Everyone talks about emergency preparedness, but how much do you know about what to do and what not to do with your gas and electrical service in the event of a natural disaster? Most people proudly have 72-hour kits fully stocked and ready to go. But there are a lot of people who don’t know how to shut off their gas or electrical service or when it should be done.
Fire, earthquake, flood or severe winds are the top four disasters that could affect the use of your utility services, especially your gas service. After an event of this kind, people often begin to notice flu-like symptoms or the smell of gas. If nothing is done, carbon monoxide poisoning can follow, as well as a gas fire. Problems with your electrical service after a disaster can lead to fire. Knowing how to shut off your gas or electricity can prevent another disaster from happening on the heels of the previous one.
First of all, if you don’t smell or hear gas escaping or notice any carbon monoxide symptoms, don’t shut your gas off just because there was an earthquake or some other event. If you don’t immediately notice smoke or sparks, don’t shut off your electrical service, either. Stay alert for any problems, because once you shut your gas off, it needs to stay off until an employee of your local gas company can check it out and turn it back on. It is possible to turn your own electrical service back on. The fact is that you also might need your gas or electrical service and if there isn’t a problem, don’t fix it.
If you do notice any of the above things, leave your house immediately. Don’t use the phone at your house; turn off or on any electrical switches of any kind or smoke. You do not want to create a spark.
Here is how to shut off most gas meters. Your gas meter is located outside your home. The meter shutoff valve is usually the first fitting on the gas supply pipe coming out of the ground. Double check before you do anything. It’s better to be safe than sorry. You want to shut off the gas supply coming into your home, not twist some other valve that does something else. Use a long handled wrench that fits the valve and turn it one-quarter turn so the lever is cross wise to the pipe. That’s it. You’ve shut off your gas. Now, you need to go call your gas company and 911 so that your house can be checked for possible fumes and fire.
It is important to keep a wrench where you can find it easily. No one wants to be searching through a toolbox in an emergency. Better, yet, buy a gas shut off wrench. They can be found on the Internet or a hardware store for about five dollars. They fit nearly all gas meter valves. Keep it in a logical place and don’t ever move it. For someone who lives in an area where there tends to be a lot of earthquakes, an auto gas shutoff valve can be applied to your gas main to do it for you.
Shutting of your electricity is also quite simple. However, if you smell something burning, it is best to just get out of the house. No possession is worth your life. If an appliance is emitting sparks, unplug it and step away.
To shut off your electrical service, locate your circuit breaker panel. Most of these can be found in the laundry room or the garage. Inside the box will be one or more main fuse switches. Switch them all to the off position. Then, go to a neighbor’s house and call 911 and your electric company. They will send someone out to look at it as soon as possible.
Knowing how to shut off your gas or electrical service in an emergency is a good thing to know. Knowing how to protect your family and home after a natural disaster can give you some peace of mind that you are prepared for what may happen.
