If you smell gas nowLeave the building without using switches, flames, or phones indoors. From outside, call 911 if there is immediate danger and call your gas utility. Contact a private-side contractor only after the area is declared safe.
The short answer
Buried lines, multifamily manifolds, meter sets, and outdoor equipment can make the boundary less obvious. Written utility findings prevent duplicate dispatches and unsafe work on equipment the contractor does not own.
What matters in this situation
Gas-line planning should happen before walls close or equipment arrives. Route, pipe size, access, permits, utility coordination, and final testing can all change the practical scope.
Details that help define the next step
- Location of reported problem
- Meter and service arrangement
- Utility markings or tags
- Customer-owned buried lines after the meter
These details help establish scope; they do not replace an emergency response, onsite inspection, utility decision, permit requirement, or manufacturer instruction.
How a careful service process is organized
- Start by documenting location of reported problem and meter and service arrangement.
- Confirm utility markings or tags and customer-owned buried lines after the meter before the scope is finalized.
- Have utility case number and photos after clearance ready for the onsite team or authority.
- Use the findings to define the appropriate gas line installation scope, required testing, and any next authority or trade.
What to have ready when requesting service
- Utility case number
- Photos after clearance
- Site plan
- Access to downstream piping
What not to do
Do not ask a private contractor to repair utility-owned service equipment. Keep relevant tags, notices, equipment information, and safely obtained photos available for the people handling this specific situation.