Smell Gas?
Natural gas is a colorless, odorless fuel. As a safety precaution, we add a chemical odorant called mercaptan that gives natural gas an odor often associated with rotten eggs. This distinctive scent allows you to smell a potential leak if it occurs. Always leave if you suspect a leak. Natural gas is non-toxic, lighter than air and displaces oxygen. In severe cases, if not used properly, it may lead to asphyxiation, and has a risk of ignition near a spark. It's important to know that some people may not be able to detect the odorant because they have a diminished sense of smell, known as olfactory fatigue, or because the odor is being masked by other odors in the area. Certain conditions may cause the odorant to diminish so that it is not detectable. Never try to find the leak yourself.
LOOK for blowing dirt, discolored vegetation or continued bubbling in standing water.
LISTEN for a hissing or roaring noise near a natural gas appliance or line.
SMELL for the distinctive, rotten-egg odor associated with natural gas. You should act any time you detect even a small amount of this odor in the air.
LEAVE the area immediately and move a safe distance away from the potential leak, while avoiding any action that may cause sparks. Do not try to identify the source or to stop the leak yourself.
AVOID using any sources of ignition, such as cell phones, cigarettes, matches, flashlights, electronic devices, motorized vehicles, light switches or landlines, as natural gas can ignite from a spark or open flame, possibly causing a fire or explosion. Natural gas is non-toxic, lighter than air and displaces oxygen. In severe cases, if not used properly, natural gas can also lead to asphyxiation.
CALL Chattanooga Gas at 866.643.4170 or 911 once you are out of the area of the suspected leak and in a safe place. Stay away until Chattanooga Gas or emergency personnel indicate it is safe to return.
Call 811 Before You Dig
Planning a home improvement project? Planting a tree? Installing a fence or deck? With any digging on your property, there are a few things you need to know and do first to keep you and your neighbors safe.
Excavation work, including digging or plowing around a home or business, is the most common cause of natural gas emergencies. Before digging around your property, state law requires you call 811, a nationwide, toll-free number, to have your utility lines professionally marked. After calling, you must wait your local utilities, like Chattanooga Natural Gas, come to locate and mark, free of charge, and each with a different color paint or flag, where all underground utility lines are within the area where you want to dig.
