So, my 33 year-old daughter was contacted by LGE (Louisville Gas & Electric, real jerks) that her gas meter needed to be replaced. They scheduled it for last Friday and showed up toward the end of the afternoon. Replaced the meter but say they can't turn it back on because there is a leak! Never mind that temps will be below freezing and she has gas heat, gas stove and gas water heater! Skip this paragraph if you don't need the backstory. They pulled this crap once before if you remember me chasing an electrical issue at the same house. I found no faults in the wiring and called LGE to check the meter and their service. They pulled the meter, tested and as he was ready to put it back, found an arc in the meter base box. Used the bucket truck to disconnect from the pole and left us again in freezing weather with no power! With no gas at 4PM she calls a plumber to check on this leak. He investigates a bit but says it would be cheaper to replace the run than spend too much time troubleshooting it. The estimate: $4,000! Does $4,000 sound like a lot of money to run a gas line for a house with a stand-up cellar under half it where the appliances are located? The house in question. Gas meter at front of house, runs into crawl space/cellar and runs to furnace vent where the water heater and furnace are. Stove is on the other side of the furnace. Stove next to furnace intake. Furnace and tankless water heater. The wall with the water heater is the outside wall with the gas meter.
Sounds a bit high but not ridiculous. Plumbers are around $300 per hour these days, plus cary a ton of insurance especially when it comes to gas. Cap the pipes put some air pressure in it and spray the joints with windex. It's 200 yo technology.
Exactly. He's going to replace old cast iron black pipe with something flexible. As I understand it, the higher pressure is before the meter/regulator and it is only a few PSI on the lower pressure house side. We have never smelled gas in the house or in the crawl space. I was in there Saturday. LG&E says so and they turned the gas off after replacing their meter. Plumber initially said he didn't see a leak, but it is likely a pinhole situation as the pressure was dropping very slowly. They can't even get to it before Tuesday if then. Might be Thursday.
I went through this when we bought our home and changed propane companies. They did some sort of pressure test and we failed even though nothing had changed in the house for the last 10 years. On a hunch I got a quarter turn on the flex hose that fed the oven and that was it. We never smelled propane in the house at all. So I would start with the appliances..
$4K I guess I would be running the pipe myself or getting another estimate. I cant imagine the run is more than 75 to 100 feet.
She's had a plumber out and he pressurized it for initial tests and spent two hours checking under/around the house. He surely would have checked the easy stuff first. Lord knows, common sense ain't so common these days.
If you do any testing yourself don't put air pressure to any of the appliances. You will damage them. Most natural gas is under 1psi.
I see Dano and I think alike. PG&E who installed my meter for gas (new install) said it was all good, but when I turned it on I smelled gas within an hour outside in front of the house. I had paid a certified plumber to install in the house, and that all seemed good. It was a Friday, so I called him and he said "Sometimes the installers from PG&E just don't bother tightening the main connections at the meter." I checked and he was right, super loose. ??? Hard to believe.
BGE just ran (subcontracted) a new new line from the street & installed a new meter here (they're resp. up to the meter). They then have a plumber come in to to turn on, check the subs work for leaks, & re-light the pilots. Several years ago I smelled gas (was a Saturday evening) & called BGE. They send someone quickly in that case (no charge) & after quite awhile his sniffer found a leaking joint so he shut off/tagged the gas & left. That's the end if their resp. I had it apart & fixed pretty quickly & turned everything back on, re-lit the pilots, etc.
She's 120 miles away and I was there Saturday to look around. She is set to get the work done. When I was in the cellar, the water heater gas line was in the off position. She can shower at her boyfriend's place and has a space heater keeping it about 60° in the house. Take out and microwave will do for food. She has an electric kettle for coffee and tea.
They are regulated by the commerce commission and dot. When they change the meter they have to perform a low flow test and lock in test to check for leaks and to insure the meter index is functioning. . System pressure b4 regulator is typically 40/60psi and reduced to 7” wc or 1/4 psi. They had to use an inch gauge if it’s a fizzer or small leak to find it. Not the 1/2 or 1/4 foot hand on the meter index. $4k sounds really high. And don’t go with the flexible cst piping that uses manifolds and plastic washers. They always leak in the long run. If you’re going to pressure test the gas piping isolate the appliances at the supply line valves and not against the appliance regulators or safety’s. Did they check the appliances or isolate them to determine it wasn’t a faulty module or safety or standing pilot . Pm me if u need help. It’s what I do daily
The gas company will only test the piping that is accessible with leak detection equipment. Any non accessible customer piping is done by means of a shut in test at customer pressure. They will not enter a crawl space as it’s a confined area. At least that is the way it is here
What would you recommend instead of flexible cst piping? Since the equipment valves were cut off, I am assuming the plumber tested with the appliances shut off. My daughter didn't know enough to ask questions, just the sticker shock of $4K for what seemed like a small job of 50 feet of line and 3 appliances all on one floor.
Do we actually know there is a leak? I would start there before embarking on any work. See Fred's description above. Usually black iron pipe is the most common for gas in this jursidiction.
Most gas leaks on old existing systems are at the 1/2 inch shutoff valves within close proximity to the appliance... Other Than that the flex line going into the appliance.... Also the gas companies are known for RED tagging....... Then they give you a list of select con artists that give kick backs..... Cracked heat exchanger was No1. BTW windex glass cleaner or soapy water blows real good bubbles....... In this State as The home owner I can plumb my own house..
