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Elizabethtown Gas Advises Customers on Natural Gas Safety and Weatherization Tips as Cold Temperatures Move in

UNION, NJ – Jan. 6, 2015 – As the region prepares this week for a blast of wintry weather, featuring the first snowfall of the year, low temperatures and arctic wind chills, Elizabethtown Gas is providing information that can help keep homes and businesses safe.

Below are recommended winter heating safety guidelines:

• If customers smell natural gas or suspect carbon monoxide is present in their home or business, they should immediately leave the area and call 911 or 877.572.3342 from a safe location.

• Elizabethtown Gas customers are advised not to use any defective natural gas appliance until it has been inspected, serviced and determined to be safe by a qualified plumber or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) professional.

• Residents are encouraged to immediately seek medical attention if anyone in their home or business experiences possible symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, including

  • Headache

  • Dizziness

  • Fatigue

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

• Customers should never use natural gas appliances, such as the burners on a stove or ovens to heat their homes or businesses

• Residents should make sure their heating system, water heater and any other natural gas appliances are serviced and inspected annually by a qualified professional.

• To ensure the safe, proper operation of natural gas appliances, such as a furnace and water heater, and to prevent a potentially hazardous buildup of carbon monoxide within your home, ensure that outdoor vent openings and air intakes are not obstructed by snow or ice.

• Exercise caution removing snow or ice from your natural gas meter. Use your hands or a broom, not a shovel, to brush away snow or ice from your meter and regulator. Never kick or hit your gas meter or its piping with a hammer or any hard object to break away built-up snow or ice.

Elizabethtown Gas also is offering simple and easy steps to weatherize a home or business:

• Open curtains during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

• Keep furniture, drapes, stuffed animals and other objects from blocking your heating sources.

• Caulk and weather-strip drafty doors and windows. Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months. Make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration.

• Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring penetrates through exterior walls, floors and ceilings.  Install insulated gaskets behind outlet and switch plates on exterior walls to prevent drafts.

For more safety information, visit elizabethtowngas.com and follow us on Twitter @ETownGas.