What to Do If You Smell Gas in Your New York City Home — Apartment, Private Home, or Commercial Space
A plumber's step-by-step guide for gas leak emergencies in NYC homes, apartments, and commercial spaces. What to do, what NOT to do, and when to call your gas utility vs. a plumber.
Before You Start
Stop. Read this entire article before you do anything else.
I've worked with licensed plumbers as an independent plumbing company owner. I've had licensed plumbers as partners. I've seen gas leaks handled correctly and I've seen the aftermath when they weren't. This is not a DIY job. This is not something you troubleshoot. If you smell gas in your home, apartment, or building, your only job is to get people out safely and get the right people on the phone.
This guide is primarily for private homeowners (1-3 family homes) but also covers what to do in larger buildings and commercial spaces. The steps are the same — the logistics are a little different.
Do not try to find the leak. Do not try to fix it. Do not touch the gas valve if you don't know exactly what you're doing. A mistake with a gas line doesn't give you a second chance.
Here is exactly what to do, in order.
Step 1: The Dos and Don'ts
The moment you smell gas, follow these rules exactly.
DON'T:
DO:
Good to have prepared: a flashlight by the door, your gas utility's emergency number saved in your phone, and a basic understanding of where gas enters your home. A gas assessment from a licensed plumber — a short site visit — can give you that understanding before there's ever an emergency.
Step 2: Ventilate If You Can Do So Safely
If you can open a window without turning a switch or passing near the smell, do it. Ventilation helps disperse gas and buys time. If the smell is strong or you're already feeling lightheaded, skip this step and go straight to Step 3. Your life is not worth a few minutes of airing out the space.
Some basements don't have windows. Some are fully below grade. If you smell gas in a basement with no ventilation, get out immediately — don't try to ventilate a space that has no natural airflow.
Do not use an exhaust fan. That's an electrical switch.
Step 3: Get Everyone Out
If the smell is strong — meaning it hits you when you walk in, or you can smell it in the hallway — get out now.
Private homes (1-3 family): Get your family out. If you have tenants, alert them on your way out. Don't delay your exit.
Buildings with a super or management: Alert your super if you can find them quickly. Knock on neighbors' doors as you leave. Contact building management or anyone of authority once you're safe outside.
Small buildings with no super (self-managed condos, small co-ops): You're the one who needs to take charge. Alert other residents as you leave and make the calls yourself from outside.
Once you're outside and at a safe distance from the building, then make your calls.
Step 4: Call Your Gas Utility — But Understand What Happens Next
Once you're clear of the building, call your gas company's emergency line immediately.
NYC utility emergency numbers:
Tell them you smell gas, give them your address, and tell them whether the smell is inside the home, in the hallway, or coming from outside. They will dispatch a crew to locate and shut off the supply. This is their job. They are equipped for it. They will arrive faster than most people expect. They do not charge for emergency shutoffs.
If there is an active fire, people are injured, or someone has lost consciousness, call 911 first, then the utility.
What you need to understand about this step: Calling the gas utility is the right thing to do. But this step can be very complicated, uncomfortable, and extremely expensive depending on what they find. The gas company may shut down gas to your entire building or house — not just the affected area. When that happens, you lose heat, hot water, and cooking until service is restored.
I've seen people go months without heat after a utility shutoff. The restoration process involves repairs by a licensed plumber, inspections, and utility authorization before gas gets turned back on. It's not a quick process.
This is why having a relationship with a licensed plumber matters. A plumber who knows how to work with the gas utility can help expedite gas restoration. The licensed plumber contacts National Grid or Con Edison directly to authorize the gas turn-on after repairs are made and inspected.
There are more details that come out through phone calls and direct conversation with the plumber — some of this gets confusing in writing, and this is where you should call for a consultation. A site visit for a small fee can give you a gas assessment and a clear picture of what you're dealing with.
Step 5: Do Not Go Back Inside Until You're Cleared
Wait outside until the utility crew arrives, inspects the line, and gives you the all-clear. If they shut off your gas supply, they will give you documentation. That documentation matters for what comes next.
NYC tip: In multi-family buildings, Con Edison or National Grid may shut off gas to the entire building - not just your unit. If that happens, your building will need a licensed NYC plumber to inspect, repair, and restore service. The utility will not restore gas until a plumber signs off on the repair and the Department of Buildings (DOB) issues clearance.
Step 6: Call a Licensed NYC Plumber
After the utility secures the line, call a licensed plumber. This is where the repair work begins.
Gas line repair is not a DIY repair. It is also not work for an unlicensed contractor. In New York City, all gas work must be done by a licensed master plumber, and depending on the scope, a permit may be required through the Department of Buildings.
NYC gas code has tightened significantly in recent years. Every gas line must be properly sized, tagged, and documented. When gas piping is replaced or re-piped, there is a 5-foot marking requirement — gas piping must be marked at 5-foot intervals to identify it throughout the building. This is a permit requirement for gas pipe replacement and repair work, not something homeowners need to worry about directly — your licensed plumber handles it.
NYC tip: If your building has old black iron piping, improperly routed lines, or undersized gas meter service — especially common in buildings that converted a floor to commercial use — you may be looking at a significant repair. Gas line corrections in older NYC buildings can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Getting a proper assessment before any work starts protects you from surprises.
When to Call a Plumber
Call a plumber any time there has been a gas leak or gas shutoff - even if the utility says the leak was minor. You need a licensed professional to:
Do not let anyone - a handyman, a super, an unlicensed contractor - touch a gas line in a NYC building. The liability is severe and the safety risk is real. Gas leaks are simultaneously a life-threatening emergency and a code violation. Handle both seriously.
If you've already tried to shut off a gas valve yourself and aren't sure if you made things better or worse, tell the plumber exactly what you touched. Don't guess. The more accurate the picture, the faster and safer the repair.
Keep Reading
Related guides from our NYC plumbing knowledge base
Every Type of Leak in a NYC Home and What Each One Means
Main valve leaks, steam radiator leaks, water heater leaks, drain leaks, gas leaks - a master plumber's guide to identifying what's leaking, why, and what it costs to fix.
Read guideNYC Gas Line Code: What Homeowners Need to Know
Gas piping in NYC homes is one of the most regulated and misunderstood areas of plumbing code. What's required, what fails inspection, and why gas remediation costs so much.
Read guideHow to Find and Use Your NYC Apartment's Shut-Off Valves
Know where your water shut-off valves are before you have an emergency. Room-by-room guide for NYC apartments, including what to do when individual shut-offs don't exist.
Read guideBackflow Preventers in NYC: What Homeowners Don't Know Is Costing Them
Most NYC homeowners don't know when a backflow preventer is required, what happens without one, or the pressure problems they can cause. A practical guide from the field.
Read guide