Gas Smell in Your Eloy Home? Emergency Gas Line Repair, Installation and Hookups
If you smell gas, leave the building first. Call the gas utility or 911 from outside, and only then think about repairs. Once the utility has made the situation safe, a plumber serving your area can locate the failed section, repair or replace the pipe, and test the line before it goes back into service.
- Gas line leaks repaired after the utility clears the scene
- New lines and appliance hookups installed
- Pressure tests and permit questions handled
Smell gas? What to do before anyone calls a plumber
A gas smell is the one plumbing problem where the first move is to leave, not to fix. Natural gas is given a strong odor on purpose so that leaks get noticed early.
- Stop what you are doing and get everyone, including pets, outside.
- Do not flip switches, use a lighter or start a car in the garage.
- From outside, call your gas utility or 911.
- Stay out until the utility says it is safe.
- Call a plumber only after the line has been cleared.
Do not try to find a gas leak with a flame or by trial and error. Leave it to the utility and a licensed plumbing contractor.
If your home uses propane, the supplier of that propane is the one to call in place of a natural gas utility.
Who fixes a gas leak: the utility, the plumber, or both
The utility and the plumber do different jobs. The utility handles the supply up to and including the meter. The plumber handles the piping on your side, from the meter to your appliances.
| Problem | Call first | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Smell of gas anywhere in or around the house | Gas utility or 911, from outside | A plumber, once cleared |
| Damaged meter or line on the street side | Gas utility | Nothing further from you |
| Leak in piping inside the house | Gas utility to make it safe | A plumber to repair |
| Adding or moving an appliance | A plumber | Permit and inspection |
Southwest Gas is the gas utility for Eloy. Picacho and Red Rock homes should know which company supplies them, so the right number is ready before anything happens.
Signs of a gas leak you might notice before you smell it
A strong odor is the usual alarm, but it is not the only one. Other signs can appear first, especially outdoors or in a closed garage.
- A hissing or whistling sound near a pipe or appliance.
- Dead or dying plants in a strip along a buried line.
- A pilot light that burns yellow or orange instead of blue.
- Soot or stains around a gas appliance.
- A faint smell that comes and goes near an appliance or the meter.
Any of these is reason to call the gas utility. Do not wait to be sure, because a false alarm costs far less than a missed leak.
Gas leak detection is done with a meter that reads gas in the air and with a pressure test on the line. A plumber can check piping, fittings and appliance connections after the utility has cleared the house, then repair what was found. Gas heating equipment such as a furnace is a different trade and is handled by a heating contractor.
Smell gas? Get out first, then call the gas utility or 911
Do not use switches, phones or flames inside. After the utility clears the home, call a plumber to find and fix the line.
Gas line repair and pipe replacement: what the plumber does
After the utility clears the home, the plumber finds the failed point. That may be a corroded black iron pipe, a worn fitting, a damaged flexible line or a connection at an appliance.
The repair depends on the piping. Black iron is threaded together, and a failed section is replaced. CSST, a flexible stainless tubing, needs fittings and bonding that follow the maker's instructions. An appliance connector is replaced as a unit.
- Locate the leak and shut off that section.
- Replace the damaged pipe, fitting or connector.
- Pressure test the line before it carries gas again.
- Restore service and relight appliances once the test passes.
New gas lines and appliance hookups
Adding a gas range, dryer, fireplace, outdoor grill or backup generator is a plumbing job, not a handyman job. The plumber checks that the existing pipe is large enough to feed everything on the line, adds a branch, sets a shutoff valve at the appliance and tests the new run.
Pipe size matters because every appliance on a line draws from the same supply. A line that was sized for a range may starve a generator running at the same time.
If a gas water heater or a tankless unit is the reason for the new line, the project is also covered under tankless water heater installation and new water heater hookups.
Adding a range, dryer, grill or generator? Ask about the line
A new gas appliance needs the right pipe size, a shutoff and a pressure test. A plumber serving your area can plan all three.
Pressure testing and inspection: how a gas line proves itself
A gas line is not finished when the pipe is connected. It is finished when a pressure test shows it holds. The plumber pressurizes the line, watches a gauge for a set period and looks for any drop.
The same test is useful for a home you are buying, or for an older line that has never been checked. Ask for the result in writing, and ask what was tested: the whole system or one branch.
A line that passes today still deserves attention if you smell gas later, since new damage can occur at any time.
Permit, code and license for gas work in Eloy
Eloy Community Development requires a permit to replace a plumbing system component, and the city has adopted the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code alongside the 2018 plumbing code.
Source: City of Eloy Community Development
Gas work should be permitted and inspected, which protects you if there is ever a claim. Ask the plumber to pull the permit and explain what the inspector checks.
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors licenses plumbing contractors. Look up the contractor at roc.az.gov and ask for proof of insurance, since licensing and insurance are separate matters. For addresses in unincorporated areas, confirm which office issues permits before work begins.
Call 811 before anyone digs a trench for a new buried gas line.
Gas line questions Eloy homeowners ask
Who fixes gas leaks, the utility or a plumber?
Both, in order. The utility makes the situation safe and handles the supply to the meter. A licensed plumber repairs the piping on your side once the utility has cleared it.
What should I do if I smell gas outside my house?
- Move away from the area.
- Call your gas utility or 911 from a safe distance.
- Keep people and pets back until the utility arrives.
Can a plumber install a gas line for a stove?
Yes. A licensed plumbing contractor can run the line, add a shutoff and test it. The work needs a permit and an inspection.
Do I call a plumber for a gas leak?
Call the gas utility or 911 first, from outside. Call a plumber after the line has been cleared, to find and fix the failed section.
How do I know if my gas line needs replacing?
Signs include repeated leaks, visible corrosion, a failed pressure test or a line that cannot feed a new appliance. A plumber can test it and say so plainly.
Gas lines in Eloy that are tested, not trusted
Licensed and insured plumbers repair and install gas piping across Eloy. Call now for a gas line problem the utility has cleared, or use the contact page to plan a hookup.