- Remember this simple safety message: If you smell gas, get out fast!
- An odorant called mercaptan is injected into natural gas, giving it a smell like rotten eggs so it is easy to detect
- Video: Learn how mercaptan works
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As outdoor temperatures fall and furnaces kick in, Piedmont Natural Gas is reminding customers to know the signs of a natural gas leak and to take immediate action if they suspect one: If you smell natural gas, get out fast!
Our view
"Safety is at the forefront of everything we do at Piedmont, and that includes continually educating our customers and our communities about how to detect natural gas leaks," said Emily Henson, president of Piedmont Natural Gas. "If you recognize the signs, including the rotten-egg odor of mercaptan, natural gas leaks can be managed quickly and safely."
Smell rotten eggs? It could be natural gas
Natural gas by itself has no smell. An odorant called mercaptan is injected into natural gas, giving it the distinctive smell of rotten eggs. The odor makes natural gas easy to detect and can alert the public of a natural gas leak to help avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
Look and listen for leaks
In addition to having a distinct smell, natural gas leaks are often visual, causing bubbling water, blowing dirt or dead plants. You may see sinkholes or exposed pipe. It's also possible to hear a hissing sound near a natural gas line or meter.
What steps should you take if you suspect a leak?
If you detect a natural gas odor, follow these steps:
- Leave the area immediately.
- Call Piedmont at 800.752.7504 or call 911 from a neighbor's house or somewhere away from the smell of natural gas.
- Do not return to the location of the leak until a Piedmont technician or emergency responder informs you that the area is safe.
Detectors are another means of natural gas safety
Installing a natural gas detector is an additional safety measure to keep residents aware of potential leaks. A natural gas detector, which can be purchased at major retailers and home improvement stores, will sound an alarm if levels of natural gas in the area indicate a leak.
If the alarm is triggered, stop what you are doing, get as far away from the smell as possible, and call 911, or call Piedmont at 800.752.7504.
For additional information about natural gas safety, visit the Piedmont Natural Gas website.
Piedmont Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, distributes natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in North Carolina and South Carolina. More information: piedmontng.com. Follow Piedmont Natural Gas: Facebook.
Media contact: Jason Wheatley
Media line: 877.348.3612
jason.wheatley@duke-energy.com
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SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas
