Smell Gas? Act Fast! Virginia Natural Gas offers helpful safety tips

NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Virginia Natural Gas reminds customers to check their furnaces this fall by scheduling an inspection of their home heating system. This inspection should be performed annually by a licensed contractor, to ensure maximum efficiency and safety.

Natural gas is a clean, colorless and odorless fuel. For safety reasons a chemical odorant sometimes described as a "rotten egg" smell, is added, making the presence of natural gas detectable.

Customers detecting an odor of gas should follow these steps: -- Alert others and leave the area immediately. -- Leave doors open when exiting. -- Do not operate electric lights, appliances or other equipment such as telephones, cell phones or flashlights. -- Go to a phone away from the area and call Virginia Natural Gas or 9-1-1.

If a gas leak is suspected customers should call Virginia Natural Gas at 1-877-572-3342 or 9-1-1 immediately, instead of attempting to locate the source of the smell.

Call Before You Dig - Dial 8-1-1

Before digging or excavating with mechanized equipment or otherwise on property, the law requires notification to all utilities 72 hours in advance, excluding weekends and holidays, so underground lines can be located and clearly marked.

About Virginia Natural Gas

Virginia Natural Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL Resources , provides retail natural gas sales and distribution services to 264,000 customers in southeast Virginia. For more information, visit http://www.virginianaturalgas.com/.

About AGL Resources

AGL Resources , an Atlanta-based energy services company, serves more than 2.2 million customers in six states. The company also owns Houston-based Sequent Energy Management, an asset manager serving natural gas wholesale customers throughout North America. As a 70 percent owner in the SouthStar partnership, AGL Resources markets natural gas to consumers in Georgia under the Georgia Natural Gas brand. The company also owns and operates Jefferson Island Storage & Hub, a high-deliverability natural gas storage facility near the Henry Hub in Louisiana. For more information, visit http://www.aglresources.com/.