Gas smell in the house? Go outside first.
Leave the house now. Don’t switch lights on or off, use a phone indoors, or run the garage door. From outside and a safe distance, call 911 and Atmos Energy’s 24-hour emergency line, 866-322-8667. Atmos investigates without charge and shuts off the meter when the leak is in your piping. Then call us at (682) 284-0966.
Natural gas reached Mesquite in 1925, two years after the town got its water and sewer system. For decades it remained a small railroad town: in 1950 it covered less than one square mile and had 1,696 residents. Then annexations and suburban growth east of Dallas pushed it to 27,526 people by 1960, 55,131 by 1970, 67,053 by 1980 and 101,484 by 1990. Most of the gas piping in Mesquite homes was installed during those four decades.
Need a new gas line or appliance hookup instead? See our gas line services. For other plumbing, see plumbing services in Mesquite.
Mesquite’s housing: four decades of growth
U.S. Census (American Community Survey 2020–2024) data counts about 54,000 homes in Mesquite, and the median dates from 1983. About 69% were built from 1950 through 1989, and the 1980s alone, Mesquite’s biggest building decade, account for 28%. About 71% are single-family detached houses, and about 41% of occupied homes heat with utility gas.
Mesquite gas piping by era
The old town
About 12% of homes, most near the 1901 town square and the original railroad town. Gas piping here may date to the decades after 1925 and has often been extended or altered.
Bedroom community
About 28% of homes, built as Mesquite went from 1,696 to 55,131 residents in 20 years and Town East Mall opened in 1971. Threaded steel pipe and buried steel yard lines from this era are now about 45 to 65 years old.
The biggest decade
About 28% of homes, the largest share of any decade. Mesquite passed 100,000 residents by 1990 and annexed Lawson in 1982. Original connectors and valves in these homes are now about 40 years old.
Newer areas
About 31% of homes. CSST came into use in 1990 and is common in newer houses. Mesquite now requires CSST shutoff valves to be supported within 12 inches of the valve.
Who owns which gas line in Mesquite
Atmos Energy supplies natural gas in Mesquite. The main, service line and meter are Atmos’s. The homeowner owns everything downstream of the meter: the yard line into the house, the interior piping, valves and connectors, and any line run to a grill, shop or pool heater.
- Old buried steel. Atmos’s federally required notice (49 CFR 192.16) advises periodic leak and corrosion checks on buried customer piping. In a 1960s or 70s Mesquite home, the yard line may be original.
- Depth matters. Mesquite now requires new underground gas piping to be at least 18 inches below grade, measured to the top of the pipe. Older lines may be shallower and easier to hit with a shovel.
- 811 won’t mark your lines. It locates utility lines only, so have your own gas line located before digging.
Signs of a gas leak
- A sulfur or rotten-egg smell, even a faint one. Atmos warns the odor can fade underground, and you can stop noticing it after a while.
- A hiss near the meter, a pipe or an appliance.
- A strip of dead grass over a buried line, bubbles in standing water, or dirt blowing up from the ground.
- A gas bill that jumps without a reason.
- A pilot light that won’t stay lit.
Carbon monoxide alarms aren’t gas detectors. They sense CO from burning fuel, which is odorless. If one goes off, leave and call 911.
How a Mesquite gas leak repair works
Atmos shuts off
Atmos confirms the leak and turns off the meter if the problem is on your side.
Find and price it
We pressure-test, isolate sections and pinpoint the leak, then give you a written flat-rate price.
Permit and repair
We repair it under a City of Mesquite plumbing permit, then test the system to at least 3 psig on a calibrated diaphragm gauge.
Release to Atmos
When the city’s inspector passes the system, Building Inspection releases it to Atmos. Atmos (888-286-6700) then schedules the reconnect.
Mesquite’s gas inspection rules
What the City of Mesquite requires
- Permit for every gas inspection: Building Inspection cannot release gas to Atmos without an inspection, and a plumbing permit is required for all gas inspections. Gas lines inside and outside the house are inspected.
- Licensed work: anyone pulling a permit first registers a professional license with the city. A plumbing contractor needs a master plumber license and insurance, while a homeowner may work only on a homestead.
- The test: at least 3 psig, on a diaphragm gauge with a 3½-inch dial, a set hand, 1/10-pound increments, a range of no more than 15 psi, and a current calibration. Spring-type gauges don’t qualify.
- Code: Mesquite adopted the 2024 International Fuel Gas Code with local amendments (Ordinance 5245), effective July 1, 2026.
- Contact: Building Inspection, 1515 N. Galloway Ave., 972-216-6212.
Mesquite’s amendments also say an unvented room heater can’t be the only source of heat in a home. Existing approved heaters may stay in use with the code official’s approval unless they’re unsafe. If your home relies on one, tell us before the inspection. Staggs Plumbing is registered with the City of Mesquite and pulls the plumbing permit itself.
What we find in Mesquite homes
| What we find | What usually fixes it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Corroded original steel yard line | Replace it with approved pipe at 18 inches or deeper | Buried steel from the 1960s–80s is now 40 to 65 years old |
| Old flexible appliance connector | Replace it with a new approved connector | The CPSC warns old uncoated brass connectors can crack |
| Leaking threaded joint or valve | Repair the joint or valve, or repipe the run | Joints and valves of this age loosen and corrode |
| Unvented heater as the only heat | Talk through options before the inspection | Mesquite limits unvented room heaters as the sole heat source |
| Unsupported valve on CSST | Add an approved termination fitting or support | Mesquite requires support within 12 inches of the valve |
Smell gas in your Mesquite home? Start here.
Take these steps in order:
- Get everyone out of the house, pets included.
- Don’t make a spark: no light switches, phones, lighters or garage door opener.
- From outside, at a distance, call 911 and Atmos at 866-322-8667.
- Stay out until the fire department or Atmos says it’s safe.
- Call us at (682) 284-0966. We locate the leak, repair it under a Mesquite permit, and get the gas released.
Mesquite neighborhoods we serve
We serve all of Mesquite, including ZIP codes 75149, 75150, 75180 and 75181: the old town around the square, neighborhoods around Town East Mall and along I-30 and I-635, the 1980s subdivisions, and the south and east sides, including Lawson.
Our Rockwall branch is east of Mesquite, and our Plano headquarters is north.
Mesquite gas leak FAQ
I smell gas in my Mesquite house. What do I do?
Leave right away, with no switches, phones or garage door. Once outside, call 911 and Atmos Energy at 866-322-8667. Atmos checks for free and turns off the gas if the leak is in your piping. Then have a licensed plumber find and fix it.
How do I get my gas turned back on in Mesquite?
The City of Mesquite has to inspect the repair first: Building Inspection can’t release gas to Atmos without an inspection, and every gas inspection requires a plumbing permit. After the release, call Atmos at 888-286-6700 to restore service.
What pressure test does Mesquite require?
At least 3 psig, measured with a calibrated diaphragm gauge that has a 3½-inch dial, a set hand, 1/10-pound increments and a range of no more than 15 psi. Spring-type gauges aren’t accepted.
Who owns the gas line at my Mesquite home?
Atmos is responsible up to and including the meter. You own the piping past the meter, including the yard line to the house and any lines to outdoor appliances.
Can I keep my unvented gas space heater?
Mesquite’s fuel gas code says unvented room heaters can’t be the sole source of heat in a home. Existing approved heaters may stay in use with the code official’s approval, unless they’re found unsafe.
Does a carbon monoxide alarm detect natural gas?
No. It detects carbon monoxide, not natural gas. Treat both as emergencies: get out and call 911.
