When something breaks, who to call first
These are the first steps for the four problems in a house that can't wait.
You smell gas
Leave, and take everyone with you. Don't switch anything on or off, don't use a phone inside, and don't start a car in the garage. The National Fire Protection Association says to treat the smell or a gas alarm as an emergency, get out, and call 911 or the gas company from a safe distance. Don't go back in until the gas company or the fire department says it's safe. PHMSA, the federal pipeline safety agency, gives the same steps.
Call 911 or your gas utility's emergency line. Put that number in your phone now. It's on the bill.
Water is coming in
Turn off the main valve. The Insurance Information Institute says to shut off the water first and deal with the spill second. Move what you can out of the wet and photograph everything before you clean up.
Call a plumber for the leak, then your insurance company. The III says to call your insurer as soon as you can, make temporary repairs to prevent more damage, and keep a list of what was damaged.
The heat is out in winter
Check the thermostat's batteries, the furnace's power switch (it looks like a light switch, near the furnace), the breaker and the filter. Note any error light the furnace shows. If it's a gas furnace and you smell anything, follow the gas steps above.
Call a heating company and tell them the make, model and age, and what the furnace is doing. If the house will drop below freezing before anyone comes, the III's cold-weather guidance says to open the cabinet doors under sinks and let the faucets drip.
The power is out
Check whether the neighbors have power. If they do, check your panel for a tripped breaker. If they don't, report the outage to the utility, which usually has an outage line and a map. Unplug the big electronics and keep the fridge closed.
Call the utility first, and an electrician only if the problem is yours alone.
Before any of this
Write down the gas company's emergency number, where the main water shutoff is, and the name of a plumber and a heating company who already know your house. Put the list on the fridge.
Where Lyle comes in
Ask Lyle and it answers with what it knows about the house, like where the shutoff is, what the furnace is and who serviced it last. When the emergency is over, Lyle helps with what comes next, from the insurance claim to the repair.