Natural Gas Safety - Residential - Georgia Gas - Liberty
Smell natural gas?
Get out immediately. When you arrive at a safe location call us at 1-855-216-6306 or call 911. The smell of leaking natural gas is often compared to sulfur or rotten eggs. Click the image below to learn more.
Work Zone Safety
Liberty crews follow strict safety guidelines in work zones, but you also play a role in work zone safety. Watch the video below to learn how you can help keep our employees safe.
For Emergency Responders
Click the link below to learn valuable information on responding to emergencies that may involve natural gas facilities.
What We Do
Damaging an underground facility is not only dangerous, but it can cause outages, expensive repairs and legal action. To help minimize the amount of damage that may occur to our natural gas distribution system, we have a group of highly trained individuals who help protect our system from damage. These employees go through very strict operator qualification classes throughout the year.
Georgia 811 is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to preventing damage to Georgia’s underground utilities and promoting public safety by contacting applicable utility companies of your plans to dig. In turn, these utilities (or their contract locating companies) respond to mark out the location of their underground facilities. This helps others know which areas to avoid when digging therefore helping to keep our underground infrastructure safe.
The natural gas pipeline infrastructure is the nation's safest energy delivery system. Liberty has experienced personnel that routinely inspect and maintain natural gas service lines, and service crews are available to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day.
An Excess Flow Valve (EFV) is a mechanical safety device installed underground in a natural gas service line between the natural gas main near the street and the meter. It is designed to minimize the flow of natural gas in the event there is a break in the outside service line leading to the meter.
A potential safety benefit is if an excavator accidentally digs into and cuts the natural gas service line, the valve would automatically activate to minimize the flow of gas. EFVs will not operate on all natural gas service lines and certain parameters may exist where installation of an EFV is not warranted. Some customers already have an EFV installed on their existing service line.
If you are interested in getting an EFV installed on your natural gas service line, we first need to determine if the service line is eligible. Please call us at 1-855-216-6305 and ask to speak with an Operations Supervisor.
Prior to excavation and installation, Liberty is required to notify GA 811 who will notify other utility providers that may have infrastructure in the area. During the installation, your natural gas service will be interrupted for a brief period of time. The average cost of installing an EFV can range from $1,500 to $4,000. The exact cost will be determined based on Liberty evaluating your location. The installation of an EFV will be scheduled at a mutually agreeable date pending the approval of any needed permits and weather conditions.
Liberty personnel monitor our gas distribution system and take emergency calls 24/7 from our Gas Control Center in Londonderry, NH
In order to work on our natural gas distribution system, employees must follow stringent training and qualifications measures.
To keep our natural gas distribution system both safe and reliable, we conduct multiple inspections and surveys every year.
What You Can Do
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a normal by-product of fuel combustion, but high levels of it indoors can be dangerous to your health. Typical heating fuels (oil, coal, wood, gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, or natural gas) can create carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide has no odor, color or taste, but can cause serious health issues. Take steps to make sure your home is protected.
We diligently maintain company-owned pipelines to ensure safety and efficiency. It is important to remember, however, that as the customer of record, you or the property owner are responsible for customer-owned gas lines that begin at the outlet of the gas meter and extend — either above or below ground — to natural gas-burning appliances. Make sure your pipes are getting the attention they need.
Planting a tree? Installing a fence? Planning a home improvement? Call 811.
Did you know it’s the law to make this call? Electric power lines, natural gas pipelines, water pipes, communications lines and other utility services can be within a few feet of the ground’s surface. Not knowing where these lines are can result in personal injury, property damage and neighborhood service interruptions. Even a small dent or a scrape can cause damage, resulting in a leak or service-wide disruptions.
Gas appliances are safe and efficient. Like all appliances, certain safety precautions should be followed. Make sure your family is safe by following these guidelines.
Adding gas appliances or equipment increases gas pressure and requires a safety check. Contact Liberty to determine if your gas service and/or meter, has the capacity to handle the additional gas load.
Maintaining chimneys and flue pipes is an important safety requirement. Liberty urges you to have a licensed heating contractor periodically inspect your chimneys and flue pipes for safe operation.
Keep your meters accessible. Liberty needs to access your meter year-round. Please keep walkways, driveways and the area around your gas meter clear of snow and ice during the winter months. Please also keep shrubbery near the meter well-trimmed, so we can access it during the milder months as well.
If you have a dog, remember not to use the meter riser as a spot to tie your pet. While the meter sets are metal, they are not built to withstand pulling.
We also ask that in the summer months, customers check the gas meter located on their property to ensure bees, hornets and wasps are not building nests around company owned equipment. This may limit our technician's ability to perform routine meter reading or maintenance.
CCST is a flexible, stainless steel pipe used to supply natural gas and propane in residential, commercial and industrial structures. Coated with a yellow, or in some cases, a black exterior plastic coating, CSST is usually routed beneath, through, and alongside floor joists in your basement, inside interior wall cavities, and on top of ceiling joists in attic spaces.
While this type of pipe is safe, it is strongly recommended that you determine if the CSST system is properly bonded and grounded. A bonding device should be installed on your natural gas system in order to reduce the chances of a natural gas leak or fire. Bonding is provided primarily to prevent a possible electric shock to people who come in contact with the gas piping and other metal objects connected to the grounding system. Nearby lightning strikes can also result in an electrical surge and can potentially puncture a hole in the CSST. Proper bonding and grounding will reduce the risk of damage and fire from a lightning strike.
If you are unsure as to whether your business has CSST or whether it has been properly bonded and grounded, contact a licensed electrician to arrange for a professional inspection.