If you smell gas in a Selma home, leave right away and call 911 or Piedmont Natural Gas at 800-752-7504 from outside. For leak repairs on the piping you own past the meter, new appliance lines or a pressure test, call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Selma.
About gas in Selma
Selma is a railroad town on I-95 next to Smithfield, and its homes are older than the Johnston County average: the median house was built in 1974 and about 55% predate 1980, per Census survey data. Many sit in the Downtown Selma and West Selma historic districts. Johnston County is listed for Piedmont Natural Gas in a 2014 Utilities Commission report. Piedmont maintains the main and meter, and the piping after the meter is the owner's. In houses this age, gas lines have often been extended for new furnaces and water heaters over the decades, and older connectors and capped stubs are common finds. Whether a main serves your street is for Piedmont to confirm.
What to do now
- If you smell gas, leave without touching switches or appliances. Call 911 or Piedmont from outside.
- If an appliance is misbehaving, turn it off at its own valve and leave it off.
- If Piedmont shut off the meter, leave it off until the repair is done.
- If you're adding an appliance, have the model number ready and find the crawl space access.
- Call a plumber to find and fix the problem or run the new line.
Signs and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Rotten-egg smell | Gas leak; leave and call from outside |
| Rust on pipe under the house | Aging black iron corroding in damp conditions |
| Bare brass tube behind the stove | Outdated connector due for replacement |
| Water heater pilot won't stay lit | Thermocouple, draft or supply issue |
| Soot around a furnace | Poor combustion or venting |
Cost factors
- Size of the repair, from one fitting to a full section of pipe
- Crawl space access in older homes
- Upsizing narrow old pipe for a modern appliance
- Additional leaks found during the pressure test
- Town zoning and county permit steps
Permits in Selma start with zoning approval from the Town of Selma's planning department where needed, then Johnston County Building Inspections in Smithfield. The plumber usually handles the trade permit. In an older Selma home, it's worth having the whole system pressure tested when one part is fixed, because nearby fittings are usually the same age and condition.
Gas Line Services questions in Selma
What gas piping problems turn up in older houses?
Should the old flexible connector behind an appliance be replaced?
I smell gas in the house. What should I do first?
Why is new gas piping pressure tested before it's used?
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