GAS LEAK!

Leanna and I got home last night and, on opening the kitchen door from the garage, were confronted with a powerful odor of natural gas. (Actually, natural gas has no odor. The gas company adds Mercaptan to the gas so that you can smell any leaks.) Being responsible adults who pay attention, we immediately went into response mode, and knew what to do. Do not turn on any lights (or anything else electrical) or start any fires. Immediately open the biggest hole you can (the back door) and then every other door and window. Check to make sure the pets are ok. (Isis and Ramses have a cat door into the back yard, and cannot get out of the back yard due to the special fence we built. They were playing happily, although we don't know if they didn't like the gas smell or just decided to go play. Without that cat door, they could have been killed.) Then go outside and use a cell phone to call the gas company. (If you can't find their number call 911 and the emergency people will transfer you to the gas company.) The gas company responded within minutes with a technician who had gas testing equipment. It took him two minutes to find the leak. (The pipes inside the 28-year-old oven had finally corroded through. Nothing lasts forever.) He then checked everything else and found two tiny leaks (not dangerous but deserving correction) in other appliances. Had Leanna and I been a few hours later coming home, we could well have found a pile of bricks instead of a house. (Note: houses are designed to breathe and it is better to leave two windows open a couple of inches, secured against burglar entry of course.That way, any gas leak that happens will not build up to a fuel-air mixture able to actually explode.) We have five gas appliances in our home, three of which have flameless ignition. The oven does not (but will) and the hot water heater does not (but will the next time we replace it).