Gas Smell in Your Home: Causes, Safety Steps, and Prevention Ohio Valley

Quick Answer: If you smell gas in your Upper Ohio Valley home, leave immediately, avoid flames or electronics, and call 911 and your gas company from outside. Once safe, call Honest Fix Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. Our $109 furnace tune-up and $74 diagnostic service (with Leo the Lion coupon) help detect gas leaks and carbon monoxide risks before they threaten your family.
Updated October 2025

When Gas Smells Enter Your Home

Few things cause more concern than smelling rotten eggs or sulfur inside your home. Sometimes it’s natural gas. Sometimes it’s sewer gas or bacteria inside your water heater. The danger? You won’t know which until a professional tests it.

At Honest Fix, we’ve helped families across Steubenville, Weirton, Wellsburg, and all ten towns we serve when gas odors raised alarm. One Wellsburg family scheduled our $109 tune-up thinking it was “just a smell.” It turned out to be a cracked heat exchanger leaking gas. We caught it before it became a carbon monoxide emergency.

Alex’s Note

“In my 20+ years in HVAC, I’ve seen how fast a faint gas smell can turn serious. That’s why we test every system thoroughly and never skip a carbon monoxide check. If it has our name on it, it’s done right.”
— Alex Largent, Honest Fix Co-Owner

Step-By-Step: What to Do If You Smell Gas

Safety First: If you smell gas, evacuate immediately. Do not search for the leak. Call 911 and your gas company from outside.

1. Don’t flip light switches or use electronics—sparks ignite gas.
2. Extinguish open flames and avoid using your stove.
3. Open doors or windows only if on your way out.
4. Leave immediately—don’t stop for pets or belongings.
5. Call 911 and your gas utility once safely outside.
6. Stay out until professionals clear the area.

Common Causes of Gas Odors

• Cracked furnace heat exchanger
• Damaged gas line or fitting
• Loose stove or water heater connections
• Water heater bacteria producing hydrogen sulfide
• Sewer gas from dry traps or damaged sewer lines

5 Warning Signs of a Gas Leak

• Rotten egg odor indoors
• Hissing sounds near gas lines
• Dead grass or soil disturbance near buried gas lines
• Unexpected spike in gas bill
• Headaches, nausea, or dizziness indoors

If you notice these signs in Steubenville, Weirton, Wintersville, or anywhere in the Valley—get out and call for help.

Carbon Monoxide: The Invisible Risk

Natural gas has an odor added for safety. Carbon monoxide (CO) does not. It’s colorless, odorless, and only detectable through alarms or professional testing.

Symptoms of CO exposure include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness or nausea
• Fatigue or confusion
• Chest discomfort

Every Honest Fix furnace tune-up includes a CO safety test—because your family’s health isn’t optional.

How We Handle Pricing

• Furnace Tune-Up: $109 flat rate
• Service Call / Diagnostic: $99 – but only $74 with the Leo the Lion magnet discount
• Repair Quotes: Exact written quote before we start—no surprises
• New Equipment: Free exact quotes with full details

You’ll always know the cost before we touch a tool.

Real Stories From the Ohio Valley

• Steubenville, OH: Loose stove connection fixed during $74 diagnostic
• Wintersville, OH: Heat exchanger failure caught during tune-up
• Toronto, OH: Sewer gas issue solved by refilling a dry trap
• Mingo Junction, OH: Basement gas leak found after bill spike
• Brilliant, OH: CO alarm traced to blocked vent
• Weirton, WV: Water heater valve leak corrected
• Follansbee, WV: Hissing meter reported—utility confirmed outdoor leak
• Wellsburg, WV: Cracked heat exchanger discovered during $109 tune-up
• New Cumberland, WV: Water heater bacteria mistaken for gas leak
• Colliers, WV: Buried gas line repair after landscaping damage

“Honest Fix found a gas leak during my furnace inspection and explained everything clearly. I felt safe knowing they tested for CO, too.” – Homeowner, Weirton

Who We’re the Right Fit For

• Homeowners who value clear, upfront pricing
• Repairs done right the first time
• Professional CO testing included in every tune-up
• Written guarantees on every service

Who We’re Not the Right Fit For

• Those looking for the absolute cheapest fix
• Anyone wanting ballpark estimates instead of exact quotes
• Temporary patch jobs or quick fixes
• High-pressure sales or upsells—we don’t do that

If you want honest answers, clear prices, and real protection, we’re your team.

Our Guarantees: How We Stand Behind Our Work

Service Trust Guardian (Repairs):

• 5-Year Labor Warranty on repairs
• No Overtime Charges
• On-Time Arrival Guarantee ($50 credit if late)
• Clean Work Guarantee—we leave your home cleaner than we found it
• Follow-Up Guarantee—free return visit within 30 days if issues recur

Lifetime Trust Shield (New Installs):

• 15-Year Labor Warranty
• No-Lemon Replacement Guarantee
• Full Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee
• Energy Savings Promise

Everyday Standards That Set Us Apart

• NATE-certified technicians (top HVAC certification)
• Professional-grade gas and CO detectors on every call
• Local family-owned business serving the Ohio Valley
• On-time arrival with GPS updates
• Clean workspaces after every visit

We don’t just promise safety—we build it into every step of our process.

Best Practices Every Ohio Valley Homeowner Should Follow

• Test CO detectors every six months
• Schedule a furnace tune-up every fall
• Call for help immediately if you smell rotten eggs
• Teach your family how to evacuate safely

FAQs

What should I do if I smell gas?
Evacuate immediately, call 911 and your gas company from outside, then call Honest Fix.

How much is a furnace tune-up?
$109 flat across all towns we serve.

How much is a service call?
$99 regular rate, $74 with the Leo the Lion discount magnet.

Do you charge before repairs?
No—repairs start only after you approve a written quote.

Do you charge for new equipment quotes?
No, all new system quotes are free and exact.

What guarantees do you offer?
All repairs are covered under our Service Trust Guardian, and new installations under our Lifetime Trust Shield.

Do CO detectors really help?
Yes. They save lives and should be installed on every floor of your home.

Final Word: Safety Comes First

Gas odors are never something to ignore. The right response is always: leave, call for help, then let us check it out.

Honest Fix proudly serves Steubenville, Weirton, Wintersville, Toronto, Mingo Junction, Brilliant, Wellsburg, Follansbee, New Cumberland, and Colliers with one promise:
No upsells. No games. Just Honest Fixes.