If you smell gas or suspect a leak, stay calm and don’t turn on any lights or electrical devices. Go outside to the gas meter, locate the shut-off lever, and turn it perpendicular to the pipe to stop the flow of gas. Open windows and call the gas company or a plumber for assistance.
Knowing how to perform an emergency gas shutoff is a critical safety skill for all homeowners. Undetected gas leaks can lead to devastating explosions, fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other hazards. Being able to quickly shut off your gas supply in an emergency could save lives.
It only takes a few minutes to locate and familiarise yourself with the main gas shutoff valve for your home. This valve is typically located outdoors near the gas metre. In an emergency, you simply turn the valve a quarter turn so the handle is perpendicular to the pipe to stop the flow of gas.
Of course, you should only ever shut off your gas if you smell or hear evidence of a leak. Once you’ve performed an emergency shutoff, do not attempt to turn the gas back on yourself. Only a professional should inspect your system and restore your gas service once the leak has been repaired.
Otherwise, it’s best to leave your gas on.
Knowing how to safely shut off your gas takes just a few minutes but provides invaluable peace of mind. Taking the time to locate your home’s shutoff valve means you’ll be prepared if the need for an emergency gas shutoff ever arises.
The main gas shutoff valve is typically located outside near the gas metre. There may be a vinyl sticker or engraving indicating it is the gas shutoff.
This is the valve you would turn to shut off gas to the entire home in an emergency. This is the valve you would turn to shut off gas to the entire home in an emergency.
If you don’t see an obvious valve near your gas metre, trace the gas line coming from the metre to find the shutoff valve. Building codes require a gas shutoff valve to be installed in an accessible location on the pipe before it enters the home.
It is normally within 1 to 3 metres of the gas metre.
Once you’ve located the main gas shutoff valve, make sure the handle turns freely. Once you’ve located the main gas shutoff valve, make sure the handle turns freely. This stops the flow of gas.
To shut off the gas, use an adjustable wrench to turn the valve handle perpendicular or at a 90 degree angle to the pipe.
Knowing exactly where your home’s main gas shutoff valve is located means you’ll be able to quickly turn off the gas in an emergency if you smell or hear a gas leak. Just remember that the valve should only be turned off if there is evidence of a dangerous leak.
The gas metre is usually located on the exterior of your home, typically mounted on a wall or freestanding post near where the gas line enters the house.
It may be enclosed in a metal or plastic box about 300-600mm wide and 900-1200mm tall. Look for the words "Gas Metre" printed on the box. Inside you will see dials and a gauge to measure gas usage.
The gas metre has pipes coming in and out - the inlet pipe brings natural gas from the main line while the outlet pipe carries gas into your home’s lines and appliances.
Multilayer polyethylene plastic pipes are often used. The shutoff valve will be on the outlet pipe within 1-3 metres of the gas metre.
Knowing what your gas metre looks like and where it’s located outside your home will make it easier to quickly shut off gas in an emergency. Just remember only to turn off the valve if you actually detect a gas leak.
Locating the main gas shutoff valve near your metre is a straightforward process. Start by looking at your gas metre, which is usually on an exterior wall or freestanding post where the gas line enters your home. Trace the gas line from the outlet of the metre to find the shutoff valve within 1-3 metres.
The shutoff valve will look like a spigot or faucet coming out of the ground. It will have a large handle that you can turn a quarter-turn to stop gas flow. There may be a sticker or engraving indicating it is the shutoff valve. The shutoff valve will look like a spigot or faucet coming out of the ground.
Knowing exactly where the gas shutoff valve is located near your metre prepares you to quickly shut off gas if you ever smell or hear a dangerous gas leak. Just take the time to trace the line from your metre to find the valve before an emergency occurs.
You should only shut off your gas supply if you detect a dangerous gas leak. Signs of a leak include smelling a rotten egg odour or hearing a high-pitched whistling sound coming from gas equipment or pipes.
If the leak is large or you are concerned about a fire or explosion risk, evacuate immediately and shut off the gas from outside using the main valve near the metre. Call emergency services once safely away from the leak.
For minor leaks, you may be able to temporarily shut off individual appliances until a technician can inspect and repair the leak. However, it’s safest to shut off gas to the entire home at the main valve if the leak location is unknown.
Never turn your gas back on after an emergency shut off until professionals inspect the system and confirm it is safe. Improper turn-on can lead to more leaks, explosions or fires. Only shut off your gas when absolutely necessary during detected leaks.
There are several potential indicators that you may have a dangerous gas leak requiring immediate shutoff:
If you detect any signs of a potential gas leak, take immediate safety precautions. Evacuate the area, alert others, and shut off the main gas valve outside next to the metre.
gas leaks, there are some other situations where you may need to perform an emergency gas shut off for safety:
Shutting off your gas prevents accidental ignition and gas accumulation risks. Although rare, equipment malfunctions can also necessitate shutting off gas. Put safety first in any questionable situation by knowing where your home’s shut off valve is located.
Turning off the main gas shutoff valve is a straightforward process, but one that you should be familiar with in case of an emergency gas leak:
Always turn the main gas shutoff valve a full quarter turn until it stops. This ensures gas flow is fully obstructed. Remember to only shut off gas when necessary for leaks - otherwise keep it on.
With a few quick turns of the valve handle, you can shut off your gas supply in an emergency.
When turning the main gas shutoff valve, it’s important to use the proper tool to grip and turn the handle. An adjustable wrench, also known as a crescent wrench, works perfectly for this task.
Adjustable wrenches are common tools found in many homes. They have movable jaws that can be tightened or loosened to grip objects of different sizes. Open the wrench jaws wide enough to fit around the shutoff valve handle.
Turn the adjustable wrench to tighten the jaws securely on the valve handle. You want a firm grip so you can turn the handle a quarter-turn perpendicular to the pipe. Avoid over tightening the wrench, as this could damage the valve.
With the proper grip, turn the wrench counter-clockwise to shut off gas flow. Adjustable wrenches provide the right leverage and hold to smoothly turn shutoff valves in an emergency.
A critical step when performing an emergency gas shutoff is to turn the main valve handle so that it is perpendicular or at a 90 degree angle to the pipe. This quarter turn positions the valve handle crosswise to the pipe, completely shutting off gas flow through the valve.
Use your adjustable wrench to grip the valve handle firmly. Turn it counter-clockwise a full quarter turn until the handle stands straight out from the pipe and will not turn any further. You should hear any gas hissing or whistling stop when flow is fully obstructed.
The valve handle must be aligned perfectly perpendicular to the long axis of the pipe to ensure no gas can get through. Take your time and focus on rotating the valve handle until it is at a right angle to the pipe’s length.
A partial turn or angling the handle somewhat may not fully close the valve.
After performing an emergency gas shutoff, it is critical to take the proper next steps.
First, evacuate the area and alert others nearby of the potential danger. Call emergency services once you are safely away from the leak. Call emergency services once you are safely away from the leak.
Only trained professionals should turn your gas service back on and inspect the system for leaks after a shutoff. Never try to turn your gas back on yourself, as this risks further leaks or explosions if done improperly. An authorised technician will ensure safety before restoring your gas supply.
Schedule a gas appliance inspection with a licenced plumber after your gas is turned back on. Leaks often occur at appliances, so it’s important to identify and repair the source of the leak. Continued leaks can be fatal.
Re-familiarise yourself with the main shutoff valve location and how to turn off your gas, in case future emergencies arise. Though rare, knowing how to quickly shut off gas can help prevent catastrophe.
After an emergency gas shutoff, it is critical to have your gas system professionally inspected before restoring service. Never attempt to turn your gas back on yourself. Doing so improperly could lead to catastrophic leaks or explosions.
Contact qualified gas technicians like those at North Mead Plumbing to handle your gas turn-on after a shutoff. Our licenced professionals serve the North Mead area and will ensure your home’s gas system is safe before restoring your service.
North Mead Plumbing also offers complete gas line inspections to check appliances and pipes for leaks. If the source of the original leak is not found and repaired, gas leaks could recur and endanger your home. Trust our experienced team for all professional gas services after an emergency shutoff in North Mead, Sydney.
After your gas service has been safely restored following an emergency shutoff, you will need to relight any pilot lights on your gas appliances. Pilot lights are small flames inside appliances that ignite the main gas burner. When your gas supply is disrupted, these pilot lights go out.
Do not attempt to relight pilot lights yourself after gas service is turned back on. This should only be done by a qualified technician once all potential leaks have been addressed. Our licenced professionals at North Mead Plumbing can relight your appliance pilot lights once repairs are complete.
Relighting pilot lights requires technical skill and training. Our technicians will use long lighter rods to reach the pilot light inside appliances, then follow proper ignition procedures specific to your equipment make and model. With all pilots relit, your appliances can once again operate safely and efficiently.
For professional pilot light relighting when gas service resumes after an emergency shutoff, call the experts at North Mead Plumbing. We also offer inspection and leak detection services to keep your North Mead, Sydney gas systems running safely.
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