Gas Smell Near the Boiler or Kitchen: Emergency Step-by-Step Safety Protocol
Natural gas and butane are naturally odourless, so suppliers add mercaptan—a pungent compound that smells like rotten eggs or boiled cabbage—so leaks are detected immediately. If you walk into your kitchen or utility gallery and smell gas, what you do in the next 60 seconds is critical.
3 Things You Must NEVER Do
1. NEVER touch any light switches (neither to turn them on nor off): wall switches create a tiny internal spark that can ignite accumulated gas.
2. Do NOT unplug appliances, ring doorbells, use the lift or switch on the kitchen extractor hood.
3. Do NOT light matches or lighters, do not smoke, and do not use your mobile phone inside the gas-filled room.
Immediate Action in the First 2 Minutes
1. Open all windows and exterior doors wide to ventilate. Natural gas rises to the ceiling, whereas butane and propane sink to the floor.
2. Turn off the main yellow gas valve (located beside the boiler, under the hob, or at the meter) by rotating the handle 90 degrees so it sits perpendicular across the pipe.
3. Step outside into fresh air before making any phone call.
If the gas smell is overwhelming or affects the building staircase, call the emergency gas grid hotline or 112. Once the valve is closed and you need a certified gas installer with an electronic sniffer to pinpoint the leak, repair the boiler or pipe fitting, and issue the official safety certificate, call our licensed 24/7 gas engineers in Barcelona, Girona and Badalona on 936 94 00 23.
FAQ
How can I safely check if a gas nut or regulator is leaking?
Never use a flame. Brush soapy water (dish soap and water) over the joint: if bubbles form and grow when the valve is open, there is an active leak.