Natural Gas Safety

If you smell gas, DO NOT:

What you should do:

Common Safety Tips

Always remember these important safety tips:

Have at least one working carbon monoxide detector for each level of your home.
Gas appliances should have a clear, steady blue flame. Small occasional amounts of yellow and orange are normal. The only exception is a natural gas fireplace designed to have yellow flames.
Never use a gas oven or range top as a space heater.
Never cover the temperature controls, air openings, or vents of an appliance.
Keep range and oven burners clean. Never line the oven completely with foil.
Never try to repair or install a gas appliance yourself. Never let a home handy-person try to do the job for you.
Water can damage the internal safety mechanism in the gas controls of an appliance. If you suspect water damage, have a trained technician replace them immediately.
Turn off gas fireplaces and space heaters before going to bed or leaving home. They're not intended as a main source of heat.
Gas appliance connectors (the flexible, corrugated metal tubing) should be checked by a qualified appliance service contractor periodically. Connectors can become hazardous due to deterioration, excessive movement, bending, or corrosion. Connectors made 30 to 40 years ago may be risky.
Never attach electrical grounding wires to gas piping.
Set water heater thermostats to 125 degrees or lower to prevent scalding.
Keep the space around furnaces and water heaters clean and clear of build-up, rags, newspapers, and other debris.
Never store combustibles such as gasoline, aerosol cans, paint, solvents, household cleaners, pool chemicals, or similar products near any fuel-burning equipment.

Carbon Monoxide Dangers

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is undetectable to the human senses, so people may not know they are being exposed. The initial symptoms of low to moderate poisoning are similar to the flu (without the fever). They include:

High level Carbon Monoxide poisoning results in progressively more severe symptoms, including:

If carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected, seek medical assistance immediately by dialing 911 and move the victim to a well-ventilated area. Be sure to open the doors to help ventilate the area. Then, call LUS at 931-762-7161.

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home:

Make sure all natural gas appliances, such as the water heater and space heaters are vented outside.
Inspect and clean the vents annually.
Examine the flame as it burns; a properly adjusted burner will produce a steady blue flame with very small amounts of yellow or orange. If the flame is yellow or orange, call a licensed appliance repair service to have the equipment adjusted.