If your home suddenly smells like sulfur or rotten eggs, treat it as a precaution and leave immediately. Utilities add an odorant called mercaptan to natural gas so leaks are easier to detect, and gas industry safety guidance says that rotten-egg smell is one of the clearest warning signs of a leak. Once you notice it, do not flip light switches, use appliances, smoke, or make calls inside the house because any spark could ignite the gas. Leave the area first, then call 911 or your gas utility from a safe distance.
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