Safety Tips

Tips for when your natural gas and electric appliances have been in a flood

If flooding causes water levels to cover your natural gas meter, call Puget Sound Energy to check the meter and regulator before using natural gas appliances. Flood waters could cause stresses to the gas piping. Customers also should call the utility if they smell natural gas.

If a natural gas furnace has shut down because of flooding, follow these steps:

• shut off the appliance if you smell the odor of natural gas and call PSE
• shut off the electric supply to the furnace until the water goes down

Puget Sound Energy is unable to schedule service for the appliances until:

• all water is out of the equipment
• the equipment is dried out
• the area around the furnace is cleaned up

If duct work in a crawl space is full of water:

• shut off the furnace
• do not turn the furnace back on until the ducts are dry
• schedule a service-check on your furnace after the furnace and duct work have dried out and the area around the furnace is cleaned

Stay out of flooded basements

PSE also reminds customers to stay out of flooded basements because energized wiring or outlets below the water line may pose a hazard.

Call Puget Sound Energy at 1.888.225.5773.