Natural residential gas

[Richard Cranium]

I have scrubs in front already and a Japanese maple right in the middle were I'm guessing the meter would go.

What kind of union guy are you buying Japanese?!?!?! It's time to bring in the big rat. Which size do you want?

 

[68gtxman]

I built a large local government building and the plans called for a fake boulder to cover the regulator and meter. The meter had a remote reader ability so the rock didn’t have to be moved to read it.

I might make a fake stone or brick cover out of plastic to hide the mess. It would be very easy to lift off or lay over to access the meter/reg. Just make sure that there are many open spaces around it for gas release as some regulators do have gas venting. Definitely seal the line transition through you home’s wall very well.

Good luck Steve!

 

[monaco66coupe]

Northern Natural?

yes Sir,
North to spencer,southeast to sac city.southwest to Mapleton,west to Sioux center.
and all points between. The Plant is outside of Paulina.(1988-1989)

 

[not so famous bob]

Just to be clear with my earlier post I was not recommending to block the meter, I think we all know better than that. rather mask it, possibly a bush blocking it from street view but still have access to it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
--------------THIS, don`t read into it what aint there .

 

[Joeychgo]

I would put it outside and plant a bush.

 

[steve from staten island]

The meter has been in the basement since well before WW2. All meters in older houses are in the basements. Then again there was only maybe only a pound of pressure. It was so low the guy who helped me change the furnace, had to change a gas cock and did it on the run.
Now they have high pressure and i spoke to the foreman this mourning. Its 60 PSI in the street now and reduced at the regulator at your home. What i had them do is put the regulator outside and they piped it to the meter in the basement. They replaced the meter, checked for leaks and did a nice job.
I do know that all new construction and for some time has the meter outside now

 

[Sixpactogo]

I don't know how they install gas in other areas but here in Wisconsin, (from what I recall when they installed mine) The gas company will run the service line 50' from the street to the meter free of charge. Any farther they charge by the foot. Mine was installed on the back side corner of the house per my request. Not sure if I had to pay any extra or not but I don't recall seeing any meters on the front of houses around here. 60 psi sounds high to me and I'm not sure how high the pressure is at the mains but I seem to remember my service being something like a 3 lb or 5 lb line because I have a gas furnace in my shop as well as in the house. The individual regulators drop it down to something like a 1/2 pound. I do know the gas company does not want the meter covered. We even are told to not allow snow to block the meter. I have had to dig it out of snow drifts more than a few times after a heavy snow fall.

 

[steve from staten island]

I thought 60 psi was also high, but thats what i was told. I did not want that kind of pressure entering my house. The problem was many of these homes have very small frontages and a outside meter was never considered when they were built. My house was built in the earlier thirties and always had the meter in the basement as does all the homes around here. Im comfortable now with the regulator outside and so is my wife. You know what they say about that dont you? When mama's happy everyone is happy. LOL Thanks

 

[Ranger16]

I'd opt for outside as well and ask the gas company what the new pressure will be.

 

[drpreposterous]

I'm gonna ask my wife. She's responsible for our natural residential gas...

 

[mopar 3 B]

Outside.
I deal with propane regulators and heaters.
I have probable 30 of them, and I've one ever seen 1 fail. When it failed it didn't start leaking, it just quit allowing gas to flow.
If your concerned, keep a cheap plastic squirt bottle with soapy water. Squirt connections, ect. Same as you would checking a tire for leaks.

Also I imagine the meter readers want the meter in a place where they can see it from their vehicle

Keep the soapy spray away from natural gas lines. Natural gas had an oder added. If you smell it call the gas company as far away from it as possible.

 

[ws27]

Steve, what you did was not a mistake. I repair all kinds of heat and A/C. Every year I have 2 or 3 frozen meters, and it's always at the coldest time of the year. Personally I would never have a gas meter outside for that reason. It's also subject to vandalism. Around here all new construction and conversions have meters outside. I'm surprised they went to 60 PSI. Did they change the mains in the street recently? They must be trying to get more gas through smaller pipes.

 

[steve from staten island]

Yes they changed the mains. Its a big project all over the island. The foreman on the job told me 60 psi buy maybe i will talk to someone else. I do know that the HP line going to the regulator looks like its 3/4 pipe, its really small hence the high pressure

 

[bm02tj]

Most utility's run 60 psi in plastic tube under ground then use a metal riser to come up
In Canada this has to be on out side of house
If no regulators used at appliances you will have 7inwc or 1/4 psi into your home
If you look at gas valve it will say max 1/2 psi

 

[BeeKool]

Keep the soapy spray away from natural gas lines. Natural gas had an oder added. If you smell it call the gas company as far away from it as possible.

It isn't always possible to smell a leak.
If you're in enclosed areas perhaps but if you're outside and there's wind you may not smell it.
I've been using this method for years when I need to check for leaks. And this method is how Ice found several. Is there any specific reason why one should not do it?

 

[440+6]

My old house had the meter in the basement but my new house has it outside, I definitely prefer outside.
All the commercial, industrial and residential I have built it's always been outside.

 

[monaco66coupe]

Keep in mind the appliances one uses is as important as the meter.. Last year Here in Omaha a realtor with a Property management company walked into a vacant house, when she noticed a gas smell. She immediately called the gas company, from inside the house! Using Her cell phone ignited the gas, and blew the house off it's foundation, and also destroying the Houses on either side of the subject property.

 

[Richard Cranium]

 

[themechanic]

Steve, just have it in front of the house to alleviate your concerns and hide it with some yard art. Here's an idea:

 

[mopar 3 B]

It isn't always possible to smell a leak.
If you're in enclosed areas perhaps but if you're outside and there's wind you may not smell it.
I've been using this method for years when I need to check for leaks. And this method is how Ice found several. Is there any specific reason why one should not do it?

Corrosive to pipes. We can not even run matural gas threw copper pipe. Got to be stainless steel, plastic or black pipe. Been replacing copper and aluminum appliance lines for a few years now.