Fountain Inn Natural Gas Shares Important Winter Weather Advisory About Gas Appliances

As winter weather approaches and the possibility of power outages increases, Fountain Inn Natural Gas is reminding residents that having natural gas service does not always guarantee that gas appliances will continue to work during an outage.

While natural gas lines typically remain operational during winter storms, many modern gas appliances rely on electricity to function. When the power goes out, those appliances may stop working — even though gas service is still flowing.

Appliances that often will not operate without electricity include gas furnaces, tankless water heaters, gas fireplaces, and gas stoves or ovens with electronic ignition systems. These systems depend on electric components such as blowers, control boards, or ignition switches.

However, some older appliances may continue to work during a power outage. Gas ranges with manual ignition can usually be lit with a match or lighter, and older gas water heaters that use a standing pilot light may still provide hot water. Performance will vary depending on the specific model and setup.

Fountain Inn Natural Gas encourages residents to take time now to learn how their home appliances operate. Understanding whether your equipment requires electricity can help families prepare for cold weather and avoid unexpected heating or hot water disruptions.

Planning ahead — including having safe backup heating options and knowing how to manually light approved appliances if appropriate — can make a significant difference during extended outages.

For local winter weather updates and additional safety information, residents are encouraged to visit the City of Fountain Inn’s Winter Storm Information page at:
www.fountaininn.org/527/Winter-Storm-Information