After an earthquake, check for gas first, then look at every appliance that may have shifted, leaked or pinched a cord before you use it. Work through these eight checks in order; the first two are about your safety, not the appliances.
In this post:
- •You smell or hear gas
- •The gas was shut off
- •The range has moved
- •The fridge water line is leaking
- •Washer hoses or the drain hose shifted
- •The dryer duct came loose
- •Cords or plugs are damaged
- •Food sat warm during an outage
1. You smell or hear gas
A rotten-egg odor or hissing near the range, dryer or water heater means leave now.
How to tell: Trust your nose and ears. Don't go looking for the source.
What to do: Get everyone out. Don't flip switches, use phones or light anything inside. If you know how and can reach the meter safely, turn the gas off there. Call your gas utility or 911 once you're outside.
2. The gas was shut off
Whether you closed the meter or the utility did, only the utility should turn it back on.
How to tell: The valve handle at the meter sits crosswise to the pipe.
What to do: Leave it off, and don't try to relight pilots yourself. Call your gas utility (SoCalGas for most of LA County) to restore service and relight your appliances.
3. The range has moved
A range that walked forward may have strained its gas connector or power cord.
How to tell: The range sits crooked, there's a new gap at the wall, or the anti-tip bracket no longer holds the rear leg.
What to do: Don't use a gas range that shifted until a pro checks the connection. For an electric range, switch off its breaker before you pull it out to look at the cord.
4. The fridge water line is leaking
Ice maker tubing cracks easily when the fridge slides.
How to tell: Water on the floor, a hiss behind the fridge, or an ice maker that stopped.
What to do: Close the fridge's supply valve and check the whole line before opening it again. Replace cracked plastic tubing; don't patch it.
5. Washer hoses or the drain hose shifted
A washer that walks can pull its drain hose out of the standpipe.
How to tell: Puddles behind the machine or a hose lying loose.
What to do: Reseat the drain hose, check fill hoses, and watch the first fill and drain.
6. The dryer duct came loose
A disconnected duct blows hot, lint-heavy air into the wall space.
How to tell: Lint behind the dryer or a crushed, separated duct.
What to do: Reconnect it with metal duct before running a load. If a gas dryer moved, have the gas connection checked first.
7. Cords or plugs are damaged
Appliances that slide can crush their own cords or pull a plug partway out of the outlet.
How to tell: A plug half out of its outlet, a scorch mark, or a cord crushed behind a unit.
What to do: If the area is dry, switch off that circuit before unplugging, and replace a damaged cord before using it. If there's standing water near an outlet or the panel, don't touch anything; call an electrician.
8. Food sat warm during an outage
If the quake knocked out power, the fridge and freezer have been warming ever since.
How to tell: An appliance thermometer reads above 40°F in the fridge.
What to do: Follow USDA guidance. A closed fridge keeps food safe for about four hours without power, and perishables that sat above 40°F for two hours or more should be thrown out. When in doubt, throw it out.
When a technician is the better call
Call a pro for any gas appliance that moved, a fridge that won't cool once power is back, or a unit that hums, smells hot or trips a breaker. Our refrigerator repair team can check a fridge that's struggling after a quake.
Southern California note
Aftershocks can shift things again. Recheck appliances after any strong one, and see our guide to earthquake-proofing your kitchen appliances to reduce damage next time.
Marco's advice: Keep a flashlight and an appliance thermometer in the kitchen drawer. After a quake, they answer most of these questions in minutes.
Something not right after the shaking stops? Call ProFix LA at (818) 334-4526.