Ameren Illinois offers natural gas safety tips
Like many utilities, Ameren Illinois is primarily known as a provider of electricity.
After all, it’s easy to think of the electric company when the poles and wires are visible overhead. But there is a vast, hidden energy delivery infrastructure that many take for granted. Every day, Ameren Illinois also delivers safe, reliable natural gas to approximately 816,000 customers throughout Central and Southern Illinois.
More than 1,200 miles of large transmission pipes feed a distribution pipeline network that spans nearly 17,000 miles. Along with 12 underground storage fields, these systems work together to bring natural gas to the home, providing heat and powering appliances and helping customers to be comfortable.
The safety of the natural gas system and its customers is a responsibility the company takes seriously. Ameren Illinois crews:
• Perform routine patrols and inspections of its natural gas pipelines, rights of way and facilities across its service territory.
• Conduct regular maintenance and monitor equipment 24 hours per day.
• If an incident or leak is detected or reported, crews respond within the hour. Ameren’s highly trained employees must pass rigorous testing and follow strict standards, codes and regulations.
A key element in pipeline safety is a free program that marks the location of underground utilities for anyone planning to dig. This helps prevent the unexpected and potentially dangerous striking of an underground gas pipe. Illinois law requires anyone digging, regardless of the depth of the project, to call the locating service for their area.
In Illinois, the program is called JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators). The notice to dig must be made at least 48 hours (two working days) before excavation starts, and the project must begin within 14 calendar days from the call to 8-1-1.
Customers should take immediate action if they smell natural gas
Natural gas in its pure form is odorless and colorless. Ameren Illinois adds an odorant to create the distinctive rotten egg smell that makes it easier to identify and detect gas while better protecting public safety.
“A customer should never smell natural gas in or around their home or business,” Ameren Illinois President Richard J. Mark said. “If they do, they need to leave the premises immediately and call Ameren Illinois. Our crews will respond immediately no matter what time of day, seven days a week, and there is absolutely no charge to the customer for a call-out if there is a legitimate concern about a gas leak.”
“Natural gas is a safe and reliable source of energy, but it can be dangerous if people are not vigilant in reporting a suspected leak,” said Eric Kozak, Ameren’s senior director of gas operations. “We strongly urge our customers to play it safe and alert us, even if they just suspect a problem.”
Gas leak response is a high priority for Ameren Illinois. Crews respond to gas leak calls in an average of 23 minutes; most are responded to within an hour.
Sean Maloy, past president of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, said firefighters often are the first to arrive on the scene of a natural gas leak.
“It’s not unusual for a resident to tell us they thought they smelled gas or that they smelled gas for as much as a week,” Maloy said. “If you smell gas in your home or business, leave the building immediately; get to a safe place and call Ameren Illinois at (800) 755-5000 or 911.”
Although Ameren Illinois has always stressed safety and communication concerning gas leaks, pipeline safety laws enacted in 2002 caused the company to take gas safety to another level, said Gina Meehan-Taylor, public awareness compliance and gas training supervisor.
“Lawmakers wanted to ensure that emergency responders knew where pipelines are located, what natural gas smells like and how to respond in the event of an emergency,” she said. “We try to conduct as many as 100 face-to-face presentations with fire departments as we can every year.”
Meehan-Taylor said the explosive range for natural gas is 4.5 to 15 percent.
“If you have 20 percent natural gas in your house, nothing is going to happen because the level is too high to cause an explosion,” she said. “But if a first responder opens a window, it’s going to lower the level to that explosive range of 4.5-percent to 14.5 percent. We always want first responders to call us before venting a business or home because even static electricity can ignite natural gas if it’s within the explosive range.”
Customers are reminded of these important tips:
That distinctive “rotten egg” odor makes it easy to sniff out a gas leak. In addition, a hissing or roaring sound or an unusual area of dead vegetation, blowing dirt, or bubbling water can all indicate a gas leak.
If you suspect a gas leak, leave the premises immediately and take pets with you. On your way out of the building, do not use light switches, cellphones or any electrical device that could generate a spark.
Once you are safe, call Ameren Illinois at (800) 755-5000 to report the suspected leak. The utility responds to gas leak calls 24 hours per day, seven days a week, and service is free of charge.
When a person calls customer service to report a gas leak, their call is escalated and a crew is immediately dispatched to the area. Upon arrival, crews perform a visual inspection for any outward signs of a leak, as well as inspect the piping, appliances and meter set. If a leak is confirmed, crews work to isolate the problem and make immediate repairs. In some instances, service must be shut off until a qualified heating-ventilation-air conditioning contractor can make repairs.
Keep gas appliances operating safely:
• Have a qualified heating contractor inspect your furnace annually. A properly tuned furnace saves energy and helps avoid costly repairs.
• Check the flue to make sure it is clean and open. Any fuel that does not burn completely can create harmful levels of carbon monoxide.
• Carbon monoxide is a gas with no color, odor or taste. It can collect in your home if a fuel-burning appliance isn’t working or venting properly.
• Keep forced-air furnace filters clean. Clean or replace them according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
• Avoid using or storing the following products near the furnace or water heater: paint stripper, fabric or water softener, bleach, adhesives, or salt for melting ice. The chlorine or fluorine in these items can lead to furnace corrosion.
• Keep your heat registers and cold-air returns clean so the air can flow properly. Also, arrange your furniture and drapes so they don’t block the air flow.
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