Gas Leaks

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What To Do if You Suspect a Natural Gas Leak

Please leave the affected area and immediately call ENSTAR's 24 hour dispatch center:

277-5551 - Anchorage
376-7979 - Mat-Su Area
262-9334 - Kenai Peninsula Area
1-877-907-9767 - Whittier

ENSTAR has Technicians available to investigate gas leaks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A Technician will be dispatched quickly to investigate all potential leaks, regardless of the time of day.

Here are some important reminders:

DON’T use your telephone. This includes cellular phones and all types of portable communication and electronic devices that have a battery. These can spark and create a source of ignition.
DON’T light matches or create any other source of ignition.
DON’T turn a light on or off, or operate ANY electrical switches, either off or on. This could create a source of ignition. The sparking could ignite the gas.
OPEN windows and doors wide.
EVACUATE all persons from the building.
CALL ENSTAR Natural Gas from a neighbor’s phone or a phone away from the building.

In its natural state, natural gas is odorless and colorless. So that it can be detected easily, ENSTAR injects an odorant called mercaptan into the gas before it goes into the company’s distribution system. The odorant is so highly concentrated that even the smallest amounts of natural gas can be detected. If you’ve never smelled it, mercaptan gives off a foul smell, reminiscent of rotten eggs.

What To Do if You Damage a Gas Line

If you damage a pipeline facility, call ENSTAR's 24-hour dispatch number at 277-5551. Call ENSTAR any time a gas line is broken, scraped, pulled, cut or otherwise damaged. If the damage results in a release of natural gas and there is a danger to life or property, you should call the local Fire Department or 911. Eliminate all ignition sources and evacuate the area of the damage. Wait for an ENSTAR employee to shut off the flow of gas and make repairs.

Gas lines that have been pulled, stretched, kinked or bent could be damaged underground away from where the line is connected. If you pull or stretch gas lines call ENSTAR at 277-5551 and an ENSTAR Representative will investigate for possible underground leakage.

What To Do To Prevent CO Build-Up in Your Home

Make sure appliances are installed according to manufacturer's instructions and local building codes. Have the heating system (including chimneys and vents) inspected and serviced annually.
Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent.
Install a CO detector / alarm on every level of your home where there is a bedroom.
Never use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent.

Follow the suggestions of this drawing
and be CO safe and smart!

On behalf of our customers, ENSTAR is going on the offensive to protect Alaska gas consumers

Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the garage door open.
Never service fuel-burning appliances in any room where people are sleeping.
Never use gas appliances for heating your home, such as ranges, ovens or clothes dryers.
Do not use gasoline-powered tools and engines indoors.

Carbon Monoxide

To help keep your gas appliances operating safely and efficiently a licensed heating contractor or plumber should check your gas appliances every year. Not performing annual maintenance may result in inefficient appliance operation, and in some cases dangerous exposure to carbon monoxide.

What causes carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is formed when carbon-based fuels, such as kerosene, gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, charcoal or wood, are burned with inadequate amounts of oxygen, creating a condition known as incomplete combustion. In the case of home gas appliances, this can be caused by improper installation, poor maintenance, or other appliance misuse or failure.

Carbon monoxide poisoning

When incomplete combustion occurs in your home’s gas appliances, carbon monoxide is produced, and this can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning of you and your family. The early stages of carbon monoxide poisoning produce unexplained flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and mental confusion. Since carbon monoxide displaces the oxygen in the blood, prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide can lead to death by asphyxiation.

Signs that may indicate the presence of carbon monoxide

A yellow, large and unsteady gas appliance burner flame (with the exception of decorative gas log appliances).
An unusual pungent odor when the appliance is operating. This may indicate the creation of aldehydes, a by-product of incomplete combustion.
Unexplained nausea, drowsiness and flu-like symptoms.

What to do if you suspect carbon monoxide is present in your home:

Immediately turn off and stop using the suspected gas appliance.
Seek medical attention if anyone in the home experiences possible carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms.
Contact a licensed heating contractor or plumber immediately to have the appliance inspected.
Don’t use the suspected gas appliance until it has been inspected, serviced and determined to be safe by a licensed heating contractor.

How to maintain and use gas appliances to prevent carbon monoxide

Vacuum around burner compartments, and inspect and replace furnace filters on forced-air units or central heating systems according to manufacturer instructions.
Make sure to properly replace the front panels of a forced-air unit or the burner compartment door of a gas wall heater.
Never store anything near a gas appliance that might interfere with normal appliance airflow.
Have all gas appliances and venting repairs done by a qualified and licensed heating or plumbing contractor.
When using your gas fireplace, make sure the damper is open.
Never use your gas oven for space heating.
Gas appliance maintenance is always the homeowner’s responsibility.

Should you worry about carbon monoxide?

Accidental carbon monoxide poisoning from natural gas appliances is statistically rare. During the last 20 years, the number of deaths related to unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning has declined substantially. However, while the chance of dying from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning from a home gas appliance is rare, it is still essential to perform regular maintenance on your home gas appliances to ensure your safety. For these reasons, it is recommended that you have your gas furnace checked at least once a year by a licensed heating contractor.

Last Updated: September 19, 2007