Sioux City and Siouxland · IA · NE · SD
Gas shut off and a red tag on the furnace in the Sioux City area
When a gas utility technician finds an appliance unsafe — a cracked heat exchanger, carbon monoxide in the flue, a gas leak — the utility may shut off the gas to it and leave a tag. The tag stays until a qualified contractor repairs or replaces the appliance. In winter that means no heat until the work is done.
Calls are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What the tag usually says
The tag names the appliance and the reason. The most common reasons on furnaces are a suspected crack in the heat exchanger, carbon monoxide found at the flue or in the air, a venting problem, or a gas leak at the valve or the piping.
Do not turn the gas back on yourself. The shut-off is there because someone measured a hazard.
Repair or replacement
A gas leak at a fitting or a venting fault is often a repair. A cracked heat exchanger usually leads to a conversation about replacement, because the heat exchanger is the core of the furnace. A contractor confirms the finding first; ask them to show you the crack or the reading.
Utilities here
MidAmerican Energy supplies natural gas in Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, Salix, Sloan, South Sioux City, Dakota City and North Sioux City. Homes outside the gas mains heat with propane, and the propane supplier handles the tank side of a shut-off.
What to say when you call
- That the furnace is tagged and the gas to it is off
- The reason written on the tag
- The year of the furnace
- Whether anyone in the house has had headaches or nausea — if so, get everyone outside and call 911 first
- Your town and ZIP code
Describe the problem and the age of the system. The operator checks who is taking calls near you.
(888) 217-3739