What to Do If You Smell Gas
Knowing what to do if you smell gas comes down to one rule: work through the steps in order and stop at the right call. The Queensland Government sets that order, and this page walks through it for homes in Murrumba Downs. Any repair that follows is licensed work, done by a licensed plumber or gasfitter and nobody else.
If we're late, $100 comes off your bill
- Licensed and InsuredEvery job done by a licensed plumber. QBCC No: 15024607
- Fixed Quote FirstFlat-rate pricing, agreed before any work starts
- Lifetime Labour WarrantyBacked by our Fix-It-or-It's-Free guarantee (T&Cs apply)
- $0 Call-Out FeesNo extra charge for nights, weekends or public holidays
Here is the short version. Light nothing, touch no switch, switch the gas appliance off, air the room, and cut the supply while the odour hangs on. Dial 000 if the smell survives that.
From the First Whiff to Calling 000
- 1
Nothing That Burns or Sparks
Stay calm, light no fires and leave electrical devices alone, lights included. A switch flipping either way can make a tiny spark, and a room holding gas wants none of them.
- 2
Switch the Gas Appliance Off
Shut down whatever the gas feeds, whether that is a cooktop, a heater or anything else on the line. One appliance off removes the likeliest source straight away.
- 3
Get the Room Airing
Throw doors and windows wide. Moving air carries the gas out and brings fresh air in, which is often enough for a faint whiff near a stovetop burner.
- 4
Cut the Supply While the Odour Persists
Still noticing it? Shut the gas off at the meter for piped fuel, or at the valve on an LPG bottle. Then ring your gas supplier or a licensed gasfitter for advice on what comes next.
- 5
Dial 000 If It Persists
If the odour is still there after the supply is cut, phone 000. That is the line the Queensland Government draws, and following it exactly beats guessing.
Plumbing job in Murrumba Downs?
$0 call-out fees, available 24/7, and same-day where we can.
Shutting Off at the Meter or the Cylinder
The two common household fuels behave differently during a leak. Natural gas, which is methane, weighs less than air and drifts upward, so it may thin out in the open. LPG weighs more than air and can settle in low spots and drains.
Where you cut the supply depends on which one you have:
Piped natural gas
the meter, usually at the side of the house or on the front boundary.
An LPG cylinder
the valve on the bottle itself.
For a connected bottle, the LPG distributor maintains and tests the cylinder, so a whiff of gas or a damaged bottle is a reason to phone the distributor. Watch for the rotten-egg odour, and leave the cylinder valve strictly alone: repairs and removals are licensed work, never a home job.
Homes on the streets around the Unitywater wastewater treatment plant hold the same mix of piped and bottle setups as anywhere else in the suburb, so the rule of thumb travels.
The Smell That Stays After the Gas Is Off
Two cases take matters to 000: an odour that lingers once the supply is cut, and a fire, an explosion or a leak you cannot control, where 000 comes first and at once.
For that second case, the Queensland Government's order is:
- Phone 000 without delay.
- Stay calm, light nothing and touch no switches.
- Get everyone away from the area.
- Switch the appliance and the supply at the bottle or meter off only if it is safe.
- Put a fire out with a fire blanket or an extinguisher, then throw doors and windows wide once it is out.
Your gas supplier's emergency number sits on the gas bill, upper right corner, listed under emergencies or leaking gas. Keep a bill where you can find it.
Storms add one more line. Once a storm or flood has passed, dial 000 if you notice gas, and contact your gas supplier if a meter, a regulator or a bottle has come out of it damaged. Summer thunderstorms run from November to March here, so a post-storm check is worth the minute it takes.
On leaving the house: the steps for a smell say nothing about it, while the fire, explosion and uncontrolled-leak steps say to get everyone away. Follow whichever set matches what you are facing.
What Makes a Gas Leak Dangerous
The odour is added on purpose. Natural gas and LPG give off no colour and no scent of their own, so a chemical named mercaptan goes into the fuel to give that distinctive rotten-egg character and let a leak announce itself.
The risk is fire, not poison. Fuel gases ignite easily but are neither poisonous nor toxic. The danger to people comes from oxygen pushed out of a gas-filled space, bringing sickness from nausea and dizziness to, at the worst, asphyxiation.
That is why the steps move fast, and why the smell deserves respect even when the cause turns out to be a burner left slightly on.
When to Bring In a Licensed Gasfitter
Ring (07) 3524 7163 once the immediate steps are done and the smell has gone or is fading. Tracing the leak, repairing pipework and certifying the system are all licensed gas work, and Queensland law puts them with a licensed gasfitter alone. Ask to see the gas work licence before anyone starts.
A smell that keeps returning, a hiss near a fitting or a bottle that will not stop smelling all point to our gas leak repairs page, where the repair side is covered in full. What a repair costs depends on where the leak sits, how reachable the pipework is and whether a fitting, a section or a longer run needs replacing. A fixed quote settles it once the gasfitter has seen the job.
Gas Smell Questions From Murrumba Downs
Call (07) 3524 7163What should I do first if I can smell gas at home?
Stay calm, light nothing and touch no switches, lights included. Next, switch the gas appliance off, then get doors and windows open to air the room. Only if the smell lingers do you cut the supply and ring your gas supplier or a licensed gasfitter for advice.
When should I call 000 for a gas smell?
Dial 000 if the odour survives the supply being shut off at the meter or bottle. Phone 000 straight away, too, for a fire, an explosion or a leak you cannot control. A smell that fades once the appliance goes off and the room airs out needs the supplier or a gasfitter, not the emergency line.
Can a small gas leak make you sick?
No, the gases themselves are neither poisonous nor toxic, but they ignite easily. The health risk is oxygen pushed out of a room filled with gas, bringing sickness from nausea and dizziness to, at the worst, asphyxiation. The official advice sets no threshold for a small leak, so treat any lasting odour seriously.
What do I do if my LPG bottle smells of gas in Murrumba Downs?
Switch the appliance off, get doors and windows open, and keep flames and switches alone. If the smell lingers, cut the supply at the cylinder and contact your gas supplier or the LPG distributor, since the distributor maintains and tests connected bottles. Leave the cylinder valve to the professionals, and dial 000 if the odour persists.
Call Us Once the Room Is SafeWe'll call you back.
Book on (07) 3524 7163 for plumbing anywhere in Murrumba Downs. We're available 24/7, there's no extra charge for nights, weekends or public holidays, and every job comes with $0 call-out fees.
To claim your $0 call-out fee, call (07) 3524 7163 today.