Make Your Home Safer

Know your utilities

All family members should know how and when to turn off the utilities: gas, electric and water.

Gas

Turn the gas off only if you hear hissing or smell gas. Once turned off, gas can only be restarted by a trained technician. Attach a wrench to your gas meter so it will be handy. To shut off gas, turn the valve until it is perpendicular to the pipe.

Electricity

If you see sparks, damaged wires or smell burning insulation, switch the power off at the main breaker or fuse box. During a prolonged outage, leave a single light circuit switched on. That way you’ll know when the power is back.

Water

Turn the water off if there is obvious leakage, or if there’s a chance water lines are damaged, which could allow contamination. Wait for notification that lines are OK before turning it back on.