What To Do in a Gas Emergency

Important Safety Disclaimer: This article provides general guidance on what to do in a gas-related emergency and is not a substitute for professional advice or emergency services. Gas leaks and carbon monoxide exposure can be extremely dangerous and require immediate action.

If you suspect a gas leak or feel unwell, you must contact your local gas emergency service or seek medical attention without delay.

Any inspection, repair, or work involving gas appliances must be carried out only by a qualified Gas Safe-registered engineer. We accept no responsibility for actions taken based on this guide.

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If a gas appliance, such as a boiler, has been badly fitted or poorly serviced, potential risks include gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. 

Here’s what to do if you smell gas or suspect it’s CO poisoning.

What to do if you smell gas

It’s crucial to act quickly in a gas emergency. These are the steps you need to take to stay safe:

• Get fresh air immediately; open all doors and windows to ventilate the area.

• Turn off the gas emergency control valve (also called gas emergency shut off valve) at the meter, unless the meter is located in a basement or cellar or at the LPG bulk tank or storage vessels.

• Extinguish all naked flames and don’t smoke.

• Don’t operate electrical switches (including turning light switches on or off) because this can ignite escaping gas.

• Contact the relevant National Gas Emergency service number for your area. We’ve listed these numbers in the next section.

• If the attending emergency operative identifies an issue with any gas appliances, follow their advice concerning the use of the equipment. Where advised, contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to fix the appliance and check it’s safe.

• If you’re feeling unwell, visit your GP or hospital immediately and let them know you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide.

• Don’t turn the gas supply on again until it’s been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Head to our guide for more information on keeping your home gas safe.  

Who to call in a gas emergency

If you smell gas, want to report a gas leak or require gas emergency services, there’s a free, 24-hour National Gas Emergency Helpline you can call.

The gas emergency number you need depends on where in the UK you’re based and the type of gas that’s involved:

 *This applies for bulk and metered supplies. For cylinder supplies, please check your local telephone directory for contact details. On caravan sites and boats, the site owner or boat operator may also have gas safety responsibilities.

**Guernsey and Jersey use a manufactured LPG/air mixture that’s commonly known as ‘mains gas’ and supplied from an underground main system. The Isle of Man has a similar system known as ‘towns gas’, but many installations on it are being converted to burn natural gas.

Frequently asked questions 

What symptoms could a gas leak cause?

One of the first indicators of a gas leak is often the smell, however other physical symptoms may be experienced.

The most common symptoms include:

• Feeling lightheaded

• Nausea

• Dizziness

• Headaches

If you suspect a gas leak and have any of the above symptoms, please go outside into fresh air immediately and call the appropriate gas emergency helpline.

What does a gas leak smell like?

Gas is odourless; however, the addition of mercaptan, a non-toxic, harmless artificial additive, gives it a distinctive smell to enable detection. Mercaptans give off a strong, sulphur-like smell that can be mistaken for a rotten-egg smell. It’s often this smell that is the early warning of any sort of gas leak, and you should take the appropriate measures to ensure the safety of yourself and others around you.

It should also be noted that carbon monoxide (CO) can leak from gas appliances. This gas is a by-product of unsafe functioning gas appliances and has no smell. You’ll need a carbon monoxide (CO) detector that sounds an alarm when CO is present.

Do you have a carbon monoxide detector?

Who can check for a gas leak?

Although anyone can check for a gas leak by the smell it gives off or, in the case of carbon monoxide, by a CO detector, any confirmation and gas work should be completed by a competent Gas Safe registered engineer.

Need your boiler servicing by a Gas Safe registered engineer? Read our boiler servicing guide for more information. 

Preventing Future Emergencies

Once the immediate danger has passed and your home has been declared safe by a National Gas Emergency operative, the next step is ensuring your system is fit for the future.

• Book a Safety Inspection: Have a Gas Safe registered engineer conduct a full health check on your appliances.

• Install a CO Alarm: Ensure you have audible Carbon Monoxide detectors on every floor of your home.

• Stay Maintained: The best way to prevent leaks is through an annual boiler service.

Find a local installer to check your gas appliances