SAFETY
Every Room, Every Risk
Gas Meter Safety: Keep It Clear
Clear access to your gas meter is vital both for routine service and in emergencies. Keep the meter area clear of:
- Vegetation: Trim shrubs/weeds and maintain several feet of clearance.
- Snow/Ice: Gently remove with a broom, NOT a shovel. Keep vents clear too.
- Stored Items: Trash cans, firewood, or other materials.
- Structures: Decks, fences, or sheds enclosing the meter.
Why Clearance Matters:
Obstructions delay routine work and, critically, prevent emergency responders from quickly shutting off gas during fires or leaks. Clearance is also important to protect the meter from physical damage from vehicles or mowers.
Avoiding Encroachments:
Keeping pipeline easements clear is essential for safety. Property owners should be aware that placing any objects or structures within these areas can create hazards. To help maintain safe access and operation, nothing should obstruct the easement zone.
Experiencing a Sewer Line Clog?
Contact 811 before doing any work, and hire a licensed plumber to handle the issue safely. In some cases, the blockage may be caused by a rare but hazardous condition known as a cross bore. A cross bore happens when a gas line is accidentally put through a sewer line. This hidden hazard can lead to dangerous gas leaks if the sewer line is cleared without proper inspection.
Household Interior
Garage
- Leak detection: We add Mercaptan to our natural gas to give it a rotten egg odor. If you smell this in your home, leave immediately, don’t use electronics or open flames, get to a safe location, and then call 911 and the Hope Gas 24/7 Emergency Hotline (1-800-934-3187).
- Be aware of Carbon Monoxide: Routinely test your carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries every six months or the detectors themselves when necessary. Make sure CO detectors are properly installed on each level of your home and in every sleeping area.
Basement
- Caring for your furnace: To ensure safe and efficient operation, heating systems should be cleaned, adequately ventilated, and inspected on a regular basis by a licensed professional. This includes routine tasks such as changing or cleaning the furnace filter and keeping the chimney and flue clear of buildup.
- Set a safe water temperature: To help prevent scalding, set your water heater according to the manufacturer’s recommended temperature guidelines.
- Planning to move or remove an appliance? Be sure to hire a licensed professional to safely shut off the natural gas and properly cap the gas line.
- Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning: Never install a furnace in sleeping areas. Always rely on a licensed professional to ensure proper ventilation and sufficient fresh air for safe operation.
- Flooding risks: Flooding can harm appliances, equipment, and gas lines, creating potential safety risks. Before restoring service, have a licensed professional inspect, clean, repair, and test all affected systems.
Kitchen
- Your kitchen appliances: Ensure your kitchen appliances are correctly installed and functioning safely. Keep all flammable items at a safe distance.
- Be aware of carbon monoxide: Never use your stove or oven for heating, and always keep the oven door closed during use. Make sure carbon monoxide detectors are installed on every level of your home and in each sleeping area.
- Leak detection: We add Mercaptan to our natural gas to give it a rotten egg odor. If you smell this in your home, leave immediately, don’t use electronics or open flames, get to a safe location, and then call 911 and the Hope Gas 24/7 Emergency Hotline (1-800-934-3187).
- Inspect gas appliance vents: Have a licensed professional check your natural gas appliances to ensure they’re venting correctly and operating safely, helping to prevent carbon monoxide exposure.
Living Room
- Leak detection: We add Mercaptan to our natural gas to give it a rotten egg odor. If you smell this in your home, leave immediately, don’t use electronics or open flames, get to a safe location, and then call 911 and the Hope Gas 24/7 Emergency Hotline (1-800-934-3187).
- Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning: Routinely test your carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries every six months or the detectors themselves when necessary. Make sure CO detectors are properly installed on each level of your home and in every sleeping area.
Laundry Room
- Leak detection: We add Mercaptan to our natural gas to give it a rotten egg odor. If you smell this in your home, leave immediately, don’t use electronics or open flames, get to a safe location, and then call 911 and the Hope Gas 24/7 Emergency Hotline (1-800-934-3187).
- Appliance installation, repair, or replacement: Always hire a licensed professional to handle appliance work to ensure it’s done safely and correctly. Never try to do it yourself.
- Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning: Routinely test your carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries every six months or the detectors themselves when necessary. Make sure CO detectors are properly installed on each level of your home and in every sleeping area.
- Laundry appliance care: Make sure your appliances are installed and regularly maintained by licensed professionals to ensure safe and proper connections.
Bedroom
- Be aware of carbon monoxide: Routinely test your carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries every six months or the detectors themselves when necessary. Make sure CO detectors are properly installed on each level of your home and in every sleeping area.
- Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning: Never install a furnace in sleeping areas. Always rely on a licensed professional to ensure proper ventilation and sufficient fresh air for safe operation.
- Leak detection: We add Mercaptan to our natural gas to give it a rotten egg odor. If you smell this in your home, leave immediately, don’t use electronics or open flames, get to a safe location, and then call 911 and the Hope Gas 24/7 Emergency Hotline (1-800-934-3187).
Bathroom
- Leak detection: We add Mercaptan to our natural gas to give it a rotten egg odor. If you smell this in your home, leave immediately, don’t use electronics or open flames, get to a safe location, and then call 911 and the Hope Gas 24/7 Emergency Hotline (1-800-934-3187)
- Experiencing a sewer line clog? Contact 811 and hire a licensed plumber to safely clear your sewer line. In rare cases, clogs may be caused by a cross bore, which can create a serious safety hazard. A cross bore happens when a gas line is accidentally put through a sewer line. This hidden hazard can lead to dangerous gas leaks if the sewer line is cleared without proper inspection.
- Review your water heater settings: Ensure your water heater is set to a safe temperature by following the manufacturer's guidelines. This helps prevent the risk of scalding.
- Bubbling toilet water or strange sounds? Stay alert for unusual sounds like hissing noises or bubbling water, which could signal a gas leak. If you think there’s a leak, stop what you're doing, leave the area right away, and call 911 and the Hope Gas 24/7 Emergency Hotline (1-800-934-3187).
Your Responsibilities for Natural Gas Lines and Meter Safety
We're In This Together: Who Covers What
Hope Gas Owns/Maintains: Infrastructure up to and including the gas meter (main lines, service line to meter).
Customer Owns/Maintains: All gas piping and equipment after the meter outlet (house lines, fuel lines). This includes piping to all appliances (furnace, water heater, range, dryer, pool heater, grill, etc.), appliance connectors, and the appliances themselves.
Customer Maintenance: What To Do
- Customer-owned buried lines (to pools, grills, etc.) can corrode and leak. Periodic inspection by a qualified contractor is strongly recommended.
- The property owner is responsible for repairs on customer-owned piping. Hope Gas cannot repair these lines.
- Remember: WV811 does NOT mark private lines. Hire a private locator before digging near them.
Cold Weather, Safe Homes: Your Guide to Natural Gas Safety
Beware of Snow and Ice on Gas Meters
As winter approaches, water dripping or freezing on a gas meter or an appliance vent can create a potentially hazardous situation. Be on the lookout for frozen hazards that may prevent safe and efficient operation. First responders or company personnel must be able to access metering equipment at all times in the event of an emergency. For your safety, please maintain clear access to the meter and associated metering equipment, keeping it free from obstructions.
- Remove snow or ice around the meter and/or piping by hand, or gently brush with a broom.
- DO NOT strike the metering equipment with any objects to remove ice. Doing so may cause a gas leak.
- Prevent dripping and freezing water by removing icicles from overhead eaves and gutters.
- Keep sidewall vents clear of snow and ice to ensure gas appliances will operate properly and to allow any accumulated carbon monoxide to escape.
- DO NOT plow or pile snow up against or on the gas metering equipment or any of the company’s equipment buildings.