The air in my vent doesn't smell good, what should I do?

Natural gas smells similar to rotten eggs. Make sure you, and your family, know what to do if you smell gas. For free emergency response service, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call us at 1 800-867-5309.

In its pure state, natural gas is odorless. For your safety, we add an odorant called mercaptan, to give it a distinctive rotten egg or sulphur like smell.

The video below will help you understand how to recognize a gas smell and what to do quickly if you do.

If you suspect a natural gas leak:

• Act quickly and remain calm
• Go outside or leave the area immediately
• Call our 24-hour Emergency Number: 1 800-867-5309
• Never assume someone else has called to report a natural gas leak

Follow these safety precautions:

• Don't use phones or any electronics near the leak
• Don't turn appliances or lights on or off
• Don't smoke or use lights or matches
• Don't start any vehicles or motors

If leaking natural gas is burning, call 911. Don't attempt to put the fire out yourself.

Most often natural gas leaks are detected by smell. However, a hissing sound, damaged connection or dead or dying vegetation in the area around your natural gas meter, appliances or gas lines may also be signs of a leak.

The fire alarm comes on in the morning when the furnace turns on. There is no smoke, no fire, no smell of anything burning. Nothing being cooked. Any idea why this might be happening?

Have you ruled out your CO alarm being the source (perhaps you have an integrated CO/Smoke detector)? Here’s information on why it’s critically important to maintain Carbon Monoxide safety.

We always recommend you take all necessary safety precautions when an alarm sounds, including calling your local fire department.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is odourless, colourless and very poisonous. The symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu but without a fever. CO poisoning stops your blood from absorbing oxygen and exposure to high levels can cause brain damage or even death. CO can be caused by poorly maintained or malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances, damaged or blocked venting, a blocked chimney or a car running in an attached garage.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing, maintaining and testing the alarm and follow these guidelines:

• When you change your clocks in the spring and fall, test your alarm and change the batteries.
• CO alarms have a limited life. If your alarm is battery-operated, know the lifespan of its batteries and sensors. A CO alarm sounding intermittently may be a sign of a low battery or an aging sensor.

If Your Carbon Monoxide Alarm Sounds

If your CO alarm sounds, or anyone in the house has symptoms of CO poisoning (similar to the flu without the fever), get outside immediately and call 911.

How do I know if there is a pipeline near my home, workplace or community?

You can recognize the approximate location of an pipeline by identifying the pipeline markers. Markers should never be used as a reference for the exact location of a pipeline.

All pipeline markers provide the name of the pipeline operator, product being transported and a telephone number for reporting pipeline emergencies.

The general location of transmission pipelines and contact information for the pipeline operators is available through the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) available at npms.phmsa.dot.gov). Gathering lines are not included in the NPMS. If you are located in Texas, you can view both gathering and transmission lines on the mapview provided by the Texas Railroad Commission. For information on gathering lines in other states that may be present in your area, contact us at USpublicawareness@aware.com or call 877-799-2650.

Do not rely on the National Pipeline Mapping System or pipeline markers when planning to dig. A call to 811, the national “Call Before You Dig” telephone number, is necessary to properly locate pipelines and other buried utilities before excavation.

Is there any way to have the meter read every month instead of estimating as we are a new account?

We strive to visit your property every other month to read your natural gas meter. If we can't access your meter because of vegetation, a protective dog, weather, or a locked gate or on months we do not read the meter, you will receive a bill based on estimated natural gas use. In this case, the word “Estimated” will appear in the meter reading section on page 1 of your bill.

On months we don’t visit, you can easily submit your meter reading online or by telephone. Getting an actual read helps with bill accuracy and ensures your meter is working safely. If your meter is behind a locked gate, please provide your meter reading.

If you would like to provide a reading, you can enter it below or login to your account and submit it under the My Gas Meter tab. You can also sign up to receive an email or text to remind you when it’s time to read your meter.