Safety

• Use a landline phone – leave the area before calling Heritage Gas
• Do not start any vehicles
• Do not turn on any electrical or appliance switches (ie. Light switches, lamps etc.)
• Do not smoke or use lighters

Inside a building
Call Heritage Gas immediately and open doors and windows for ventilation.

Outside a building
Call Heritage Gas immediately and keep doors and windows closed. Do not use open flames.

If the smell gets stronger or you hear a hissing sound
Leave the building immediately, leave doors and windows open. Once you are a safe distance away from the property, call Heritage Gas.

• Colourless – you can’t see it.
• Odourless – you cannot smell it. A rotten egg smell (Mercaptan) is added to natural gas to give it an odour, so it can easily be detected.
• Non-toxic & Non-corrosive – it’s not poisonous.
• Lighter than air – it will rise and dissipate in the event of a leak. (Propane is heavier than air and will settle near the ground if a leak occurs.)
• Only flammable in a very narrow range, where there is a natural gas to air ratio between 5%-15%; above or below these limits and the natural gas will not ignite.

Take the appropriate measures to ensure everyone’s safety. Carbon monoxide is produced by the improper burning of fuels, including wood, heating oil, propane, natural gas and many others.

1) Install Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms on every floor.
2) Have your heating system, appliances, chimneys and vents inspected and serviced annually by a qualified technician, such as one of our Preferred Natural Gas Contractors (Link)
3) Ensure your vents and meter remain clear of ice, snow or debris at all times.
4) Maintain good air supply and ventilation to all fuel-burning equipment.
5) Don’t run your vehicle inside an enclosed space (i.e. attached garage).
6) Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning in yourself or others.
7) Ensure appliances are installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and local Fuels Safety regulations.
8) Never use portable, fuel-burning camping equipment such as propane or butane stoves inside an enclosed space.
9) Never use natural gas appliances such as ranges, ovens, or clothes dryers to heat your home.
10) Do not use gasoline-powered tools or engines indoors.
11) Never store anything near a natural gas appliance which may interfere with the appliance’s normal airflow.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Exposure:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Drowsiness or fatigue
• Burning eyes
• Unconsciousness
• Confusion

If you or someone else is experiencing any of these symptoms, remove individuals from the affected area and call 911.

If your carbon monoxide detector sounds

• Open windows and doors to ventilate your home or business.
• Verify if anyone has symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure. If they do, leave the area immediately, call 911, and call Heritage Gas at 1-866-313-3030.
• If you cannot determine the cause of the alarm, check the batteries in the detector, and check for fumes coming from a fuel-burning source (i.e. fireplace, wood stove, etc.).
• If the alarm continues to sound but no one is experiencing any symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure, open windows and doors, leave the area and call Heritage Gas at 1-866-313-3030.

Safe Installation
Equipment and appliances should be installed by a licensed and certified technician, have an installation permit, and a visible green tag (signed by the technician).

Emergency Shut Off
Know where the emergency shut-off valve is on each of your natural gas appliances. It’s the red handle attached to a pipe.

Certified Equipment
Natural Gas appliances must be certified for use with gas and should carry the logo of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or another Canadian certification. These logos can be found on the rating plate of your natural gas appliance.

Regular Inspection
Have your appliances regularly serviced by a licensed heating contractor to detect any deterioration in your equipment.

Ranges and Stoves

• Flammable items such as paper towels, clothing, electrical cords and curtains should be kept away from gas range burners.
• Teach children not to turn on gas range knobs.
• Clean your stove top regularly to keep grease from building up and creating a fire hazard.
• Store an all-purpose (ABC) fire extinguisher in a convenient location. If you do need to use it, aim for the base of the fire.
• If the gas flame goes out on your range, turn the burner off, wait a few minutes for gas to dissipate, and then re-light the burner.

Furnaces, boilers, and water heaters

• Taking care of your natural gas-fired equipment is important.
• Have a licensed professional inspect your heating equipment annually to help maximize its life and performance.
• Clean or replace your filter regularly, or after periods of heavy usage (i.e. after the winter heating season).
• Do not store combustible materials – such as paints, solvents, or gasoline – in the same room or near your heating equipment.
• Do not store flammable materials – such as mops, brooms, laundry or newspapers – near your heating equipment.

Venting gas appliances

• For your safety, operate appliances in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• By law, gas and electric clothes dryers must be vented to the outside. This prevents moisture and lint accumulation which may cause a fire hazard.
• Check your vent or chimney to ensure they are clear of debris, tight, and not blocked.

Maintain Access
Meters cannot be enclosed in a garage, building, under a deck or encased in any way. Heritage Gas employees and emergency responders require access to your natural gas meter at all times in case of an emergency.

Meter Protection
Meters exposed to vehicle accessible areas must be adequately protected with concrete barriers, steel posts or other suitable protection.

In the Winter
Meters, vents and pipes must be free from ice and snow to maintain gas supply, appliance performance and safety use.

Heritage Gas uses only Measurement Canada approved natural gas meters, in accordance with the stringent requirements in the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act. All natural gas meters are subject to mandatory inspections through our sampling program.

Natural Gas pipelines are buried underground, so it’s easy to forget that natural gas is flowing all day, every day. It’s rare, but natural gas lines can be damaged because of failure to take a simple (but very important) safety measure before digging.

CLICK BEFORE YOU DIG and request a line locate to prevent damage, ensure public safety and avoid the inconvenience of outages.

Info-ExcAVATION Mobile App
Call (1-866-344-5463)

– Are you planning landscaping or construction?
– Installing a fence, porch or temporary structure?
– Building an addition on your home?

Visit Click Before You Dig and within 48 hours, we will locate any natural gas lines on and around your property for free. Thank you for helping Heritage Gas maintain safe communities.

Notes:
– Obtaining a line locate before excavation work is a legal requirement of Nova Scotia Occupational Health & Safety and Nova Scotia Pipeline Regulations.
– Damages to underground natural gas pipelines may result in personal injury, legal action, expensive repair costs and interruption of gas service.
– Line locates expire after 30 days as we are continually expanding our system.
– Line locates are only covered by the work area indicated on the locate.

Training:
Heritage Gas offers free training sessions for community groups and organizations such as realtors, utilities and industry associations, covering topics such as,
– Introduction to natural gas
– The benefits of natural gas
– Natural Gas Safety
– Natural gas infrastructure
– Emergency situations

If you would like more information on any of the items above, or would like to request a training session for your group, please contact Customer Care at 1-877-836-7427.