Got an Atmos red tag in Fort Worth? Here's how to get your gas back on
An Atmos Energy red tag means the gas to your home, or to one appliance, has been shut off because the technician found something unsafe. Atmos won't turn it back on until a licensed plumber repairs the problem and, in most cases, the repair passes a pressure test and city inspection.
Leave the building now and get everyone out. On the way, don't touch light switches, use your phone, start a car in the garage or light anything. Once you're outside and well away from the house, call 911 or Atmos Energy's emergency line. Stay out until they say it's safe, then call us at (817) 755-5621.
What an Atmos red tag means
When Atmos finds a hazard, the technician shuts off the gas and leaves a tag, usually red, on the meter or on the appliance involved. Sometimes only the water heater, furnace or range is tagged and the rest of the house keeps its gas. Other times the meter is locked off and the whole home is without gas.
Common reasons for a red tag:
- A leak found after someone called in a gas smell
- House piping that didn't hold pressure when the meter was changed or service was turned on
- Corroded pipe in the yard, the attic or under the house
- An old or damaged flexible connector behind a stove, dryer or water heater
- A line hit during digging, fence work or a remodel
- An appliance the technician judged unsafe to run
Much of the housing around our shop in Riverside dates from the 1920s to the 1960s, and Haltom City next door has plenty of older homes too. Houses that age often still run on their original steel gas pipe. Corrosion and North Texas clay soil, which swells when wet and shrinks when dry, can open slow leaks at old fittings and buried lines.
Why the gas stays off until the repair passes
A red tag isn't a suggestion. Piping on your side of the meter is the homeowner's responsibility, so the repair is done by your plumber, not by Atmos. In Fort Worth, gas permits and inspections go through the city's Development Services department.
Red tag to gas back on: step by step
1. Atmos shuts off the gas and tags it
Photograph the tag and note what the technician told you. That tells us where to start looking.
2. Call a licensed plumber
Call or text the tag photo to (817) 755-5621. Gas problems are covered by our 24/7 emergency service, so call at any hour.
3. We find the leak
We put the gas system under test pressure and narrow the leak down section by section with a gauge and leak-detection solution. If only an appliance was tagged, we check its connector, shut-off valve and, on a water heater, the venting.
4. We repair it
See our gas line repair and new gas lines pages.
5. Permit, pressure test and city inspection
For the test, the system is capped and pressurized, and the gauge must hold steady for the required time.
6. Atmos turns the gas back on
Atmos unlocks the meter and restores service. Your appliances then need relighting and a quick check.
Call (817) 755-5621 — 24/7 emergency service
What you need to do
- Leave the tag and any meter lock where they are. Only the gas company should unlock a meter.
- Don't use or relight a tagged appliance. If you smell gas again, leave the house and call 911 or Atmos from outside.
- Clear a path to the meter, water heater, furnace, range and dryer.
- Keep your Atmos account number handy for the turn-on.
While the gas is off
Gas appliances won't work until service is back. Never heat the house with a gas oven, grill or patio heater, and never run a generator indoors or in the garage. Keep electric space heaters clear of bedding and curtains, plugged straight into a wall outlet.
Outside Fort Worth city limits?
We also handle red tags in Haltom City, North Richland Hills, Saginaw, Lake Worth, Benbrook, Kennedale and Burleson.
Atmos red tag FAQ
Can I turn my gas back on myself after an Atmos red tag?
No. Only Atmos should unlock the meter or remove the tag, and only after the repair has been approved. Turning gas back on to a line with a known problem can cause a fire or an explosion.
How long will I be without gas?
That depends on what failed and when the city can inspect. Replacing a loose connector is far quicker than replacing pipe under a slab.
Can you work at night or on a weekend?
Yes. Our 24/7 emergency service means we can make a leaking line safe and start the repair at any hour, any day of the week.
What does a red tag repair cost?
It depends on what failed, how much pipe needs replacing and how hard it is to reach.
Only my water heater was tagged. Do I still need a pressure test?
If the water heater has to be replaced, that's a water heater installation, and Fort Worth requires a permit for it too.
Get your gas back on
Red-tagged today? Call or text a photo of the tag to (817) 755-5621 for 24/7 emergency service. For other urgent problems, see emergency plumbing.
Plumber 24 Fort Worth · 955 N Sylvania Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76111 · (817) 755-5621 · Office hours 8 AM–11 PM daily · 24/7 emergency service