What to Do If You Have an Active Gas Leak Today

Step 1: Immediate Evacuation Rules

If you suspect an active gas leak inside your property right now, STOP reading and EVACUATE immediately. Do not pause to investigate where the odor is coming from, and do not attempt to locate the leak yourself.

• Evacuate everyone immediately: Get all family members, occupants, and pets out of the house.
• Leave doors open: Leave interior doors and your primary exit door open behind you to allow gas dilution.
• DO NOT touch anything electrical: Do not touch light switches, do not unplug cords, do not use thermostats, and do not use garage door openers. A spark no larger than a pinpoint can ignite a combustible vapor cloud.
• DO NOT use phones inside: Do not use landlines or cell phones until you are at least 100 feet outside the residence.
• Do not start cars: If your car is parked in the attached garage or driveway near the meter, do not start it. Walk away from the property on foot.

Step 2: Who to Call in What Order

Once you are standing safely at the street or at a neighbor's house, place two emergency calls:

1. Call 911 (Loudoun County Emergency Communications): Report an active gas odor inside your residence. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue will immediately dispatch an engine company with intrinsically safe gas detection instruments.
2. Call Your Natural Gas Utility:
   • Washington Gas Emergency Line: (800) 752-7520 or (703) 750-1400
   • Columbia Gas of Virginia: (800) 544-4944

Step 3: What Responders Do When They Arrive

Loudoun County Fire & Rescue and Washington Gas emergency first responders will arrive on scene with sirens. Here is what they will do:

• Establish a Safety Perimeter: They will keep bystanders away and check neighboring homes if outdoor gas migration is detected.
• Combustible Vapor Scan: Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus will enter the home with multi-gas detectors to measure the Lower Explosive Limit (% LEL) of methane in each room.
• Shut Off the Gas Supply: If a leak is confirmed, they will shut off the main gas valve at your exterior meter. If the leak is on customer piping, Washington Gas will padlock the meter and issue a Class A Warning Tag.
• Mechanical Ventilation: High-powered positive-pressure fans will be placed in doorways to clear explosive vapors out of the structure until atmospheric readings return to 0% LEL.
• Declare Property Safe to Enter: Once confirmed 0% LEL, first responders will inform you that the building is safe to occupy, but the gas will remain shut off.

Emergency Meter Shutoff Operation

If you are already outside near your exterior gas meter and can safely reach the shutoff valve without delaying your evacuation, here is how a quarter-turn meter valve functions:

Step 4: Transitioning from Emergency to Certified Repair

Once first responders leave and the meter is locked, the emergency phase is complete. The gas utility will NOT repair customer-owned piping. This is when you contact Ashburn Gas Response.

Call our dispatch desk at (703) 312-2655. We dispatch a licensed master gas fitter to perform a 15–30 PSI pneumatic pressure test, isolate and repair the leaking fitting, provide the required certification affidavit, and schedule the Washington Gas re-lighting appointment.