Gas Safety Newsletter - June 2023
We’re here to help.
Smell gas. Act fast.
- Get Out — All occupants should leavethe house or building immediately. Please do not use the telephone or light switches for any reason.
- Report a Gas Emergency — After leaving the house or building and reaching a safe environment, call 911 or our gas emergency number: 1-718-643-4050.
- Stay Out — Please do not return to your home or building until National Grid tells you it is safe.
Use your senses to detect gas leaks.
- 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.
Stay safe. Call 811 before you dig.
It’s the season for outdoor projects — such as planting trees and shrubs or maybe putting in new fencing, a pool or a deck. Whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a professional, always make sure to call 811 before digging. It’s not only the law but it could prevent loss of life, injury and property damage.
Excess flow valve notification.
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. There is a charge for this service. Certain conditions must exist for this installation. For more information, you can email nycgss@nationalgrid.com or call 1-877-MyNGrid (877-696-4743).
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 or property damage, or lead to future undetected leaks. Before work begins, contact us for a service disconnection and to obtain the required application to disconnect gas service and remove the gas meter. Be sure to specify that you require a disconnection, rather than a shutoff, which 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 gas lines. It’s the owner’s or contractor’s responsibility to obtain a disconnect letter. To request a service disconnection application, call Customer Service at 1-718-643-4050.
Inspect your pipes regularly.
Stay safe at home with alarms.
- A carbon monoxide (CO) alarm sounds when this highly poisonous, colorless, odorless gas is present in the air.
- A smoke alarm senses smoke, indicating a possible fire.
- A residential methane detector signals methane in the air, indicating a gas leak.