If your earthquake gas shut off valve has closed, do not reset it until you are sure nothing is leaking. A gas smell or a hissing sound means you walk out of the building and then phone SoCalGas, 1-800-427-2200, from a safe spot outside. No smell and no damage, and many valves can be reset by hand following the maker's steps printed on the body or in the manual. It sits within our gas line work, where a local plumber is arranged for installs.
What should I check before I reset the valve?
Check for gas, damage and open appliances, in that order. Walk the house after the shaking stops. A sulfur or rotten egg smell, a hissing sound, a dead patch of lawn near the line or a bubbling puddle outside means stop. If everything is quiet, you have a valve that tripped and a house that may be fine.
Run through these before you touch the valve:
- Smell and sound. Notice either one and you should leave, then ring SoCalGas from the yard and add 911 if anyone is at risk.
- Look at the meter and the piping you can see. A pipe pulled from a wall, a bent connector or a water heater that moved is a repair job first.
- Turn every gas appliance control to off. That includes the stove burners, the furnace thermostat and the dryer, so nothing relights on its own when gas returns.
- Look at the water heater. SoCalGas advises strapping it to the wall studs in two places. If it shifted or leaks, leave it off.
- Read the label on the valve. The model name and reset instructions are usually on the body or on a tag close by.
Do not reset at all if the house moved on its foundation, if any piping looks damaged, or if you have doubts. Let a plumber examine the system and perform the reset afterward.
How do I reset an earthquake gas shut off valve?
There is no single procedure, because models differ. Many mechanical valves have a small reset lever, button or plunger that you lift or press after the line is confirmed safe. Others need a tool or a specific sequence. Follow your model's printed steps, and if you cannot find them, have a plumber do it.
What the process looks like in broad strokes, so you know what to expect:
- The valve closed because a sensor tripped. The gas line past the valve is now empty or at low pressure.
- The manufacturer's steps reset the sensor and reopen the line. Some models wait until the pressure equalizes before the flow resumes. Some include a short delay.
- After gas returns, pilot lights on older appliances go out and need relighting. Newer appliances with electronic ignition restart themselves.
- Check every appliance and every visible joint for a gas smell after the reset. A dab of soapy water on an accessible joint will form bubbles at a leak. Do not use a flame.
If the valve will not reset, closes again at once, or you hear gas moving when it should be quiet, there is likely a leak downstream. Shut the manual valve, keep away from the area and get help.
Who is allowed to turn the gas back on?
It depends on which valve closed. A seismic valve on your own piping is yours to reset by the maker's steps. The meter is different: SoCalGas says only its own field employees turn the gas on at the meter, and that you should not restore service yourself. If you or the utility shut off the meter, wait for the utility.
People confuse these two all the time after a quake. Two valves can be involved. The seismic valve past the meter closes on its own. The meter shutoff is the one a SoCalGas worker or you turned with a wrench. Reset the first only if it is safe. Never turn the meter back on.
SoCalGas also says interior piping and appliances should be inspected for damage before service returns, and that after widespread outages the wait may be long. In the days after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, broken gas lines were reported behind many fires, so inspection is not a formality. Some repairs need a plumber or heating contractor before the utility restores service.
Can I install an earthquake gas shut off valve myself?
No. Putting one in means cutting the gas line, and gas piping work in California calls for a contractor holding the proper license plus a permit from the building department. Burbank properties go through the City of Burbank Building Division, and Valley homes inside Los Angeles go through LADBS. A homeowner reset is fine. A homeowner install is not.
What you can do before the install is gather what the plumber needs:
- A photo of your meter and the pipe just after it.
- A list of gas appliances and where they sit.
- The model of any valve already on the line.
Ask the plumber which type is being quoted, what the valve is rated to react to, how it resets and where the reset control will sit. A reset control you cannot reach is a poor design for a stressed household. The choice and the quote get fuller treatment on our emergency gas shut off valve page.
What does it cost to install a valve, and which one is best?
We have no sourced figure to offer, and a vague number is not a quote. The price moves with the model, the meter location, the condition of your gas piping, and the permit. We cannot name a best model either. Ask for ones with a published listing, a reset you can reach, and a clear label of what they react to.
A few questions that sharpen a quote:
- Does the valve go at the meter or beyond it, and for what reason?
- Is the permit in the price?
- What is the plumber going to do if the existing pipe is corroded?
- Will the plumber test the joints before the gas goes back on?
For how gas work is priced more broadly, read about gas line pipe pricing. Start a quote on our quote page.
Our home page lists the other plumbing jobs we set up.
Questions people ask
Why did my earthquake gas valve close when I felt nothing?
It may have reacted to a vibration that registered at its trigger level, such as a nearby impact or distant quake, or it may be faulty or poorly mounted. Do the gas check first. If all is safe and it keeps tripping, have a plumber check the mounting and the model. Do not wedge or bypass it.
Do I need SoCalGas to reset my seismic valve?
Not for a valve on your own piping, if the maker's steps allow a homeowner reset. SoCalGas must turn the meter back on if the meter was shut off, and it says you should not do that yourself. If you are unsure which valve closed, contact SoCalGas, 1-800-427-2200, and ask.
What if the pilot lights are out after the reset?
Older gas appliances use a standing pilot that goes out when the gas stops, so it needs relighting following the appliance's label. If you cannot do it safely or the appliance acts oddly, leave it off and get a plumber or heating contractor. Do not relight any appliance if you smell gas.
Is the valve reset the same for a meter-mounted valve?
Not always. A valve that mounts at the meter, and one that mounts on the house piping, may use different reset steps, and the meter itself belongs to the utility. Read your model's instructions, and if the valve sits on the SoCalGas meter set, ask SoCalGas before touching anything.
Should I strap the water heater as well?
Yes. SoCalGas advises strapping the water heater to wall studs in two places, keeping the lower strap no less than four inches over the thermostat controls. A heater that tips in a quake can pull its gas connector loose, and a seismic valve works best when the heater stays put.
References
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