

Review the Safety Basics

Most gas safety rules are common sense - but it's easy to get careless, especially if you're distracted or in a hurry.

Take a few minutes to look around your home for ways to eliminate potential safety hazards.

The right way:

DO install a carbon monoxide detector near the living and sleeping areas of your home.

DO leave at least 18 inches of clearance around your gas furnace and water heater, and at least six inches around gas stoves and clothes dryers. Always follow manufacturer clearance installation instructions.


DO make sure the vent hood, pipes and flues on your gas appliances aren't blocked, cracked or corroded.

DO keep children and pets away from utility equipment, including meters and transformers.

DO keep your meter free of ice and snow during the winter.

The wrong way:




DON'T try to use a gas oven or range to heat a room. DON'T disguise transformers or meters with paint or bushes - a utility worker might need to work safely around it or find it quickly in an emergency.

DON'T tamper with an electric or gas meter (it's dangerous and illegal)