Keep gas safety top-of-mind. Carefully review these Gas Safety Reminders then print and post them in a visible location in your home.

Be prepared

• Make sure everyone in your home knows exactly what gas smells like.
• Install smoke detectors on every floor of your home. Check batteries once a month. Replace batteries annually.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors and learn the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Always turn off gas appliances when not in use.
• Post emergency phone numbers — your doctor, police fire, — by every telephone in your home.

Do not attempt to put out a gas fire yourself. Never use water on burning gas. Call your local fire department.

Conduct regular maintenance checks

• Have qualified service technicians perform regular check on any of your appliances;
• Inspect heating systems once each season. If a vent pipe or flue is loose, cracked, rusted or pitted, have it replaced by a licensed heating contractor.
• Make sure draft hoods, vent caps and exhaust fans on your gas appliances are clear and open.
• Make sure insulation, leaves, bird nests or debris doesn’t block your chimney.
• In winter, don't let snow or ice cover your gas meter and pressure regulator. This could interrupt your gas service or cause your gas appliances to malfunction.
• Do not store anything, enclose or tie pets to the meter.

Use common sense

• Do not heat rooms with a gas stove or oven. They can reduce oxygen levels and cause a build-up of deadly carbon monoxide.
• Make sure rooms containing gas appliances are well ventilated.
• Do not overload extension cords. Make sure plugs are wired correctly.
• Prolonged running of exhaust fans and attic vents can remove a house-worth of air in 20 minutes. It is possible you'll starve your furnace of air leading to incomplete combustion and increased carbon monoxide in the home.

Pay attention to gas operation

• Report all leaks or gas smells immediately.
• Look for yellow or orange gas flames. Gas flames should be blue. (Please note: flames might flicker yellow due to dust particles in the air, and some gas fireplaces are designed to have yellow flames).
• Note any staining, sooting or discolouration on or around gas appliances.
• Never extinguish a pilot light. Blowing out the pilot light doesn't stop gas from flowing out.
• Do not store or use flammable products near a gas pilot light or gas burner. If you do use these products, make sure your home is well ventilated before, during and after use.