PG&E offers free gas appliance checks this winter

PG&E urges customers to have a local gas service technician relight pilot lights and conduct an in-home appliance inspection for free to make sure natural gas furnaces and appliances are working properly.

Customers are urged to schedule an appointment to have their gas appliances inspected before the cold weather hits and to be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning dangers.

“We want to remind all of our customers that nothing is more important to us than their safety, which is why we offer this annual service free of charge. A properly functioning gas appliance significantly reduces safety risks in the home, such as carbon monoxide poisoning. A simple call to PG&E can help avoid a dangerous situation this winter,” said John Higgins, vice president of Gas Transmission and Distribution Operations.

According to the Center for Disease Control, there are 400 carbon monoxide-related deaths in the United States each year. If unsafe concentrations of carbon monoxide are present but not detected, the result can be fatal.

If a distinctive “rotten egg” odor of natural gas in or around the home or business is smelled, call 911 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 10:15 PM with the headline "PG&E offers free gas appliance checks this winter."