Because natural gas has no color or particular smell, your gas company adds a special chemical called "mercaptan" to its product. The smell of mercaptan is very distinctive (would you believe - like a dozen rotten eggs??!) and makes a gas leak easier to detect quickly.

Should you smell a faint odor like sulfur or rotten eggs, tell an adult immediately. A faint odor could simply mean that a pilot light needs to relighted. A strong odor, though, indicates that there may be a more serious problem that must be repaired by the gas company.

If you smell a strong odor of rotten eggs, don't turn appliances or lights on OR off. Don't use a phone or cell phone in the house. Go to a trusted neighbor's house and call the gas company.