Safety is a top priority at Great Plains. Our goal each day is to provide safe and reliable service. Our commitment to safety extends to our customers, our employees and to the communities we serve.

Natural gas safety

Call Before You Dig

Back-drafting

Dogs and meter readers

Natural gas safety

Buy only gas appliances with the American Gas Association Blue Star Seal, an indication that the appliance meets industry safety standards. And make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Only qualified technicians should work on your gas appliance. Call Great Plains Natural Co. or another certified gas appliance repair service.

Check your gas flame periodically. It should have a bright blue appearance. A yellow or orange flame means the appliance needs service work. Don’t forget to replace your heating system filter several times during each heating season.

Combustion air is vital for gas appliances. Make sure no obstructions are blocking the appliance’s air intake and regularly check the venting of your gas furnace and water heater by touching the vent pipe (be careful...if operating properly it will be hot).

If you smell gas . . . We add an odorant to your natural gas so you can detect a leak should one occur. If you think you might have a gas leak, call us at our toll-free number: 1-877-267-4764.

If the gas smell is very strong, leave the building immediately and use a neighbor’s telephone. Also, do not light any matches, operate any light switches or electrical devices or pull plugs from outlets because any of these could ignite accumulated gas.

Never use your range as a heater. Your gas range has one purpose - to cook food. It should never be used as a secondary source of heat. When your oven door is left open, it prevents the thermostat from cycling and periodically turning the gas off. This constant burning could create a situation that could cause asphyxiation or fire.

Call Before You Dig

In recent years, many utility services have been placed underground including natural gas, electric, cable television and telephone. Make sure the first step of your next digging project is a phone call for help in locating underground lines.

Careless digging can rupture these facilities and often cause severe injury, even death, to the unwitting worker - not to mention the loss of utility service to hundreds of people. Repairs can also be very expensive. Be sure you make a phone call before you dig. It could save your life.

811 is the new nation wide line locating contact number that will connect you to the correct state based on your telephone number. You may still contact each individual state listed below.

Back-drafting

In our efforts to reduce heating costs, many of us have turned to wood burning fireplaces and stoves as supplementary sources of heat along with natural gas furnaces. However, many homes are often too tight to provide adequate air for the safe operation of open flame heating systems (fireplaces, wood/coal stoves, natural gas furnaces, etc.). We feel that everyone should try to conserve energy. But, after you weatherize you may need to add a combustion air source to prevent back drafting.

Fireplaces require lots of air. If there is not enough air to satisfy the requirements of a fireplace or wood stove as well as a furnace or water heater all burning at the same time, the fireplace draft can pull toxic combustion products from these gas appliances back into the room. This condition can seriously endanger health. The products of combustion (which may contain carbon monoxide) must be continuously removed while the fireplace or stove is operating. In fact, any device that exhausts air from the home (including kitchen or bathroom exhaust fans) can contribute to the back drafting problem.

To Check for Back Drafting: Start a fire in the fireplace on a cold day and after a few minutes, touch the vent pipe of the furnace, water heater, or any space heater. (Careful, they may be very hot!) If the vent is cold, your fireplace could be creating a dangerous back draft. Turn down the thermostats and water heater temperature controls, let fireplace burn down and call a heating contractor or your local Great Plains serviceman.

Dogs and meter readers

Our meter readers visit many homes in our service area. And, each day several will have painful skirmishes with a family dog, some will require medical attention.

We understand that dogs are just being loyal and protecting their turf. But, that loyalty can cause you a lot of hassle. If your dog blocks access to your gas meter, you might get an estimated bill. If your pet bites one of our meter readers it could get impounded for medical tests. A loose dog can get you into trouble with your city government not to mention your neighbors!

You can avoid a lot of inconvenience and, at the same time, help us serve you more efficiently by following a few simple tips:

Try to be aware when we will be reading your meter and take special precautions around that time. You can estimate when we will be at your house by just looking at the “Reading Date” entry on your utility bill. We’ll read about the same day each month. Secure dogs well away from your meter(s) and place their food and water away from the meter, too.

In general, try to give us clear access to your meter(s). Dogs are the most hazardous obstacles, but not the only ones. Please avoid hanging ropes and garden hoses around the meter. Trim bushes, shrubs and large flowers so they don’t completely cover the meter. Remember, if we can’t get to your meter, we’ll have to estimate your bill.