What to Do If You Smell Gas at Home
The smell of gas in your home is one of the few situations where seconds matter. Here is exactly what to do — and what not to do — to stay safe.
A family in Dee Why did everything right
I got a call from a family in Dee Why early one morning who needed a gas plumber urgently. The mum had woken up to a strong gas smell, opened all the windows, grabbed the kids, and stood on the front lawn. She said, "We just grabbed the kids and stood on the front lawn." When I arrived, I did a bubble test on the flexible gas hose connecting their cooktop and found it had perished at the gas fitting. A simple fix — replaced the hose, did a pressure test, and they were back inside within an hour. They did everything right: no switches, no panic, just got out and called.
Here's exactly what I tell every customer to do if they smell gas at home. It could save your life.
What to do — in order
- Don't touch anything electrical — no light switches, no phones, no doorbell. A single spark can ignite gas. If your phone's in your hand, walk outside before using it.
- Open doors and windows as you leave — only what you pass naturally on your way out. Don't go room to room.
- Get everyone out — family, pets, visitors. Don't stop for belongings. Move at least 10 metres from the building. Don't stand near the gas meter.
- Call 1800 GAS LEAK (1800 427 532) or 000 from outside — describe the smell and whether you can hear any hissing.
- Call a licensed gas plumber — after the gas authority isolates the supply, I can come in to locate and repair the leak. Only a licensed gas fitter can legally reconnect your supply.
- Don't go back inside until it's declared safe — gas dissipates quickly once isolated, but pockets can remain. If you smell gas again after re-entering, evacuate and call again.
What NOT to do
- Don't light matches, lighters, or candles — no naked flames at all.
- Don't use the doorbell — the electrical spark can ignite gas.
- Don't turn any light switches on or off.
- Don't use a mobile phone inside the building.
- Don't start a car or any vehicle near the building.
- Don't try to find the leak yourself — evacuate first, report details from outside.
What happens after you call a plumber
Once the gas authority has isolated the supply and the immediate danger is over, call a licensed gas plumber. I'll pressure-test the system, locate the leak using electronic gas detectors, and make the repair. Only a licensed gas fitter can legally reconnect your gas supply.
If you smell gas but the gas authority test shows no leak in the street main, call me or another emergency plumber anyway — there could be a leak in your internal gas line, a faulty appliance, or a loose fitting. I serve the whole Northern Beaches with same-day gas plumber service.
What I see most in Dee Why and Brookvale
In coastal suburbs like Dee Why and Brookvale, the most common cause is a perished flexible gas hose on a cooktop or barbecue — the salt air and UV exposure degrades the rubber over time. In older homes in Mosman and Forestville, ageing copper gas pipes develop pinhole leaks from internal corrosion. And in newer developments with gas continuous-flow hot water units, the high-pressure gas fittings can loosen over time from thermal cycling.
Related reading
- 6 Signs of a Gas Leak You Should Never Ignore— Spot the warning signs before you smell gas.
- What Counts as a Plumbing Emergency?— Gas leaks are always an emergency — here is why.