Is Your Heater Leaking Gas?

This is a immediate and dire concern to deal with! If you smell natural gas in your house or near the furnace, do not light any matches or turn off or on any switches. If the gas smell is strong, right away leave your house, leaving the door open.
turned off gas leak

To shut down the gas supply to your house, turn the valve up until it rests perpendicular to the supply pipeline (here the gas is on).

Switch off the gas supply valve, usually found by your gas meter on the gas inlet pipe. Turn off the gas by rotating the valve one quarter turn with an adjustable wrench. When the gas is off, the valve's oval stem points perpendicular to the inlet pipeline. Call your gas utility or the fire department from a remote place. Do not go back to your home till you know it is safe.