Know the Signs of a Gas Leak, and Add a Natural Gas Alarm for Extra Protection

National Natural Gas Safety Awareness Week is Nov. 8-14. Learn the signs of a gas leak and add a natural gas alarm for extra protection at home.

LIBERTYVILLE, IL, UNITED STATES, November 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Concerned Citizens for Natural Gas Safety is urging consumers to learn the signs of a natural gas leak and to consider natural gas alarms as an added layer of protection during National Natural Gas Safety Awareness Week, Nov. 8-14. Natural gas serves more than 75 million U.S. households. More than 550 natural gas explosions have been reported in U.S. homes and buildings since 2020, with hundreds of people killed or injured.

The awareness week, created in 2026 by coalition partners, is observed the second week of each November. It promotes prevention, early detection and emergency preparedness.

Everyone who has natural gas in their home should know what a leak looks, sounds and smells like/ But a leak can happen while your family is asleep or in another part of the house. A natural gas alarm can provide warning when your senses can't.

Know the signs of a gas leak
• Smell: A sulfur or rotten-egg odor
• Sound: A high-pitched whistling or hissing
• Sight: Blowing dust, dead vegetation in a normally green area, or continuous bubbles in standing water

If you suspect a leak or a natural gas alarm sounds
• Get everyone, including pets, out of the building immediately and move to a safe distance.
• Do not look for the source of the leak.
• Do not use open flames, phones, light switches, appliances or garage door openers while inside.
• Once safely away, call 911 and then your natural gas company.

Why alarms add protection

Natural gas is naturally colorless and odorless, so utilities add an odorant to help people notice a leak. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), that odorant does not always work. Some people cannot smell it, others are asleep or in a different room, and soil can strip the odor from gas before it enters a building.

Natural gas alarms monitor the air and sound a warning, much like a smoke alarm, when they detect dangerous levels of gas. That warning can give people time to evacuate before an explosion occurs.

The NTSB has recommended that all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia require natural gas alarms meeting National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 715 specifications in homes, businesses and other buildings where people gather. Legislation on alarm requirements has been passed or considered in more than a dozen states.

Consumers should choose an alarm that meets NFPA 715 specifications, follow the manufacturer's placement and installation instructions, and test it regularly. Alarms add to, but do not replace, knowing the warning signs and evacuating immediately.

For more information, visit www.preventnaturalgasdisasters.com.

About Concerned Citizens for Natural Gas Safety
Concerned Citizens for Natural Gas Safety is a coalition committed to raising awareness about residential natural gas safety. It educates consumers on best practices and advocates for the widespread adoption of natural gas alarms as a critical layer of home protection. The coalition works with utilities, policymakers and community leaders to help prevent natural gas incidents. Learn more at www.preventnaturalgasdisasters.com.

Stacey McClenathan
Bee-line Communications, Inc.
+1 847-668-0900