Do this in order

What to Do If You Smell Gas

Leave first. Call second. Everything else after.

Leave
911
Xcel Energy

Call (720) 953-7060Describe the problem. No obligation to book.

If You Smell Gas in Brighton, CO: Steps

Leave the building right away and move upwind.
From outside, call 911.
Call Xcel Energy's gas emergency line.
Do not go back inside until you are told it is safe.
After the utility clears the leak, call a licensed plumber if the leak was in your house piping or an appliance.

Smell Gas Brighton CO: The First Sixty Seconds, in Order

If you smell gas Brighton CO residents should treat it as an emergency until proven otherwise. Natural gas has no smell on its own. Utilities add a rotten egg or sulfur odor so you notice a leak.

Stop what you are doing. Do not flip a switch, plug or unplug anything, or strike a match.
Get everyone out, including pets. Do not stop to open windows.
Walk well away from the building and upwind.
From outside, call 911. A cell phone outside is safe. Do not use a landline or cell inside the house.
Call Xcel Energy, the gas provider, on the emergency number printed on your bill and on its website.
Stay out until the utility or the fire department says it is safe.

Gas Leak Brighton CO: What Xcel Handles and What a Plumber Handles

A gas leak Brighton CO homes face falls into two ownership zones. Xcel serves the main and the service line to its delivery point, and only Xcel operates the inlet valve at the meter. House piping and appliances on the house side are generally yours. Where the handoff sits can depend on the service, so confirm with Xcel.

Location of the leak	Who fixes it	What you do
Main, service line or meter	Xcel Energy	Call 911, then Xcel, and stay out
House piping after the meter	Licensed plumber	Xcel or fire department shuts it off, then hire a plumber
Appliance connector, valve or regulator	Licensed plumber or appliance technician	Leave shutoff to Xcel or the fire crew unless a valve sits directly on your way out
Outdoor line to a grill, fire pit or generator	Licensed plumber	Shut the tank or supply valve if safe, then call for help

After a leak, the house piping is usually pressure tested before gas is turned back on, and the work may need a permit. See gas line repair and gas leak plumber.

Xcel Energy Gas Emergency and the Carbon Monoxide Alarm Law

Save Xcel's gas emergency number in your phone now. Do not try to look it up while standing in a smelly kitchen. The number is on your bill and on Xcel's website.

Gas leaks and carbon monoxide are different hazards. Carbon monoxide has no smell at all. It comes from incomplete combustion, so a furnace, water heater, fireplace or car running in a garage can produce it.

Colorado law, C.R.S. 38-45-102, requires working alarms within 15 feet of sleeping rooms in homes with fuel fired appliances, a fireplace or an attached garage. Sellers must comply. A rental statute covers landlords.

If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911.
Do not silence it and go back to bed. Symptoms include headache, dizziness and nausea.
Check the alarm date. Sensors expire, often in 7 to 10 years, and the date is printed on the back.
A natural gas detector is not a CO alarm. You need both.

After the Leak: Re-Entry, Relighting and Altitude Notes

Do not go back in on your own judgment. Wait for Xcel or the fire crew to clear the house. Ventilate after they clear it, not before.

Do not relight pilot lights or restart appliances until the cause is found. If a plumber replaces a water heater, furnace or gas line, expect a permit and an inspection, and the Colorado plumbing code gives them installation rules.

Brighton sits at about 4,984 feet in the City's design criteria, and manufacturers publish altitude adjustments for gas appliances at that height. A water heater or range set up or adjusted incorrectly can burn poorly and produce carbon monoxide. Use a licensed plumber or appliance technician who works on Front Range gas appliances.

After the Gas Company Clears the Home

Once Xcel clears the home, a gas leak plumber call or a gas line check covers the piping inside your walls. Keep the plumbing permits guide in mind, since gas work often needs one.

Who Does What

The utility makes the supply safe and handles its own lines and meter. A licensed plumber repairs piping and appliance connections on your side. See gas line repair and gas leak plumber.

Local case study

Dacono, December 2025: A Faint Odor, a Crew Released, and an Explosion an Hour Later

Dacono, in Weld County, Tuesday, December 2, 2025. A crew boring for fiber optic line punctured a gas line, and CBS Colorado reported what investigators found.

Firefighters and the gas utility found only a faint smell and no meter readings, so crews left. About an hour later, a mobile home exploded. The fire marshal said gas traveled through the gravel around nearby water lines and collected under the home.

Lesson: after any nearby dig, do not go back in until the utility says it is clear. A faint smell is still gas. Leave first, then call. Read about a gas leak plumber, or call the line and describe the problem.

The number for smell gas Brighton CO is (720) 953-7060. Callers also ask about gas leak Brighton CO. Calls about smell gas Brighton CO all open the same way: what did you see, hear or smell first?

Gas Smell Questions

What does natural gas smell like?

A rotten egg or sulfur smell added so leaks are noticeable.

Should I open windows?

No. Do not stop to open windows. The priority is leaving.

Who do I call first?

911 from outside, then Xcel Energy.

Can I use my phone inside?

No. Use it once you are outside.

Can I turn off the gas myself?

No. Do not look for a valve. Leave, call 911 from outside, then call Xcel Energy.

When can I go back in?

When the utility or fire department says it is safe.

Who fixes the leak?

The utility fixes its side. A licensed plumber fixes your house piping.

What if I smell gas outside?

Move away and call 911 and Xcel Energy.

What does gas smell like, and why does it smell that way?

Natural gas is odorless. Utilities add a sulfur compound so it smells like rotten eggs, so leaks are noticed. Some people smell it less, and gas can also reach you without a strong odor. A hissing sound near a line or meter is another warning. If in doubt, leave.

Should I open windows if I smell gas?

No. Time spent opening windows is time in a dangerous space. Get out first and call 911 from outside. Ventilation comes after the utility or fire crew says the house is clear.

Do I call 911 or Xcel first?

Call 911 first from outside. Fire crews are trained to handle gas and can secure the scene quickly. Then call Xcel Energy, the gas provider, which controls the meter and service line. Both calls take a minute, and 911 goes first.

Can I use my phone in the house if I smell gas?

Do not use a phone, cordless or cell, inside. A tiny spark from a switch or device can ignite a strong gas concentration. Walk outside and well away from the building before you place the call.

Is a gas smell in my garage or yard the same emergency?

Treat it that way. Gas can migrate through soil and enter a garage or basement from a leaking underground line, so the source is not always your appliance. Leave, call 911, then Xcel. Do not start a vehicle inside an attached garage.

Who pays for a leak fix on the house side of the meter?

The owner. Xcel makes the supply safe, while piping and appliance work after the meter belongs to you. A licensed plumber makes the repair, and a permit may be required. Ask your insurer whether the policy covers any of it.

Talk to a plumber

Call and describe what is happening. You will hear next steps on the call.

Call (720) 953-7060