Natural Gas Safety
Here are some safety tips made available to you by Oneonta Utilities, so that you can keep your family safe and enjoy the reliability, comfort, convenience, and money saving benefits that natural gas offers. As your neighbors and a part of your community, it is important to us that we make sure that you and your family are informed and know what to do if there ever was any kind of natural gas emergency.
- All natural gas appliances should be installed, maintained and vented by a licensed or qualified professional installer or service technician. Have your gas water heater, furnace, and flue inspected periodically.
- Keep the area around your furnace and water heater clean.
- Never store or use flammables near gas appliances.
- Drain a pail full of water from your water heater at least twice a year to remove sediment that may accumulate in the bottom of the tank.
- Check the flame on your gas range. It should be blue. Keep the range and burners clean. Never let flames “lick” over the sides of cooking pot.
- Keep a dry chemical fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
- Never use the kitchen range as a space heater. This can produce deadly carbon monoxide gas.
- Read and follow manufacturers’ instructions on your gas appliances. Know how to shut them off in an emergency.
- If you use a gas space heater anywhere in your home, vent it to the outside. Never sleep in a room with an un-vented gas or kerosene heater.
Natural gas is colorless and odorless. A “rotten egg” smell is added to the gas, so you can smell a leak. If you detect a strong odor, touch nothing – no electrical switches, no phones or flashlights – leave the building immediately and call Oneonta Utilities for help at (205) 274-2159 or (866) 274-5488 from a neighbor’s home or nearby business. We are available to help you and your family 24 hours a day- 7 days a week. We are here for you.
It is important to keep the area around your gas meter clear of foliage and obstructions. Click HERE to learn more.
For your protection and safety and to help Oneonta Utilities prevent damage to our mains and gas service lines, please CALL BEFORE YOU DIG call 8-1-1 OR 1-800-292-8525 at least two(2) working days before you do any digging around your house or in your yard. This will give Oneonta Utilities enough time for the gas lines to be located and marked.
Be prepared and practice safety drills to help everyone understand their role in an emergency. Make sure everyone knows what to do and not to do if they smell natural gas. If there are any questions, please give us a call at (205) 274-2159 or (866) 274-5488.
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