A gas smell near a natural gas water heater should always be treated as a possible leak first, with safety steps taken before any diagnosis or troubleshooting.
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Quick answer
If you smell gas near your water heater, do not investigate further, do not operate switches, and do not attempt any troubleshooting. Leave the home immediately, taking others with you, and call FortisBC's emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 from a safe location away from the house. Only after FortisBC or a licensed technician has confirmed it is safe should the actual source, whether a loose fitting, a failing valve, or a venting issue, be identified and repaired.
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Natural gas is given a distinct sulphur or rotten-egg odour specifically so it is noticeable, and any gas smell near a water heater, however faint, deserves an immediate and specific response rather than an attempt to identify the source yourself first. Do not light a match, flip a light switch, use a phone inside the house, or operate any appliance. Leave the home, bringing everyone with you, and call FortisBC's emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 once you are safely away from the building. This sequence matters more than identifying the cause, because the priority is removing any ignition risk and getting trained responders on site.
| Possible source | How it typically presents | Who addresses it |
|---|---|---|
| Loose or worn gas line fitting | Persistent, localized smell near a connection | Licensed gas fitter |
| Failing gas control valve | Smell near the base of the tank, sometimes intermittent | Licensed gas fitter, valve replacement |
| Pilot or ignition irregularity releasing unburned gas briefly | Brief smell during startup, should not persist | Licensed technician inspection |
| External gas line issue near the home | Smell noticeable outdoors as well as indoors | FortisBC assessment |
Most water heater issues, whether noise, temperature problems, or a fault light, are things a homeowner can safely observe and describe in some detail before a technician arrives, because they do not carry an immediate ignition or exposure risk. A gas smell is different: it means combustible fuel may be present outside the appliance's controlled combustion path, so the correct first move is always to leave and call for help, not to gather more information. Once FortisBC or a technician has confirmed the situation is safe to approach, the actual diagnosis, tracing the smell to a specific fitting, valve, or line, happens as a normal, methodical repair process.
FortisBC dispatches a response to assess for a gas leak and will advise when it is safe to return to the property. If a leak is confirmed and traced to your water heater's fittings, valve, or connection to the gas line, a licensed gas fitter is needed to complete the actual repair, since only a licensed technician is permitted to work on gas piping and appliance connections under Technical Safety BC regulations. CANRO holds gas licence LGA0043870 and boiler licence LBP0046450 and can complete that repair once the property has been confirmed safe to work in.
Once a confirmed leak has been repaired, routine annual maintenance that includes a visual and, where appropriate, instrument-based check of gas connections is the most reliable way to catch a developing issue, such as a slowly loosening fitting or an aging valve, before it becomes a smell you notice on your own. This is standard practice on any gas water heater, tank or tankless, and is a reasonable thing to ask about when booking regular service, particularly on an older unit that has never had its connections professionally reviewed.
Safety note
Any gas smell is a potential emergency. Leave the home immediately with everyone in it, avoid all switches, flames, and phones inside the house, and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 from a safe location outside. Do not return until told it is safe to do so.
Leave the home right away with everyone inside it, avoid using switches or flames on your way out, and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 once you are safely outside.
Yes, any gas smell, faint or strong, constant or intermittent, should be treated the same way and reported immediately rather than monitored to see if it gets worse.
No, do not attempt to locate or investigate the source yourself; leave the home first and let FortisBC and a licensed technician handle identifying and repairing it.
Only a licensed gas fitter can legally repair a gas line, fitting, or appliance connection under Technical Safety BC regulations.
Routine annual maintenance that includes checking gas connections is the most reliable way to catch a developing issue like a loosening fitting before it becomes noticeable.
No, step outside the home first before using a phone or any electrical device, since operating a switch or device can be an ignition source in a genuine gas leak.
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