PG&E Offers Free Annual Natural Gas Checkup For Customers

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — By now you’ve probably been running your furnace to ward off the chill in the Bay Area, but how do you know it’s safe?

PG&E offers customers a free annual inspection to make sure that furnaces, water heaters, and ovens are operating safely and efficiently. The main concern is carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide can’t be seen, smelled, or heard. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 430 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning each year and another 50,000 people are hospitalized.

"The safety of our customers is the most important responsibility we have as PG&E employees. To help ensure that customers' gas appliances are operating safely, they can call us to schedule a free gas safety check, and we will send a qualified PG&E technician to your home to inspect your appliances. Our dedicated workforce is prepared to provide this vital service while adhering to strict COVID-19 health protocols to ensure the safety of customers and our employees," said Sally Romero, PG&E senior director of Gas Operations.

Call PG&E to schedule an inspection at 1-800-743-5000.

In-Home Coronavirus Health Protocols

PG&E employees receive mandatory daily health checks before entering homes. The technicians wear masks and gloves, and maintain at least six feet of distance between themselves and customers.

Customers are also asked to wear masks when an employee visits, and maintain a safe distance. If anyone inside the home is sick, that person needs to isolate themselves away from the room where work is being performed.

PG&E Winter Gas Safety Tips

1. Install carbon monoxide detectors to warn when concentration levels are high.
2. All California single-family homes are required to have carbon monoxide detectors.
3. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every floor, near sleeping areas, and common areas.
4. These devices should be tested twice a year, and batteries replaced if necessary.
5. Check the expiration date – most carbon monoxide detectors have a shelf life of five to seven years.
6. Never use products inside the home that generate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, such as generators, outdoor grills, or propane heaters.
7. Never use cooking devices such as ovens or stoves for home heating purposes.
8. When using the fireplace to stay warm, make sure the flue is open so venting can occur safely through the chimney.
9. Make sure water heaters and other natural gas appliances have proper ventilation.

If you suspect carbon monoxide in your home, leave immediately and call 911.

If you smell the distinctive "rotten egg" odor of natural gas in or around your home or business, leave the area and then call 911 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.