What to do if you smell gas
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg smell in your apartment, walk out now and take people and pets with you. Touch nothing electrical on the way: no light switches, no appliances, no doorbell, no lighter. Once you are outside and well away, call the gas company's emergency number or 911 from your phone. Wait outside until they say it is safe.
Why it matters: The only safe plan is leaving first and calling from outside, never hunting for the leak.
Steps
- Save your gas company's emergency number in your phone today.
- If you smell gas, stop and leave with everyone, leaving the door open behind you if it is quick.
- Do not switch any light, appliance or fan on or off, and do not use the doorbell or intercom.
- Do not light anything or start a car in an attached garage.
- Once well away from the building, call the gas company's emergency line or 911.
- Knock on a neighbor's door on the way out only if it is quick, and tell the building manager once outside.
- Stay out until the gas company or fire department says it is safe.
Stop and call a professional if
- every time you smell gas indoors, even faintly: leave, then call from outside
- anyone has a headache, dizziness or nausea: tell the dispatcher and keep them in fresh air
Common mistakes
- Opening windows and staying inside to find the source.
- Turning the stove knobs or the thermostat to check them.
- Deciding a faint smell is not worth reporting.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: What to do if you smell gas
What to say
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg smell in your apartment, walk out now and take people and pets with you. Touch nothing electrical on the way: no light switches, no appliances, no doorbell, no lighter. Once you are outside and well away, call the gas company's emergency number or 911 from your phone. Wait outside until they say it is safe.
What to show
- Save your gas company's emergency number in your phone today.
- If you smell gas, stop and leave with everyone, leaving the door open behind you if it is quick.
- Do not switch any light, appliance or fan on or off, and do not use the doorbell or intercom.
- Do not light anything or start a car in an attached garage.
- Once well away from the building, call the gas company's emergency line or 911.
- Knock on a neighbor's door on the way out only if it is quick, and tell the building manager once outside.
- Stay out until the gas company or fire department says it is safe.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if every time you smell gas indoors, even faintly: leave, then call from outside.
Check question
What does natural gas usually smell like?
Answer: Sulfur or rotten eggs. A strong odorant is added so leaks can be noticed.
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Related skills
Sources
- US gas utility public safety guidance, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .