As part of National Fire Prevention Week, Piedmont Natural Gas is reminding customers how to recognize and respond to a natural gas leak. The company emphasizes that an odorant called mercaptan is added to natural gas, giving it a smell similar to rotten eggs, which makes leaks easier to detect.
“Our customers value safety, and we’re committed to continually educating the community about the simple ways to detect natural gas leaks,” said Brian Weisker, president of Piedmont Natural Gas. “Natural gas leaks can be managed quickly and safely if you know what to look for, and it starts with training your nose to recognize the odor of mercaptan.”
Piedmont Natural Gas explains that while natural gas has no scent on its own, the presence of mercaptan helps people identify leaks by smell. Other signs include visual cues such as bubbling water, blowing dirt, dead plants, sinkholes or exposed pipes. A hissing sound near a pipeline or meter can also indicate a leak.
The company advises anyone who detects a possible leak by smell or other signs to leave the area immediately and call Piedmont at 800.752.7504 or 911 from a safe location away from the odor. People are urged not to return until authorities confirm it is safe.
Another recommended precaution is installing a natural gas detector in homes or businesses. These detectors are available at major retailers and home improvement stores and will alert residents if there are dangerous levels of natural gas present.
Piedmont Natural Gas distributes service across North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee as a subsidiary of Duke Energy. The company serves more than 1.2 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in these states.
According to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, Piedmont Natural Gas ranked highest in customer satisfaction among large utilities in the South.
For further information on natural gas safety practices and resources, customers can visit the company’s website at piedmontng.com.
