Plumbing Troubleshooting
Smell Gas? Get Everyone Out of the House Right Now.
A gas leak is a life safety emergency. Do not look for the source. Do not flip switches. Do not use your phone inside the house. Get out first — everything else comes after.
Do This Right Now
- 1GET OUT of the house immediately — do NOT flip any light switches or use electronics
- 2Leave the door open behind you as you exit
- 3From at least 100 feet away, call 911 and CenterPoint Energy at 713-659-2111
What's Going On
Understanding the Problem
Natural gas in Houston homes is supplied by CenterPoint Energy and is naturally odorless. The sulfur-like 'rotten egg' smell you associate with a gas leak is mercaptan, an odorant added specifically so leaks can be detected. Natural gas is highly flammable and explosive at concentrations of 5–15% in air. Even a single spark — from a light switch, a phone charger, a thermostat cycling on — can ignite an accumulated gas-air mixture. The risk is not just fire; a gas explosion in an enclosed space is structurally catastrophic. Speed of evacuation is the only priority when gas is suspected.
Diagnosis
Common Causes
1Corroded or aging gas line connections
Gas supply lines and the flexible connectors that connect appliances to the gas supply can corrode, crack, or loosen over time. Flexible stainless steel connectors (the corrugated lines behind gas ranges and dryers) have a service life of 10–15 years and should be replaced periodically. Older homes may have black iron gas piping with threaded joints that can develop leaks at connections that have corroded or been disturbed.
2Damaged flexible gas connector behind an appliance
When a gas range or dryer is pulled out for cleaning and pushed back in, it's easy to kink or damage the flexible gas connector behind it. These connectors are not designed to be bent repeatedly. A kink or crack in the connector can release gas slowly. This is a common source of low-level gas odors in the kitchen or laundry area.
3Failed gas appliance valve or burner seal
Gas valves on stoves, water heaters, and furnaces can fail in ways that allow gas to escape. A stove burner left slightly open, or a valve seal that has deteriorated, allows unburned gas to accumulate. You may smell gas near a specific appliance rather than throughout the house.
4Underground supply line damage
Gas supply lines run underground from the street to your home's meter. These lines can be damaged by ground movement, excavation work (digging in the yard without calling 811 first), or corrosion in older systems. An underground gas leak may be evidenced by a hissing sound near the meter, dead patches of grass in a line across the yard (gas displaces oxygen at the root zone), or a persistent odor outside near the gas meter.
5Post-storm damage
Severe storms and high winds can shift the ground, break tree roots across gas lines, or damage the exterior gas meter. After a significant storm event, particularly one involving flooding or ground saturation, a gas odor that wasn't present before should be treated as a potential line displacement or damage issue.
DIY Troubleshooting
What You Can Try
Get everyone — people and pets — out of the house immediately
Do not stop to gather belongings. Do not open windows on your way out — this takes time and is not as important as distance from the building. Do not use any light switches, electrical outlets, or appliances as you leave. Even the spark from a light switch is enough to ignite an accumulated gas-air mixture. Leave the front door open behind you — ventilation helps, but you accomplish this by leaving, not by running through the house opening windows.
Do not use your phone, start your car, or use any electronic device until you are well away from the building
Move at least 100 feet — ideally to a neighbor's house or across the street. A phone screen, a key fob, a car engine — any of these can produce a spark. Call 911 and CenterPoint Energy's emergency line (713-659-2111) from that safe distance.
Call 911 first, then CenterPoint Energy's 24-hour gas emergency line
911 will dispatch the fire department, which has gas detection equipment and can assess the hazard level. CenterPoint Energy (713-659-2111) will send a technician to shut off the gas supply at the meter. Do not re-enter the building for any reason until both the fire department and CenterPoint have cleared it as safe.
Do not attempt to locate or shut off the leak yourself
Do not go back inside to look for the source. Do not open the gas meter valve or attempt to shut off gas at any appliance. The gas meter shutoff requires a specific wrench and should only be operated by CenterPoint Energy technicians or licensed professionals. Tampering with the meter also means CenterPoint must physically inspect and re-activate it before service is restored.
Wait for all-clear before re-entering
The fire department will use gas detection meters to verify that gas levels inside the home are safe before allowing re-entry. Do not go back in until you receive that clearance. Once cleared, ventilate the home thoroughly before relighting any pilot lights or running gas appliances.
Know When to Call
When to Call a Pro
After CenterPoint has shut off the gas and the fire department has cleared the scene, call ARG Plumbing at (832) 419-3411 to locate and repair the source of the leak. Gas line repair requires a licensed plumber — this is not a DIY repair. We will identify the leak point, perform the repair, pressure-test the line, and coordinate with CenterPoint for gas restoration. Do not attempt to restore gas service yourself.
Pro Tip
Install a natural gas detector in your home — they plug into a standard outlet and cost about $25–$40. Place one in the kitchen, near the water heater, and near the furnace. Mercaptan odorant can be masked by other household smells, and some people have reduced sensitivity to it. A detector gives you an objective alarm rather than relying on smell alone. Test it monthly the same way you test smoke detectors.
Hristo
Master Plumber · ARG Plumbing