Smell gas? Leave now, then call
- Get everyone out of the building, including pets. Leave the door open behind you.
- Don’t create a spark. Don’t switch lights or appliances on or off, don’t use the doorbell or garage door opener, don’t light anything, and don’t start a car in an attached garage.
- Once you’re outside and well away from the building, call the FortisBC 24-hour gas emergency line: 1-800-663-9911, or 911.
- Stay out until FortisBC or emergency crews tell you it is safe to go back in.
Why gas smells like rotten eggs
Natural gas has no smell on its own. The utility adds a chemical called mercaptan that smells like rotten eggs or sulphur, so you can notice even a small leak. If you smell it inside, treat it as a leak, even if you’re not sure. A small leak can build up fast in a closed room, basement or furnace closet. FortisBC would much rather check a false alarm than miss a real leak.
What not to do
- Don’t try to find the leak yourself or test with a flame
- Don’t use a phone, switch or appliance inside the building
- Don’t open windows one by one as you walk through the house. Just get out.
- Don’t go back in to grab belongings
- Don’t try to repair a gas line or appliance yourself. In BC, gas work must be done by a licensed gas fitter.
Outdoor smell or hissing?
If you smell gas outdoors, near the meter, or hear hissing from a gas line, move away from the area and call FortisBC from a safe distance. If you’ve hit a gas line while digging, leave the area immediately and call. Don’t try to cover or plug it.
Gas smell vs carbon monoxide
| Natural gas leak | Carbon monoxide (CO) | |
|---|---|---|
| Smell | Rotten eggs / sulphur | No smell, no colour |
| Warning | Your nose | A CO alarm, or symptoms: headache, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, flu-like feeling that improves outside |
| Common cause | Loose fitting, damaged line, faulty appliance valve | A furnace, boiler, fireplace or water heater burning poorly or venting badly |
| What to do | Leave, then call FortisBC or 911 | Leave, get fresh air, call 911 if anyone has symptoms |
Every home with gas appliances should have working CO alarms near sleeping areas and on each level. Test them monthly.
After FortisBC makes it safe
FortisBC finds and isolates the leak and may shut off gas to the appliance or the whole home. Repairing the appliance or the gas piping on your side of the meter is the homeowner’s responsibility and needs a licensed gas fitter. That’s where we come in. Efficient Heating Service is a licensed Class B gas fitter, available 24/7. We repair or replace the faulty part, pressure-test the gas piping, and get your furnace, boiler or fireplace safely back in service.
Need a gas fitter after a leak?
Once the utility or emergency crews have made your home safe, call us to repair and restore your gas appliances.