The only reason you would ever shut off your home’s gas supply is if you smell or hear leaking gas.
Once you turn off the gas, get everyone out of the house, and then call the gas company to resolve the problem. Do not re-enter your house until the gas company tells you it’s safe, and do not turn the gas back on or re-light your pilot lights yourself. Leave that to the professionals.
Your home has a gas supply only if you have gas appliances, like a gas stove, furnace or fireplace. If your home is all-electric, you won’t need to worry about gas leaks.
The service shut-off valve usually is located next to your gas meter, which is outside of your home on the side or back. If you have a breezeway porch, you might find the meter there. Go outside and look for it now so you’ll know where it is in case of an emergency. If you can’t find it, call the gas company and ask. The valve most likely will look like a lever. Use a 12- to 15-inch crescent wrench to turn the lever one-quarter turn in either direction so it’s perpendicular to the pipe.
Like water valves, you’ll also find gas shutoff valves located near most gas appliances. Walk around your house and look for them now so you’ll know where they are when you need to. Sometimes, you can shut the gas off to a single appliance rather than to the whole house if you know which one is causing the problem. Rotate the valve one-quarter turn to close it.
Best bet: Get out of the house and call the gas company if you suspect a problem. The professional will tell you if you should touch the valves or wait for help to arrive.
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