CLEVELAND, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion
East Ohio provides 24-hour
emergency service year-round to ensure customer safety. If there is
an odor of natural gas in or around the premises, Dominion advises
customers to leave the premises and immediately call
1-877-542-2630, toll-free, and the company will send a
representative to investigate. Dominion also considers it an
emergency if none of the customer's natural gas appliances are
working.
Natural gas is a safe, efficient fuel. To help customers detect
natural gas leaks more easily, Dominion adds mercaptan, a chemical
odorant, which gives natural gas its distinctive, sulfur-like
aroma. When customers or members of the general public smell a
suspected odor of natural gas, Dominion advises:
- DO NOT remain in the house or building.
- DO NOT attempt to locate the gas leak.
- DO NOT open windows.
- DO NOT use telephones or cell phones.
- DO NOT turn any electrical switches, appliances or lights on or
off, or unplug electrical appliances.
- DO NOT operate your garage door opener.
- DO NOT smoke or use lighters, matches or other open
flames.
Call before You Dig for Safe Excavation
Third-party
dig-ins cause the largest number of damages to natural gas lines
and other underground utility facilities. Ohio law requires excavators, contractors
and property owners, to contact the Ohio Utilities Protection
Service, (OUPS) by dialing 811, at least two working days before
digging, to avoid costly damage to underground utility lines.
Pipeline Markers Indicate Underground Facilities
Since natural gas pipelines are underground, line markers are used
to indicate their approximate location. Markers are general, not
exact, locators. Markers do not tell how deeply a pipeline is
buried, nor do they necessarily indicate the number of underground
lines. Pipelines do not always follow a straight course between two
markers, so never rely solely on the presence or absence of
pipeline markers. Please remember: Before you dig, always call OUPS
at 811 to make sure you do not hit a utility line. It is a federal
crime to willfully deface, damage, remove or destroy a pipeline
marker.
Keep Clear of Right-of-Way Corridors
Dominion
inspects the right-of-way corridors that extend along our pipelines
and will notify property owners when structures or trees obstruct
or encroach on a right-of-way. These corridors play an
important role in ensuring the integrity and safety of Dominion's
pipeline network. By calling OUPS before starting a project, you'll
avoid problems. To ensure pipeline integrity:
- Do not erect buildings or structures, or plant trees or other
obstructions on pipeline rights of way.
- Do not excavate, change the grade or impound water within the
rights of way without our permission.
- Do not move heavy equipment or logs across the rights of
way.
- Avoid blasting within 1,000 feet of the pipeline without
approval from Dominion.
Keep Metering Equipment and Vents Clear
Although
Dominion owns and maintains the gas meter, it is the customer's
responsibility to provide clear access to the meter and associated
metering equipment, and to keep it free from obstructions. This
includes snow, ice and shrubs. Snow and ice can damage metering
equipment, and it is the customer's responsibility to keep the
metering equipment clear. Ice, icicles or water dripping on the
meter could prevent safe and efficient operation of the meter and
create a potentially hazardous situation. Icicles should be removed
from overhead eaves and gutters to prevent dripping water from
splashing and freezing on the metering equipment or appliance
vents. Snow or ice can also block the side wall vents of gas
appliances; customers must keep those clear as well.
Customers should remove any snow or ice from the meter or piping
by hand or carefully with a broom. DO NOT use any objects, or
strike the metering equipment to remove ice.
Likewise, DO NOT plow or pile snow up against or on the gas
metering equipment, as well as any of the company's equipment
buildings. In case of an emergency, company personnel must be able
to access metering equipment at all times.
Do not tamper with or obstruct the gas meter, whether it's
located inside or outside the home. Avoid piling mulch against gas
metering equipment. Also, never use gas metering equipment or
piping for hanging items, as a bike post or for any other
purpose.
Heating System, Appliance Inspections Recommended
Dominion East Ohio also reminds
customers that natural gas furnaces, boilers and appliances need
regular inspection and maintenance by a licensed, qualified heating
professional. Clean dirt and dust from underneath and around
appliances, for maximum safety and efficiency. Keep combustible
materials away from furnaces, water heaters, ranges or other
appliances. If a gas appliance is replaced, moved, or no longer
needed, plug or cap the open piping system.
Additional Safety Tips
- Customers should be sure to have a working smoke detector on
each floor of their home to alert families to danger. Check the
detectors monthly and change the batteries yearly.
- For an extra margin of safety, customers also should install a
carbon monoxide detector, endorsed by the Consumer Product Safety
Commission, in the sleeping area of their home.
- House numbers should be posted clearly on the home or mailbox.
Obscured or missing house numbers can cause a delay in locating a
home during an emergency.
- Dominion employees will not complete work assignments that
expose them to hazardous conditions, such as unrestrained dogs,
standing water in a basement or other circumstances.
- Make sure stairs -- whether indoors or outside -- are clear of
clutter, are not slippery, are well lit, have a handrail and, most
important, are structurally sound.
Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers and
transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 26,400
megawatts of generation, 14,600 miles of natural gas transmission,
gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,600 miles of electric
transmission lines. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest
natural gas storage systems with 1 trillion cubic feet of storage
capacity and serves more than 6 million utility and retail energy
customers. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's
website at www.dom.com.
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SOURCE Dominion East Ohio