Smell Gas? Do This Immediately

Updated July 2026 · 6 min read · Geelong Emergency Plumbing

The short version, in order: No switches. No flames. No phones indoors. Open doors/windows only if it takes seconds. Everyone outside. Gas off at the meter if safe. Call from outside — 000 if there's fire or the smell is strong; otherwise your gas distributor's 24/7 faults line, then a licensed gasfitter. Do not go back inside until told it's safe.

Gas leaks are rare, and that's exactly what makes them dangerous — nobody gets practice. Unlike a burst pipe, where the worst case is expensive, a gas leak's worst case is genuinely hazardous, so the response order matters and the golden rule is simple: when in doubt, get out. This is the one plumbing emergency where being overly cautious is always the right call.

First: What You're Smelling (and Why)

Natural gas and LPG are naturally odourless — so an additive called mercaptan is blended in specifically to make leaks smell like rotten eggs or sulphur. That smell is not the house being moody; it's a deliberately engineered alarm. Other leak clues: a hissing sound near appliances or the meter, dead patches of grass over a buried gas line, a white mist or persistent bubbling in wet ground near the line, and pilot lights that keep going out.

One caution for perspective: a faint whiff when an appliance ignites can be momentary and normal. A smell that persists, appears without an appliance running, or is strong enough that you're reading this article — treat as a leak.

The Steps, In Order

1. Nothing That Sparks — Nothing At All

Do not flick light switches on or off, don't unplug anything, don't ring doorbells, don't use your phone indoors, and obviously no lighters, candles, gas stoves or cigarettes. Switches make tiny sparks; in a gas-rich room, tiny is enough. If a light is on, leave it on. The room's electrical state is now frozen exactly as it is.

2. Extinguish Any Naked Flames

Candles, the stove burner, anything already burning — out.

3. Ventilate — But Only If It's Quick

If doors and windows can be opened on your way through, do it; airflow disperses gas fast. But this step gets seconds, not a lap of the house. Ventilation is a bonus, evacuation is the job.

4. Everyone Outside

People and pets, out and away from the building — the front fence, not the front porch. Leave the front door open behind you if convenient.

5. Turn Off the Gas at the Meter (If Safe)

Your gas meter is usually on a side wall or front of the house (or a numbered meter in a bank, for units). The shut-off valve is on the pipe beside the meter: a quarter turn so the lever sits at 90° across the pipe = off. Only do this if the meter is safely reachable outdoors — if the smell there is strong or you're unsure, skip it and leave it to the professionals. Like the water mains valve, the time to find your gas valve is a calm weekend, not mid-emergency.

6. Call — From Outside

• Fire, injury, or a strong smell: call 000.
• Gas leak without fire: call your gas distributor's 24/7 faults and emergencies line — the number is on your gas bill and the meter itself. In Victoria, the distributor (not your retailer) handles leaks on the network and meter.
• Leaks inside your home's pipework or appliances: a licensed gasfitter must find and repair them — gas work by anyone unlicensed is illegal in Australia, and for once the law and physics fully agree.

7. Stay Out Until Cleared

Nobody re-enters until the responder or gasfitter confirms it's safe. Not for wallets, not for phone chargers, not to "just check."

How a Gasfitter Actually Finds the Leak

Once the emergency is controlled, diagnosis is methodical: a pressure test isolates the system and watches for pressure drop (the definitive is-there-a-leak test), an electronic gas detector sniffs along pipes and fittings to localise it, and approved leak-detection solution bubbles at the exact joint. Repairs range from resealing a fitting to replacing pipe runs or condemning an appliance that's past redemption. You'll get the system back on only after it holds pressure — that's the standard, not a courtesy.

Preventing the Sequel

• Service gas appliances every couple of years — heaters especially, and always before winter. Poorly burning appliances also risk carbon monoxide, which has no smell at all.
• Know your meter valve — locate it, show the household, keep it accessible.
• Old flexible appliance connections and bayonet fittings wear out; if your gas heater hose looks like it predates the heater, have it checked.
• Renovating or fencing? Gas lines are shallower than people think. Dial Before You Dig (BYDA) is free and faster than an evacuation.

FAQs

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