This is not a plumber call yet. Get out, then call the gas utility or 911.
Natural gas and propane can ignite from a light switch or a phone. Federal pipeline safety guidance is to leave first and call from outside.
What is probably happening
- A rotten egg or sulfur smell is the odorant added to gas so you can detect a leak.
- Common sources are a pilot that went out, a loose appliance connector, or a damaged line.
- A hissing sound near a gas appliance or meter means gas is escaping under pressure.
Do this in the next five minutes
- Get everyone and pets out on foot. Leave the door open behind you.
- Do not touch light switches, garage door openers, phones or car ignitions inside or next to the house.
- From a safe distance, call 911, then your gas utility's emergency number.
- Do not go back in until the utility or fire department says it is safe.
- Only after the leak is found and made safe, call a licensed plumber or gas fitter to repair the appliance or line.
Do not
- Do not try to find the leak yourself. PHMSA says to leave and not try to locate the source.
- Do not light anything, including a pilot, until the utility has cleared the house.
- Do not open windows on the way out if it slows you down. Leaving is the priority.
Who to call
Your gas utility or 911 first. A licensed plumber or gas fitter afterward
The utility can shut gas at the meter and test for leaks free of charge. A plumber or gas fitter repairs the appliance or piping after it is safe.
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What it should cost
$120 to $1,350
Gas line repair by a plumber, national range, after the utility has made the house safe
Source: Angi, emergency plumber cost, updated September 2026. View source
National published range, not a quote for your job. The full cost table for this trade is on the plumbing page.
Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out
Tap each one as you ask it.
- Are you licensed for gas work in my state, and is that a separate licence from plumbing?
- Will you pressure test the line after the repair and give me the result in writing?
- Will you pull the gas permit and arrange the inspection, or is that on me?
- Does this quote include relighting and checking every gas appliance in the house?
End the call if
- Anyone who offers to come inside and find the leak while you can still smell gas.
- A plumber who says a gas permit is not needed for line work. Most states require one.
- A quote to replace the whole line before the leak has been located.