With an unsettled weather and cold temperatures forecast over the next week and significant snow accumulations already on the ground, UGI encourages residents to continue to be “winter-wise” by using safe practices when clearing ice and snow that could affect the operation of appliances serving homes and businesses.
- Clear snow from the area around your natural gas meter and other facilities, providing a path for UGI personnel who may require access. Please remove snow or ice accumulations carefully from around your gas equipment. Keep snow blowers, snowplows and other powered equipment, which can damage natural gas facilities, away from the gas meter.
- ?Clear any accumulation of snow or ice from the outside vents of your appliances. This allows the air flow necessary for safe appliance operation. Blocked vents can lead to a dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide inside your home.
- Do not use sharp objects, salt, ice melting chemicals or hot water to remove snow and ice from your gas meter.
- As you work outside, look up! Cautiously remove ice hanging from roof edges above your natural gas meter to prevent injuries due to ice or snow falling from roofs or branches.
- Remember that an electric power outage will affect blowers and electronic ignition systems on natural gas appliances. If your gas heater does not relight when the power returns, turn the unit off for a moment, then back on. If it still does not light, call a heating professional for service.
- Use extra caution when using space heaters. Place a space heater on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable (such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs) at least three feet away from the unit. Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed. Using secondary heating sources, such as space heaters, can increase the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Be aware that UGI adds an odorant, which smells like rotten eggs, to natural gas to help you detect a gas leak. If you smell natural gas, leave the building immediately, taking everyone with you. Do not use the phone, light a match, or switch anything on or off. Leave the door open, and once you are in an area where you can no longer smell gas, call UGI from your cell phone or neighbor’s home. UGI’s emergency response number is 1-800-276-2722. UGI will send a service technician to investigate the odor immediately. UGI emergency responders are available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. There is no charge for this service. Your safety is always our top priority.
UGI Utilities Inc. is a natural gas and electric utility with headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania. UGI serves 730,000 customers in 45 Pennsylvania counties and one county in Maryland. Customers and community members are invited to visit the UGI Web site at www.ugi.com; our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ugiutilities; or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ugi_utilities.