Hurricane Tips
Go Blue, Even In The Dark
Natural gas works, even when the power doesn’t – meaning hot meals and hot showers when you need it most. Here’s what you need to know about weathering the storm with natural gas.
Before the Storm
Do natural gas customers need to take any special precautions before a storm?
Natural gas lines do not require any special precautions.
During the Storm
Do hurricanes typically cause widespread outages of natural gas service?
No, typically natural gas customers do not lose service at all. All natural gas lines are buried, so outages are rare and typically caused by uprooted trees puncturing the line. Since there are so few outages, Pensacola Energy is very quick to respond.
Most natural gas appliances work even when the power is out, providing comfort of your family during and after the storm, when you need it most.
Natural gas ranges and ovens – cooking functions work normally, without power.
Natural gas tank water heaters – function normally, without power.
Natural gas tankless water heaters – due to an electric ignition, tankless water heaters require power. To continue operation, plug the unit into a portable generator.
Natural gas grills – function normally, without power and without the worry of running out of gas.
Natural gas fire pits – function normally, without power and without the worry of running out of gas.
Natural gas outdoor lighting – function normally, without power.
Natural gas whole house generators – In the event of power failure, the generator will return electricity to the structure within 30 seconds and continue providing electricity until the original power source has returned.
Note – Some appliances require that you manually light the pilot, and this should be done according to the appliance manufacturer’s instructions.
After the Storm
When returning from evacuation, check natural gas appliances for possible damage or leaks. If you smell a strong sulfur (rotten-egg) odor, leave immediately and call Pensacola Energy Emergency Services at (850) 474-5300. If no smell is present, operation of natural gas appliances should be safe. If a natural gas generator was in use for several days, the oil should be checked, and if necessary, changed.
Storm Repair
During clean-up and repair, avoid natural gas interruption and damage to the gas lines by calling 811 from Florida and 1-800-432-4770 outside the state of Florida before digging.
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