Daylight Saving Time Safety Checklist

While you are resetting your clocks during Daylight Saving Time, UGI Utilities urges customers to perform other maintenance tasks to keep your home and family safe.

• Natural Gas Safety: Natural gas detectors can be purchased at most home improvement stores and can alert you and your family of a dangerous leak. Install natural gas detectors in locations close to sources of natural gas. Place them in any room with a gas appliance such as your kitchen or basement. Be sure to test regularly and change batteries at least once a year. An additive called Mercaptan gives natural gas a rotten egg smell. If you smell gas or your detector goes off, evacuate immediately and get at least the length of a football field away from the building. Do not turn anything on or off or use your cell phone until you’ve reached a safe distance. Call 911 or UGI at 800-276-2722 as soon as you reach safety.
• Fire Safety: Home fires claim seven lives every day, but having working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half, according to the American Red Cross. Smoke alarms should be in every bedroom and in the common areas on each floor and should be interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound. If your detector’s battery is low, it will make a chirping sound. The American Red Cross recommends testing your smoke alarms each month and replacing the battery once a year. Be sure to replace smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old. Also, be sure to check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher.
• Carbon Monoxide Safety: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that is a by-product of the incomplete combustion of fuels such as wood, charcoal, gasoline, kerosene, oil, natural gas and propane. CO can be caused by malfunctioning heating systems or appliances, as well as damaged or blocked vents and chimneys. CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each bedroom and on every level of the home. Similar to smoke detectors, change the batteries and test them frequently. Most carbon monoxide detectors last between 7 to 10 years. If there is an unsafe level of carbon monoxide and your detector goes off, evacuate immediately and call UGI at 800-276-2722 or 911.
• Emergency Plans: UGI urges all customers to have an up-to-date emergency preparedness plan to ensure quick action in the case of any potential incident. The American Red Cross recommends practicing your plan both at night and during the day, twice a year. Spring is a great time to review that plan with family members. Make sure your plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities. Plan two ways to escape from each room. Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily. If you live in a multi-story building, always plan to use the stairs during an emergency – never the elevator. Designate a meeting place a safe distance from the house.

For more safety information, visit ugi.com/natural-gas-safety.