If you smell gas right now, stop reading and leave the building. Do not flip a switch, use a phone inside, or look for the source. Once you are outside, call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200, and call 911 if you are in danger or cannot reach SoCalGas.
This guide is for the calmer moment afterward, and for the homeowner who wants to understand gas piping before a problem starts. It explains where gas lines run in a house, which warning signs matter, and which jobs a licensed plumber handles. Our 24/7 line at (714) 750-8637 covers the plumbing side once the gas company has made the building safe.
Smell gas? What to do, in order
Natural gas has an added odor so that a leak announces itself. The smell is often compared to rotten eggs. A strong smell, a hissing sound near a pipe, or a dead patch of plants over a buried line all deserve to be taken seriously.
Do these things in this order:
- Leave immediately. Take everyone, including pets, and do not stop to open windows or gather belongings.
- Touch nothing electrical. Do not use light switches, garage door openers or a phone while you are inside.
- Call SoCalGas from a safe distance. The number is 1-800-427-2200. Call 911 if there is danger or you cannot reach SoCalGas.
- Stay out until cleared. Re-enter only when the gas company or fire crew says the building is safe.
A plumber is the right call after the gas company has shut off or cleared the line, not before. Call (714) 750-8637 when you are ready to have a licensed plumber look at the piping, the appliance connection or the shutoff valve.
Where gas lines run inside a typical house
Gas reaches a home through a service line from the street to a meter. From the meter, black iron or flexible connectors branch to the water heater, furnace, range, dryer and sometimes a fireplace or outdoor grill. Each appliance should have its own shutoff valve within reach.
That valve is the most useful thing to find before an emergency. It is usually a small handle on the pipe just ahead of the appliance. When the handle sits parallel to the pipe, gas flows. When it sits crosswise, the flow is off.
Most leaks start at a joint, a flexible connector or a valve, not in a long run of pipe. That is why a plumber tests the connections at the appliance first and works back toward the meter.
Warning signs worth a call even without a strong smell
Not every gas problem announces itself with a loud odor. These quieter signs are worth a professional look.
- A faint smell near one appliance. It can be a worn connector or a loose fitting. Leave the area and call SoCalGas if the smell is clear, since a small leak can become a large one.
- A pilot light that keeps going out. This may be a draft, a failing part or a venting problem, and it should not be relit again and again.
- A yellow or orange burner flame. A healthy burner flame is mostly blue. A lazy yellow flame can mean poor combustion.
- Soot or scorch marks around an appliance. Staining on or near a water heater or furnace points to incomplete combustion or poor venting.
- Headaches, nausea or dizziness that ease when you leave. Carbon monoxide can come from a faulty gas appliance. Get fresh air and call 911 if symptoms are strong.
Gas jobs: what a homeowner can do and what needs a licensed plumber
Gas work is the one place where a do-it-yourself attempt can end badly. Here is a plain split.
| Task | Homeowner | Licensed plumber |
|---|---|---|
| Find and name the appliance shutoff valves | Yes, and worth doing today | Can mark them with a tag |
| Listen and look for a leak at an appliance | Look and smell only, then leave | Pressure tests the connections |
| Replace a flexible gas connector | Not recommended | Yes, with a leak test after |
| Add a gas outlet for a range, dryer or grill | No | Yes, and it can need a city permit |
| Move or extend gas piping during a remodel | No | Yes, sized and tested to code |
The City of Placentia permit application lists gas outlets among its plumbing permit items. Ask the Building & Safety Division at (714) 993-8124 whether your job needs one.
What a gas line visit looks like
After the gas company has cleared the home, the plumber's visit follows a set order.
- 01
Confirm the building is safe
The plumber checks that SoCalGas has done its part before opening any fitting.
- 02
Trace and test the line
Joints, valves and connectors are tested one at a time so the leak is located, not guessed.
- 03
Repair or replace the failed part
A bad connector, valve or section of pipe is replaced with the correct fitting for gas.
- 04
Test again and explain
The line is tested after the repair and you are shown what failed and what to watch.
Gas lines and the age of Placentia homes
Placentia grew from about 5,000 residents in 1960 to nearly 25,000 in 1970, so many homes are decades old and have had appliances swapped more than once. Every swap is another connector and another joint that can loosen over time. A homeowner who has replaced a range or dryer should ask whether the connector was replaced too.
Gas piping work is governed by California's Title 24 plumbing requirements, which are built on the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), and a licensed plumber works to that code.
The City of Placentia Building & Safety Division, at 401 Chapman Avenue, lists water heaters and gas outlets among the plumbing permit items on its application. If you plan a new gas appliance, ask the division at (714) 993-8124 what applies. Calls from 92870 and 92871, and from Yorba Linda ZIP codes handled through our Yorba Linda service page, reach the same 24/7 line.
Gas appliances that tie into plumbing work
The gas water heater is the appliance most homes share with the plumbing system. A water heater repair visit often includes checking the gas connector, the venting and the shutoff valve at the same time, because those parts age together.
If you are adding a gas outlet or relocating a line as part of a remodel, plumbing installation covers gas piping sized for the appliance and tested before it goes into service. Keep the invoice and any permit paperwork with your home records.
A water heater in California must also be braced or strapped against earthquake motion under Health and Safety Code 19211, so a gas water heater visit is a good moment to confirm the straps are present.
Gas line questions from Placentia homeowners
Leave the building and call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 from a safe place. Call 911 if there is danger or you cannot reach SoCalGas. A plumber is the next call, after the gas company has cleared the home.
No. A faint smell can be a small leak that is easy to fix now and harder later. Leave the area and let SoCalGas assess it.
A licensed plumber can repair connectors, valves and piping, and add outlets. Each job is tested for leaks before the appliance is used again.
The city permit application lists gas outlets as a plumbing permit item. Ask the Building & Safety Division at (714) 993-8124 about your specific job.
Look on the gas pipe just before the appliance. A handle crosswise to the pipe means the gas is off, and a handle running along the pipe means it is on.
The 24/7 line at (714) 750-8637 is answered around the clock. For an active gas smell, leave and call SoCalGas first.