Honoring Severe Weather Awareness Week in Ohio with tips from Columbia Gas
ZANESVILLE, Ohio – This Sunday marks the start of Severe Weather Awareness Week and Columbia Gas of Ohio offers some tips on how to stay safe.
With spring comes inclement weather, including heavy rainfall and even tornadoes. Erica Chronaberry from Columbia Gas of Ohio says that if your home is impacted by flooding, you should avoid using any natural gas appliances until they can inspect gas lines for leaks.
“Flooding can cause your house to shift or unknown pressures on your gas lines which could cause a gas leak. So we really want people to be safe and mindful if they are in a residence that is affected by flooding,” Chronaberry said.
Should you notice a gas leak, which smells like rotten eggs, you should leave your home and call 911 and Columbia Gas from a safe location. Another key point Chronaberry wants to make clear is to let the professionals work on natural gas lines, appliances, and meters.
“You need to be trained on how to deal with it properly. You know natural gas is flamable. If you do something that could cause a spark, you know, that’s a safety concern. So there are a lot of little things and misteps that you can do if you try and do, work with natural gas service yourself,” Chronaberry said. “That’s why we always recommend (to) call a quallified professional, call us. We’re going to come out and make sure everything’s safe.”
You can find a list of qualified natural gas contractors on Columbia Gas of Ohio’s website. You can also find more safety information by clicking on the “Safety” tab at the top of the web page.
