🚨 If You Smell Strong Gas Right Now:
1. Leave your home immediately. Don't stop to grab belongings.
2. Don't use any electrical switches, lights, or your phone inside the home. A spark can ignite gas.
3. Don't start your car in an attached garage.
4. Once outside, call 911 or Columbia Gas at 1-800-344-4077.
5. After the gas company clears the home, call us at (614) 368-0104 for emergency HVAC inspection and repair.
When a Gas Smell Is (and Isn't) an Emergency
A brief sulfur smell when your furnace first starts up — especially after it hasn't run for a while — can be normal. It's usually dust burning off the heat exchanger and should disappear within a few minutes. If it does, it's likely not dangerous.
A persistent gas odor that doesn't go away, gets stronger, or smells like rotten eggs throughout your home — this is a serious emergency. Natural gas companies add a chemical called mercaptan (the rotten egg smell) specifically to make gas detectable. Treat any persistent smell as an emergency.
💡 Installing a CO/Gas detector: Every Reynoldsburg home should have a combination carbon monoxide and natural gas detector. These provide an early warning before dangerous levels build up. Ask our technicians about detector options during your next service visit.
Common Causes of Gas Smell Near a Furnace
Gas valve leak: The gas valve that controls fuel flow to the burner can develop small leaks over time, especially on older furnaces. This requires immediate professional service.
Cracked heat exchanger: A cracked heat exchanger can allow combustion gases including trace amounts of natural gas to enter your living space. This is also a carbon monoxide risk — a serious danger to your family's health.
Loose gas line connection: Connections on gas lines to your furnace can loosen over time. A gas technician or our HVAC team can inspect and tighten all connections safely.
Pilot light issues: On older furnaces with pilot lights, if the pilot goes out, unburned gas can accumulate. Modern furnaces use electronic ignition and don't have this issue.
Our 24/7 Emergency Response in Reynoldsburg
After the gas company has cleared your home and confirmed it's safe to re-enter, call Reynoldsburg HVAC Service at (614) 368-0104. We dispatch 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and arrive within 60–90 minutes throughout Reynoldsburg and all of Central Ohio. Our technicians will inspect the entire system, identify the source of any gas issue, and make safe repairs before re-lighting your furnace.