Plumbing tips · October 9, 2026
You smell gas — what to do first
Natural gas and propane have no smell of their own. The rotten egg smell is added on purpose so a leak gets noticed. If you smell it, take it seriously.
If the smell is strong, or you hear hissing
Get everybody out of the house, and leave the door open behind you. Do not switch lights or anything electrical on or off, do not use the phone inside, and do not light anything. Once you are well away from the house, call your gas company or 911. On propane, call your propane supplier.
If it is faint and near one appliance
A faint smell right at a range, water heater or furnace can be a pilot that has gone out or a loose connection. If you are not sure, treat it as a leak and get out — a smell you are not sure about is still a smell.
After it is made safe
The gas company or supplier will shut off and make the line safe. Finding the leak, repairing the pipe and pressure testing it before the gas goes back on is a plumber's job — in Texas, gas piping is work for a licensed plumber.
Questions we get asked
Should I try to find the leak myself?
No. Get out and let the gas company make it safe. Hunting for a leak with the gas on is how somebody gets hurt.Why will they not turn my gas back on?
If the line fails a pressure test or a leak is found, the gas stays off until the line is repaired and passes. A licensed plumber does the repair and the test.Do I need a plumber to add a gas line?
Yes. Running a new line for a range, dryer, water heater or grill is licensed plumbing work, and it has to be tested before it is used.Plumbing questions we answer
Where we go
Parker, Wise and Tarrant County, out of the shop in Springtown. Springtown, Weatherford, Azle, Boyd, Decatur, Newark, Millsap, Fort Worth and the country in between.
Call 817-487-8866