Gas Safety Newsletter - June 2019
Use your senses to detect gas leaks.
Gas leaks are often recognized by:
- SMELL: Natural gas is odorless. A strong odor similar to rotten eggs is added so you can detect it fast.
- SIGHT: Outdoors you may see a white cloud, mist, fog, and bubbles in standing water. You may see blowing dust. Vegetation in the area may appear to be dying.
- SOUND: You may hear an unusual noise like roaring, hissing or whistling.
Excess flow valve available.
Customers may request installation of an excess flow valve (EFV), a safety device that slows the flow of natural gas in the event of a service line break*.
An EFV is not required for normal operation of your gas line. In fact, you may already have an EFV installed.
*Certain conditions must exist for this installation. There is a charge for this service.
Visit Our Pipeline Safety Efforts page for more information.
Meter inspections are required.
New York state law requires us to inspect natural gas meters and associated piping. The no-cost inspections make sure all natural gas services are working properly and safely. When you receive notification in the mail, please respond right away to schedule a convenient appointment time.
Our employees and contractors carry photo identification cards. Without the proper ID, don’t let them in.
If you have concerns, call 911
Keep your family safe with alarms.
- A smoke alarm senses smoke indicating a fire.
- A carbon monoxide (CO) detector sounds an alarm when carbon monoxide is present in the air.
- A residential methane detector (RMD) signals methane in the air indicating a gas leak.
Visit Safety for more info.
Request a service disconnection before major projects.
Leaving natural gas service connected during major renovation or demolition projects could pose a hazard such as injury to your family, damage to property, or cause future undetected leaks.
Before work begins, ask for a service disconnection.
- Contact National Grid in advance to get the required application to disconnect gas service and remove the meter at 1-800-930-5003.
- Be clear about work being done. A shutoff, for example, is only used during tenant/owner transitions and not during major construction.
- Do not begin work until you receive a service line disconnect letter. Local municipalities often seek this before issuing a permit.
- An owner or contractor may apply for the letter on behalf of the property owner. The owner must provide an affidavit authorizing work.
*There are fees associated with disconnecting and reconnecting lines. It’s the owner’s or contractor’s responsibility to get a disconnect.
Call 811 before you dig.
Call New York 811 at least two working days prior to the start of any excavation project, excluding the day you called, weekends and holidays. Calling 811 is not only the right thing to do — it’s the law..
Use outdoor gas appliances safely.
Grills:
- Make sure the gas grill is turned off or disconnected before cleaning.
- Check the metal tubes under each burner for signs of spiders, insects and nests which can block gas flow possibly causing a fire. Models with spider guards can prevent this problem. Clean regularly.
- Use a small flexible brush to remove debris from the metal tube and a thin wire to gently clean the holes or ports of each burner.
Natural gas patio heaters, fireplaces, pools:
- Have a certified contractor run a gas line.
- Keep outdoor appliances a safe distance away from your house or any building.
Use caution in work zones.
Please be cautious in and around construction projects. Always follow traffic restrictions in work zones