Leave the premises immediately and call us from a safe location.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is tasteless, odorless and dangerous to humans. When CO is inhaled, it disrupts the transportation of oxygen throughout the body and causes asphyxiation and can lead to death. Symptoms of CO poisoning can include: burning eyes, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, confusion, shortness of breath, and increased episodes of angina in people with coronary disease and unconsciousness.
Some visible indications of the presence of carbon monoxide are: black soot around air registers, moisture inside windows, dead or dying houseplants or pets, and abnormal-looking flames on appliances or burners.
If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, vacate the area immediately to get fresh air and call 911.
Safety Tips
- Vents on outdoor walls should be kept clear of snow accumulation, debris, landscaping, or other blockage.
- Purchase and install a UL-rated residential carbon monoxide detector. Detectors can be purchased at hardware stores, and many can be plugged into an ordinary outlet.
- Never operate your car or other gas-powered engines in a confined or enclosed space, such as a garage, because the car exhaust can leak into the house, even if the garage door is left open.
- Before each heating season, have your heating system and appliance vents and ducts checked by a qualified heating and ventilation service contractor.
- Check your chimney to make sure it is not blocked by dirt or bird nests. Replace rusted vent pipes.
- When using an approved unvented space heater for supplementary heat, open a window an inch or more as stated in the space heater operating instructions.
- Contact the Illinois Poison Control Center toll free at 800.942.5969 or the Missouri Regional Poison Center toll free at 800.222.1222, ventilate the structure by opening windows and doors, then leave the premise if you suspect carbon monoxide in your home.
What is a Cross Bore?
To help minimize sidewalk and landscaping damage, Ameren often uses horizontal or trenchless boring to install new gas lines. Sometimes these lines can be inadvertently installed through a sewer line outside a home or business. When this occurs, it is called a natural gas cross bore. The cross bore damages the integrity of the sewer line and can eventually lead to sewer backups. If a natural gas line is cut or nicked while attempting to correct the sewer backup, the resulting gas leak can create a serious hazard.
What is Ameren Doing?
Ameren has implemented a proactive cross bore safety program to inspect sewer lines where trenchless methods were previously used to install natural gas lines. The objective is to identify and correct these cross bores before they create sewer issues. When Ameren installs new gas lines using trenchless methods, additional steps are taken to prevent the installation of new cross bores.
If you Experience a Sewer Backup
A clogged sewer line may be the result of a cross bore with a gas line. Take precautions before any sewer cleaning. Ask your plumber or contractor to use a camera to assess the cause of the blockage and clear the sewer using a plumbing snake or water jet rather than a cutting tool.
If You Identify a Natural Gas Cross Bore
Call Ameren Illinois toll free at 1.800.755.5000 or Ameren Missouri toll free at 1.800.552.7583 to alert Ameren that you have identified a natural gas line cross bore. We will safely remove the gas line and make any necessary repairs.
Ameren customers can request to have an excess flow valve installed on the natural gas service line that serves their home or small business. Excess flow valves are an additional safety feature designed to shut off the flow of natural gas decreasing the possibility of fire, explosion, personal injury and property damage if the natural gas service line is significantly damaged.
Generally, the cost to the customer to have Ameren install an excess flow valve ranges from $800 to $1,500. The process of installing the excess flow valve requires digging to expose the gas service line where it connects to the natural gas main. While the work typically takes no more than one day, restoration of the excavation site may take longer.
Not every natural gas service line can accommodate an excess flow valve. To learn more and schedule an appointment, please contact a representative in Construction Services.
Illinois Construction Services
Phone: 888.659.4540
Email: IllinoisConstruction@ameren.com
Missouri Construction Services
Phone: 866.992.6619
Email: ConstructionHotline@ameren.com
Ameren is committed to operating safe, reliable pipelines while protecting the public and the environment from natural gas emergencies. We continually invest in hazard assessment, damage prevention, and pipeline integrity management. Our trained employees monitor the system 24/7 and perform routine maintenance to support safe natural gas delivery. If a leak or incident is detected or reported, we respond immediately at any time, day or night. Visit the National Pipeline Mapping System for more information about pipelines operating in your area.
Before You Dig
A national 811 one-call program is an important part of pipeline safety, providing a free service to mark underground utility-owned facilities before digging begins. Illinois and Missouri laws require anyone planning to dig, regardless of project depth, to contact the appropriate locating service first. Digging without contacting one-call can cause serious injury, interrupt utility service for an entire neighborhood, and lead to fines or repair costs. Before starting any digging project, from planting a tree to setting a post, call 8-1-1 to contact the Illinois or Missouri one-call system. The service is free, and it is required by law.
In Illinois: This service is called JULIE, short for Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators. Submit your notice to dig at least 48 hours, or two working days, before excavation begins, and begin work within 14 calendar days of contacting JULIE. To reach JULIE, call 800.892.0123 or make your request online.
In Missouri: This service is provided by Missouri 811. Submit your notice to dig at least three working days, but no more than 10 working days, before excavation begins. To reach Missouri 811, call 800.344.7483 or make your request online or through their mobile phone app.
Accidentally Hit a Gas Line?
Excavation damage is the leading threat to pipeline safety. Always notify the 811 one-call system before digging to prevent damaging underground utilities. If you damage a natural gas line while excavating:
- Move to a safe distance immediately, staying upwind of the leak.
- From a safe distance, call 911, 811, and Ameren Illinois at 800.755.5000 or Ameren Missouri at 800.552.7583.
- Ameren responds to gas leaks 24/7 at no charge.
- Keep everyone away from the area until Ameren arrives.
- DO NOT use anything that could create a spark
- DO NOT try to repair or backfill a damaged pipeline.
- Report scratches, nicks, gouges, or broken locate wires immediately, even if the gas line is not leaking.
Customer-Owned Gas Lines
Ameren owns and maintains the natural gas pipelines that run to your gas meter. Some customers also have buried gas piping beyond the meter that serves outdoor gas-burning equipment, such as a pool or garage heater, permanently installed gas grill, natural gas light, or an underground fuel line entering a basement or crawl space. This piping is the property owner’s responsibility. Ameren does not maintain customer-owned piping, and the 811 one-call service will not locate it.
Have customer-owned gas piping inspected periodically by a qualified professional for leaks or corrosion of metallic piping. Repair any unsafe conditions promptly. Before excavating near buried gas piping, have the piping located and dig by hand. Access private facility locating providers at Missouri-811.org. Always notify 811 before any digging project.
Damage Prevention
Ameren works to protect communities and support the excavation community as a reliable safety resource. Because excavation damage is the greatest threat to pipeline safety, Ameren investigates and documents gas damages, reviews the accuracy of utility locate marks, monitors excavation practices for compliance with state laws, tracks work near high-profile gas facilities, identifies excavators responsible for damages, and supports communication between utility locators and excavators. If you see someone digging without utility locate flags, painted marks, or painted stakes, report it by calling 811, Illinois at 800.892.0123 or Missouri at 800.344.7483.
We conduct regular patrols and inspections of natural gas pipeline rights-of-way and facilities. Highly trained Ameren natural gas employees are qualified under U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) standards for natural gas pipeline operators.
We also conduct and participate in safety education for emergency responders, contractors, customers, youths, and others.
If you live or work near natural gas pipelines, you could have received a special pipeline safety pamphlet – part of an Ameren communications effort to educate the public and emergency responders on safety around pipelines.