New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and PA’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have advised homeowners and landlords to put safety first when preparing for home heating needs this fall and winter. Property owners should avoid connecting occupied buildings to wells producing natural gas, because doing so can be dangerous and potentially deadly. 

Property owners who use oil for heat should inspect fuel storage tanks for potential leaks or spills before receiving shipments of fuel oil. 

Taking these steps can save residents money—and can keep them safe.

Natural gas safety

Natural gas produced by a gas or oil well is odorless and difficult or impossible for a person to detect. While the primary component of natural gas is methane, gases such as propane and butane may also be present in addition to water, because the gas is raw and untreated. This can result in improper and erratic combustion in appliances. 

The risk of an explosion due to natural gas build-up in a home is substantially greater if that gas is not provided by a utility.

If a home-use well is connected to a house or other structure:

Contact a plumber licensed to work on gas lines and have the fuel source switched to utility natural gas or consider another fuel or heating appliance;

Natural gas directly from a well is odorless and colorless, meaning it can build up to explosive levels without detection. 

Install methane detection alarms in any closed space where methane may accumulate.

Commercial gas suppliers always add the odorant mercaptan to natural gas before it is delivered for use. Consider adding mercaptan to natural gas from a home use well so that it can be more easily detected; and

In New York, contact DEC if the well is not registered in DEC’s database. 

Owning and operating an oil or gas well comes with regulatory responsibilities aimed at protecting the environment. New York is actively plugging oil and gas wells throughout the state for which there is no registered operator.

For questions and additional information about home-use wells, call DEC in New York at 518/402-8056 or email oilgas@dec.ny.gov. In PA, visit bit.ly/4aPOi3P.

For safety tips on natural gas furnaces, visit www.bit.ly/47BMeJR. 

Fuel oil safety

Both the DEC and the DEP remind home and property owners to inspect heating fuel oil storage tanks for leaks or spills before ordering and receiving fuel oil.

Annual inspections can prevent leaks and spills and protect property, public health, and the environment. Homeowners are advised to look for the following concerns and contact their fuel oil service provider if they see any of the items from the lists below.

For above-ground heating fuel oils storage tanks, look for:

Bent, rusty or wobbly tank legs or tank located on an unstable foundation;

Signs of rust, weeps, wet spots or many dents on the tank’s surface;

Drips or any signs of leaks around the oil filter or valves;

Fuel oil lines not covered in a protective casing—even if under concrete;

Overhanging eaves where snow and ice could fall onto the tank;

Stains on the ground or strong oil odor around the tank;

Browning, dying or loss of vegetation around the tank;

Silent overfill whistle while tank is being filled—ask fuel delivery person;

Fully or partially blocked tank vent from snow, ice, or insect nests;

Signs of spills around fill pipe or vent pipe;

Improperly sized vent pipes—ask fuel delivery person; 

Cracked, stuck or frozen fuel level gauges or signs of fuel around them.

For underground heating fuel oils storage tanks, look for:

Water in the tank—ask fuel delivery person to check;

Oil or oil sheen in your basement sump or French drain;

Silent overfill whistle while tank is being filled—ask fuel delivery person;

Fully or partially blocked tank vent from snow, ice or insect nests;

Signs of spills around fill pipe or vent pipe;

Well water has strange tastes or smells;

Complaints from neighbors of fuel oil smells; and

Using more than the normal amount of fuel.

Both New York and Pennsylvania offer tips on home heating safety and preventing leakages from oil tanks.

In New York, visit here.

In PA, visit here.

Information from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.