Gas Leak Detection

If You Smell Gas, Do This First

1. Leave the building right away. Don't stop to gather belongings.
2. Don't flip switches or lights, and don't use electronics inside.
3. Don't use your phone until you're outside and away from the house.
4. Call 911, then call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200.
5. Wait outside until SoCalGas says it's safe to go back in.
6. Then call us to find and fix the leak.

Signs of a Gas Leak

• A rotten egg or sulfur smell, even a faint one
• A hissing or whistling sound near a gas line, meter or appliance
• A gas smell near the stove, water heater, furnace or dryer

Never try to find the leak yourself with a flame or by turning appliances on and off.

How Gas Leak Detection Works

1. The plumber scans every gas connection, fitting, appliance hookup and pipe section with a calibrated combustible gas detector.
2. When the leak is found, a manometer test measures the exact pressure loss before any repair starts.
3. The leaking fitting, connector or pipe section is repaired or replaced.
4. The line is pressure-tested again to confirm it's fully sealed.

Common Causes of Gas Leaks in Homes

• Corroded or aging fittings, especially on older black iron gas pipe
• Loose or failed connections at the stove, water heater, furnace or dryer
• Flexible appliance connectors that have worn out over time
• Shifting soil or tree roots pressing on an underground gas line

After the Gas Leak Repair

The plumber checks the area for any gas left behind and confirms that each appliance reconnects and fires safely. If the leak was near your furnace, a combustion check is also run to make sure nothing was affected.

Sometimes the leak points to a bigger problem with the appliance itself. If your furnace needs work, see our furnace repair page.

Was the leak at the water heater? Our water heater repair page covers the heater itself.

What Gas Leak Repair Costs

The price depends on where the leak is and which part failed. A worn appliance connector is a smaller job than a leak in a buried line. Either way, you get a written estimate before any work begins, even on an emergency call. There's a $0 dispatch fee on approved repairs.