. Utilities treat gas-odor calls as emergencies at any hour.
Sources — official guidance
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