Austin’s gas line dispatch — utility first, plumber second, do it safely.
Smell rotten eggs? Pilot won’t stay lit? Gas bill spiked with no usage change? After you call the gas utility, the dispatch line connects you with TSBPE-licensed Master Plumbers who hold the separate gas certification required for Texas residential gas work.
No call center. No out-of-state routing — enter your ZIP and we’ll match you to a local Master Plumber.
Local NetworkMaster Plumbers in every ZIP
TSBPE LicensedEvery dispatched plumber
24/7 DispatchEmergency line always open
a written estimate after an on-site assessment
How the dispatch line works
Four steps, end to end. The call is free. The matched plumber’s estimate is provided after an on-site visit. You decide whether to proceed.
You call
The 24/7 dispatch line picks up. A real coordinator captures your ZIP, the symptom, and the urgency.
You get matched
Dispatch routes to the nearest TSBPE-licensed Master Plumber familiar with your ZIP and build era.
On-site diagnosis
The dispatched plumber walks the job, writes a line-item estimate, pulls any required permits.
You decide
a written estimate after an on-site assessment. No obligation. Work is performed to Texas plumbing code.
Austin gas line basics — what every homeowner should know
Gas plumbing is the only trade where the FIRST call isn’t a plumber — it’s the utility. Here’s the Austin reality.
Smell gas = utility FIRST, plumber second
Rotten egg smell (mercaptan additive). Get everyone outside — including pets. Don’t flip switches, don’t use phone inside, don’t start a car in attached garage. From OUTSIDE: call Atmos Energy OR Texas Gas Service. Utility comes out, shuts gas at the meter, confirms safe. THEN call the dispatch line for repair. Calling a plumber first costs lives — utility shuts the supply, plumber fixes the leak.
⚡ CSST yellow flex pipe — grounding required
Yellow corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) became common in Austin builds 2003+. Big advantage: flexible, no threaded fittings. Big risk: lightning strikes can puncture CSST at fittings if the pipe isn’t bonded to ground. Texas adopted bonding requirements in 2009. Most pre-2009 CSST installs in Austin are NOT bonded — homeowner is exposed. Cost to add bonding:. Bondable CSST identifiable by yellow + black stripe.
🏗 Austin gas permits are non-negotiable
Every gas line job in the City of Austin requires a permit and inspection. EVERY one. From a single appliance hookup to a full house repipe. Inspector checks pipe sizing, fittings, bonding, leak test (3 psi for 15 min). Unpermitted gas work shows up at sale-of-home inspection and you redo it plus pay penalty. The Master Plumbers the dispatch line connects you with pull the permit on every quoted job — not optional.
🔧 TSBPE + gas certification are separate
A standard TSBPE Master Plumber license does NOT cover gas work in Texas. Plumbers need an additional gas certification from TSBPE to legally work on residential gas systems. When the dispatch line routes a gas call, the plumber on the truck has BOTH licenses. Always ask to see proof of gas certification before authorizing gas work — it’s a state-issued card.
Look — gas line work is the one plumbing trade where ‘experienced handyman’ isn’t acceptable. Carbon monoxide kills more Texans per year than house fires from gas leaks. The Master Plumbers the dispatch line connects you with hold the TSBPE Master Plumber license AND the separate Texas gas certification. They pull the City of Austin permit. They do the manometer leak test before closing. They include the inspection in the quote. That’s the only acceptable version of this work.
“I smell gas.” Now what?
Decision tree · who to call · what NOT to do · common Austin gas leak sources.
How a gas leak diagnosis actually works (after utility all-clear)
After the utility has shut gas at the meter and confirmed safe atmosphere, the dispatched Master Plumber starts with a system-wide leak test. Close every appliance valve. Open the meter, watch pressure on a manometer for 15 minutes at 3 psi. Pressure drop = leak somewhere in the system. Pressure hold = leak was at the appliance side (loose valve, dryer hookup, etc).
From there, the plumber uses an electronic gas sniffer to walk the gas lines and identify the leak point. Common sources: appliance shutoff valve (most common), CSST fitting where bonding failed, black iron pipe threaded joint where pipe-dope dried out, water heater gas connection. Repair varies by location and material — fitting reseal CSST section replace. Final manometer leak test confirms the repair before closing the permit.
Gas line symptoms — match what you’re seeing
What you’re noticing → the urgency level → the right next move.
Symptom Rotten egg smell anywhere in the house
Mercaptan-additive odor = active gas leak. EMERGENCY. Evacuate (people + pets). Don’t flip switches or use phone inside. From outside, call gas utility FIRST (Atmos Energy or Texas Gas Service). After utility shuts gas + confirms safe, then check availability for repair.
EMERGENCY · UTILITY FIRST · Then detection ·
Symptom Hissing sound near a gas appliance
Could be a loose fitting at the appliance shutoff valve (most common single-source leak). Spray fittings with soapy water — bubbles = gas leak. Don’t ignore even if the smell is faint. Some leaks are too small to smell strongly but compound over time. Dispatched plumber finds + reseals.
URGENT · Detect · Fix ·
Symptom Gas bill spiked with no usage change
Slow leak somewhere in the system. Could be a CSST fitting that’s been loose for months. Or a buried yard-side gas line with a slow leak feeding soil. Utility can pressure-test the supply side; dispatched plumber tests the house side.
URGENT · Detect · varies by source ·
Symptom Pilot light won’t stay lit on water heater
Could be a gas pressure issue (regulator failing — utility side), thermocouple failed (appliance side), or pilot assembly fouled. Each has different repair. Don’t keep relighting if pilot dies multiple times — that’s a sign of unsafe combustion conditions.
Typical · same-visit ·
Symptom CSST (yellow flex) and no bonding visible
Pre-2009 Austin builds with CSST: bonding may not be installed. Lightning strike can puncture CSST at fittings, creating instant gas leak. Bonding (single ground wire to grounding electrode) reduces risk by 95%+. Add it before you have a problem.
Bonding install · code-compliant ·
Symptom New gas appliance hookup (stove, dryer, fireplace)
Requires a TSBPE + gas-licensed Master Plumber + City of Austin permit. Cost includes appliance valve install, manometer test, inspection. Skipping the permit on appliance hookup creates resale problems. Never DIY a gas hookup even on a ‘simple’ stove install.
Hookup + permit ·
Smell gas? Utility first. Then us.
Atmos Energy · Texas Gas Service · After all-clear, this line for repair
Gas line DIY (after all-clear)
Three checks every Austin homeowner should know. Everything else is for the dispatched plumber.
✓ Knowing how to shut off gas at the meter
Gas meter is usually on the side of the house. Main shutoff valve is the rectangular shape next to the meter. Use a wrench: turn quarter-turn so the valve handle is PERPENDICULAR to the pipe = OFF. KNOW where this is BEFORE you need it. In an emergency, this 30-second action could save your house.
STOP if: the shutoff is stuck or you’ve never identified it. Walk around your house TODAY and find it. Take a photo. Show your spouse + older kids.
✓ Soapy water leak test on a suspect fitting
If you suspect a slow leak at a visible fitting (water heater connection, gas dryer hose, stove valve), mix dish soap + water 50/50. Spray on the fitting. Watch for bubbles forming. Bubbles = active gas leak. No bubbles = fitting is sealed. Old plumber’s trick, totally safe. Document with photo and check availability.
STOP if: there’s any rotten egg smell. STOP and call utility first. Soapy water is for confirming a suspect-but-not-smelling leak. Active smell = evacuate.
✓ Verifying CSST bonding
CSST = yellow flex pipe. Look at where CSST connects to rigid pipe (usually black iron at the manifold). Should be a green wire clamped to the pipe leading to a ground rod or electrical grounding system. If you see no wire = no bonding installed = lightning strike risk. Get it added — by a licensed gas plumber.
STOP if: you can’t identify what’s CSST vs other material. Take a photo of your gas line manifold (where multiple lines meet) and ask the dispatched plumber to identify material + bonding status.
✓ Keeping CO detectors current
Every Austin home with gas appliances needs working CO detectors — preferably one per floor + one outside sleeping areas. Test monthly with the test button. Replace batteries annually (do it when you change clocks for daylight saving). Replace the detector itself every 7 years (sensor degrades). Cost varies per detector. The single highest-ROI safety device for a gas-heated house.
STOP if: a CO detector ever triggers — even briefly. EVACUATE first, call utility, get it investigated. False alarms are rare; real triggers are usually real.
Austin gas line — typical pricing
Market data from Austin dispatch gas log + Angi 2025 Austin metro median.
Source: HomeAdvisor / Angi Austin metro median pricing, 2025
Calls are free. The Master Plumbers dispatched through this line provide a written estimate after an on-site assessment.
Neighborhoods & cities the dispatch line covers
Austin gas line — real questions, real answers
What homeowners actually ask the dispatch line about gas.
Gas work in Austin? Two-call rule: utility, then us.
TSBPE + gas-licensed · Permit + inspection included · Calls free.