A home comes with a few things worth learning early: how its appliances are maintained, where the alarms are, and whom to call when something seems wrong.
At TopNetRealty Washington, we suggest keeping the utility provider’s contact information with your appliance manuals, service records and inspection report. Whether you have just moved in or have owned the house for years, that file gives you a useful place to start when maintenance questions come up.
Gas safety deserves a place in that routine. So does knowing what is underground before the next yard project.
A suspected gas leak calls for an immediate exit
A sulfur or rotten-egg smell deserves immediate attention. Natural gas is given that odor to help people notice a leak. Outside, other clues can include an unexplained hissing sound, dirt blowing from the ground, bubbles rising through standing water, or an unusual patch of dying vegetation.
Leave the area immediately. Once safely away, call 911 and your gas utility. PSE customers can reach the utility at 1-888-225-5773. While near a suspected leak, avoid using phones, turning switches on or off, or doing anything that could cause a spark. Leave the investigation to emergency responders and the utility. PSE explains the warning signs and response steps.
Put utility locates on the project calendar
A fence replacement can look straightforward until you consider what might run beneath the posts. The same applies when planting a tree or excavating for a patio. A previous owner’s recollection or an old landscape drawing should not determine where you dig.
Contact 811 two to ten business days before your planned start. The request day, weekends and holidays do not count. Washington 811 accepts requests by phone and online. Mark the proposed excavation boundary as directed and keep your ticket number. Washington 811’s homeowner guide walks through the process.
The waiting period is only part of the job. Before excavation begins, confirm that the required markings and utility information are complete and that all operators with facilities in the work area have provided their positive responses. Washington’s excavation requirements make that response step explicit.
There may also be privately owned lines on the property. Power to a detached shop, an invisible fence and some pool equipment connections are examples that public utilities may not mark. Arrange a private locate when needed, as Washington 811 advises.
Check the carbon monoxide alarms, too
Carbon monoxide does not have the warning smell associated with natural gas. It can accumulate when fuel burns incompletely, including when equipment malfunctions.
Install CO alarms outside sleeping areas and on every level, following the manufacturer’s placement instructions. Follow those instructions for testing, batteries and replacement, too. Washington State Patrol’s alarm guidance is a useful reference.
If a CO alarm sounds or you suspect exposure, get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911. Do not go back inside until emergency responders give permission. Headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness and confusion can be symptoms. Washington Department of Health’s CO guidance explains the risks.
Keep fuel-burning appliances serviced according to their manufacturers’ recommendations. For nonemergency concerns about a gas appliance or recurring pilot-light trouble, PSE customers can ask about an on-site safety investigation at 1-888-225-5773. PSE says the investigation is free; minor repairs may carry a charge. See PSE’s appliance assistance guidance.
If you are preparing to sell, gather the service records and appliance manuals for the next owner. If you have just moved in, use them to start your own maintenance file. A clear handoff makes the less visible parts of a home easier to understand.
Safety guidance checked October 6, 2026. Illustration created for TopNetRealty.
