Wilson gets its natural gas from the city-owned Wilson Energy system, so a gas smell means leaving the house and calling 911 or Wilson Energy from outside. For repairs or new lines on the piping you own after the meter, call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Wilson.
Gas service in Wilson
The City of Wilson runs its own gas utility, Wilson Energy, with more than 400 miles of main and over 13,000 residential, commercial and industrial services in the city and surrounding area. Gas is common here: about 29% of homes in ZIP 27893 heat with utility gas, per Census-derived counts. Wilson Energy maintains the mains and meters; the piping after the meter belongs to the owner. About 46% of Wilson's homes were built before 1980, including early-1900s houses in the Old Wilson and West Nash Street historic districts, so older gas piping is part of the picture.
What to do right now
- If you smell gas, leave. Don't flip switches, use a lighter or start a car in an attached garage. Call 911 or Wilson Energy once you're outside.
- If there's no smell but something seems off, such as a yellow flame or a pilot that won't stay lit, turn that appliance off at its own valve if you can do so safely.
- If Wilson Energy shut off or tagged the meter, keep it off. Service comes back only after the house-side repair is done and checked.
- For a planned project, gather the appliance model and gas rating, and note where the meter and appliance are.
- Call a plumber for the repair or new line on your side of the meter.
Symptoms and what they often mean
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Rotten-egg smell | Gas leak; leave and call from outside |
| Hissing near a valve or fitting | Leaking joint, valve or connector |
| Yellow, wavering flames | Poor combustion, dirty burner or air supply problem |
| Pilot keeps going out | Faulty thermocouple, drafts or a supply problem |
| Rust on pipe in the crawl space | Corroding older black iron |
What affects cost
- One fitting versus a longer run of older pipe
- Crawl space access and how much of the pipe can be reached
- Whether the line needs upsizing for a new appliance
- Buried runs to a garage or outbuilding
- City permits and inspection
Permits come from the City of Wilson Inspections Department at the City Hall permit desk on Goldsboro Street. If a gas water heater is going in a garage, Wilson lists the 18-inch elevation rule among its most common code violations, so expect the installer to raise it.
Gas Line Services questions in Wilson
I smell gas in the house. What should I do first?
Who owns the buried gas line between the meter and my house?
How can I find out if natural gas reaches my street?
Should the old flexible connector behind an appliance be replaced?
More plumbing services in Wilson
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