A resident who noticed a gas smell throughout their home faced an unsettling predicament when their roommate insisted the problem could wait.
A call to the gas company ultimately uncovered a leaking pipe that had been temporarily patched, though the worker found no gas leak.
Here's what to know
The resident asked Reddit whether a leaking pressure valve near a basement heater called for immediate action.
"But is this an issue that can wait until the morning or should we be treating this more seriously?" the original poster wrote.
They said a roommate told them not to call 911, and the roommate had contacted an HVAC worker and followed the worker's recommendation to shut off the valve.
The other residents' lack of concern left the OP questioning their own judgment. Users, however, overwhelmingly urged them to leave the house and contact emergency responders or the gas utility rather than wait.
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More background
The resident said in a follow-up reply that they needed help transporting their two large dogs, which made it difficult to leave.
Their housemate objected to an emergency call because people were sleeping and continued to trust the reported HVAC advice.
The possibility of making their roommate extremely angry left the OP hesitant to call 911 without their agreement.
What can be done?
"Go outside," one person said. "Call the utility company. This is a priority-one callout for them. Don't turn on or off anything (such as lights)."
The gas company responded to the OP's eventual call by sending a worker to inspect the problem.
In an update, they said the inspection found no gas leak but did reveal leakage at a temporary pipe repair. The pipe should have been replaced, but that work had never been done.
"It wasn't a huge deal + no gas leak but I'm glad I called just in case," the OP noted.
Where can I learn more?
Other residents have also been unsure how to respond to gas smells around household appliances.
• A renter who smelled gas whenever hot water ran faced warnings to stop ignoring it.
• A resident shut down a water heater after noticing gas odor without a spark.
• A U.K. renter's odd smell after boiler service prompted an emergency call that pointed to detection fluid.
• An Australian homeowner smelled gas in kitchen drawers after cooking, prompting plumbers to urge a shutoff.
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