What to Do If You Smell Gas
Here is the short answer to what to do if you smell gas. Put out any flame, leave every switch alone, turn the gas appliance off, open the doors and windows, and turn off the supply only if the smell stays. Those steps come from the Queensland Government's gas safety advice, in that order, and they work the same in a kitchen, a laundry or a plant room.
If we're late, $100 comes off your bill
- Licensed and InsuredEvery job done by a licensed plumber. QBCC No: 15024607
- Fixed Quote FirstFlat-rate pricing, agreed before any work starts
- Lifetime Labour WarrantyBacked by our Fix-It-or-It's-Free guarantee (T&Cs apply)
- $0 Call-Out FeesNo extra charge for nights, weekends or public holidays
Gas repairs afterwards are licensed work, and every job is done by a licensed plumber. Our Bowen Hills team takes gas calls seriously, and this page walks through each step, explains when 000 is the right call, and covers the difference between piped gas and a bottle. We're available 24/7, and there's no extra charge for nights, weekends or public holidays.
No Flames, Appliance Off, Windows Open
- 1
Put Out Flames and Leave Switches Alone
Do not light any fire, and do not operate anything electrical, such as a light switch, either on or off. Power points, torches and fans can all spark, and a spark plus gas is the one combination to rule out before anything else.
- 2
Turn the Gas Appliance Off
Switch the appliance itself off at its control. Most smells trace back to a cooker, a heater or a connection at the appliance, so shutting it down removes the most likely source while you keep the room clear.
- 3
Open the Doors and Windows
Ventilate the area so the gas has somewhere to go. Cross-flow works best, so open a door at one side and a window at the other and let the air move through.
- 4
Shut the Supply if the Smell Stays
Turn the gas off at the meter for piped supply, or at the cylinder for a bottle, if you can still smell gas. Then phone the gas supplier or a gasfitter for advice before the fuel goes back on.
- 5
Call 000 if the Smell Survives the Shut-Off
Call 000 if you can still smell gas after the supply is off. Tell the operator what you've already done, and let the fire crew take it from there.
Plumbing job in Bowen Hills?
$0 call-out fees, available 24/7, and same-day where we can.
Is Gas Poisonous or Just Flammable
Natural gas and LPG have no colour or smell of their own. A chemical called mercaptan is added to give the distinctive rotten-egg odour that makes leaks easy to notice.
The hazard is fire, not poison. Fuel gases are highly flammable but not poisonous or toxic. The sickness people feel in a gas-filled space comes from oxygen the gas has displaced, which brings nausea, dizziness and, in the worst case, asphyxiation.
That rotten-egg smell is doing you a favour. Treat it as a warning system working exactly as designed, and follow the steps above rather than guessing at the size of the leak.
The Smell That Stays After the Gas Is Off
Two cases call for 000 straight away: a smell that stays after the supply is shut off, and any fire, explosion or uncontrolled gas leak, where 000 comes first, not last. For that second case the Queensland Government gives its own order:
Call 000 immediately
and evacuate the area.
Do not panic,
light fires or operate electrical devices on the way out.
Turn off the appliance and the supply
at the cylinder or meter, but only if it is safe to do so.
Put out any fire
with a fire blanket or fire extinguisher, and once it is out, open doors and windows to ventilate.
Your gas bill carries the supplier's emergency line: check the top right-hand corner, printed under the headings 'emergencies' or 'leaking gas'. Keep a bill handy so that number is a reach away rather than a search away.
Storms add a separate check. After a storm or flood, call 000 if you smell gas, and contact the gas supplier if meters, regulators or cylinders are damaged. The low flats around the Queensland Rail Mayne depot cop summer storm bursts most years, so this check earns its place here.
Should you leave the house? The Queensland Government's steps for a smell do not mention leaving, and its fire, explosion and uncontrolled-leak steps say to evacuate. Follow the list that matches your case, and don't wait around debating while gas is in the room.
Shutting Off at the Meter or the Cylinder
The two gases behave differently when they escape. Natural gas, which is methane, is lighter than air, so a leak tends to rise and may disperse in open air. LPG is heavier than air and can pool in low areas and drains.
The shut-off point follows the fuel: piped supply at the meter, bottles at the cylinder valve.
Cylinders have their own rules. A connected LPG cylinder is maintained and tested by the LPG distributor, so a gas smell or a damaged cylinder is a call to that distributor, not a do-it-yourself job.
Watch for the rotten-egg smell around any bottle, and never repair or remove a cylinder valve yourself. Valve work is licensed gas work in Queensland, full stop.
When to Call a Plumber
Every gas repair, from a weeping fitting to a new line, is licensed gasfitter work in Queensland. The licence covers installing, altering, repairing, servicing, testing and certifying a gas system and its pipework, and you should always ask to see it before anyone starts.
If the smell has gone but you want the fault found and fixed, our gas leak repairs page explains how we trace a leak and put it right. One rule stands above the rest: don't go hunting for the leak yourself, and don't relight a pilot to see what happens.
Gas Smell Questions From Bowen Hills
Call (07) 3523 7172Do I have to turn the gas off at the meter if I smell gas?
No, the meter is not the first move. Shut the supply only if the smell lingers once the appliance is off and the place is aired out, then get advice from your supplier or a licensed gasfitter.
Is it safe to flick a light switch when there's a gas smell?
No, leave every switch exactly as it is. A light switch can spark, and so can any electrical device, so touch nothing electrical and light no fires while you ventilate.
Where do I find the gas supplier's emergency number in Bowen Hills?
On your gas bill. Look at the top right corner, under the headings 'emergencies' or 'leaking gas'. Keep a bill somewhere easy to find, because you want that number in your hand, not in a search, when a smell appears.
What does fixing a gas leak cost in Bowen Hills?
The price turns on where the leak sits and how reachable the pipework is, plus whether a fitting, a single section or a longer run has to be replaced. You get a fixed quote before any work starts, so the confirmed price lands before we pick up a tool.
Call Us About Any Gas SmellWe'll call you back.
Ring (07) 3523 7172 and tell us what's wrong. You get $0 call-out fees, a fixed quote before any work starts and same-day where we can, 7 days a week.
To claim your $0 call-out fee, call (07) 3523 7172 today.