October 18, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 18, 2013
For additional information,
Contact: Lauren Christ
Moxley Carmichael
(865) 544-0088
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With cooler weather just around the corner, KUB is encouraging customers to think “safety first” when using natural gas.
“Natural gas is a safe, clean and efficient energy source,” said Brooke Sinclair, KUB Safety and Technical Services manager. “But, like all energy, you should use it wisely and safely. As the weather changes and temperatures drop, many East Tennesseans will be lighting their natural gas furnaces for the first time this season. It’s an important time to review natural gas safety.”
KUB offers these safety tips:
• Use your nose. Before processing, natural gas has no odor or color. KUB adds a harmless chemical called mercaptan, which contains sulfur and has a rotten egg smell, to help customers detect even small amounts of escaped natural gas.
• Listen for hisses. There may be a blowing or hissing sound near a leak.
• Look for visual indicators. You may see bubbling in a wet or flooded area or flames if a leak ignites. Dead or discolored vegetation may also be a sign of a natural gas leak.
• Keep an eye on the flame. Pilot lights and burners have a steady, blue flame when they are operating correctly. The exception is natural gas fireplace pilots, which may burn blue or yellow.
• Leave the area and call KUB immediately if you suspect a leak. KUB urges customers who smell, hear, or see a natural gas leak to immediately leave the area and call KUB at 865-524-2911. KUB will send a trained technician to conduct a leak investigation at no charge.
• Always Call 811 before you dig. Planting a tree? Putting up a mailbox? No matter how small your project, always make a free call to 811 before you dig to request that customer-owned natural gas service lines and other buried utilities be marked. It’s the law, and it helps protect you from dangerous, costly dig-ins.
“We encourage anyone who uses natural gas or lives in an area served by a natural gas pipeline to review our new safety brochure, which you can view on the KUB website, or request a copy by calling 865-524-2911,” Sinclair said. “Follow these safety tips, and you should feel comfortable and confident with your natural gas service at home and with pipelines in our community.”
Customers are encouraged to visit the KUB website, http://www.kub.org, where videos and a new brochure about natural gas safety are available.
KUB, a municipal utility serving Knox and parts of seven adjacent counties, provides reliable electric, natural gas, water and wastewater services to more than 439,000 customers.
