Routine maintenance on gas meters!

[Momto2Boyz]

I never realized knew that you should call the gas company every few years and request that they come out and do routine maintenance on your gas meter!

We noticed this winter that our gas usage was way higher than it had been in previous years, but I didn't think too much of it and we tried to keep it down, by dryer clothes outside, keeping the thermostat at or below 68 degrees and to no avail, it pretty much stayed the same. So it was costing us a fortune.

Well, our gas company came out because we were having a problem with our gas. Our pilot light on our furnace would not stay lit. I called a HVAC company, they came out and couldn't find any problems. They told me to call the gas company, becuase they thought it was a problem with the gas flow. So I did and they came out today.

He asked when I had last called for meter maintenance, and I said never (we've been in the house 5 years). Our gas meter was old and rusty and nasty looking. He told me that they will come out, free of charge, every other year to do regular maintenance on the meter. He got the rust off and repainted it. There was a problem with one of the valves (hence the gas flow problem) so he fixed that. He also got out his spray can and checked for gas leaks.

WE HAD ONE!!! It was a teeny tiny pinhole leak on the pipe behind the meter than ran into the house. Not dangerous by any means, but it has been costing us a fortune, becuase we have been paying for the gas that has been leaking out, since it was on our side of the meter!

So, lesson learned! I will be calling every other summer now, to get them out here to check things out! Just thought I would pass this info along, since I never knew this, I thought maybe others would too. He also told me that if you see a sudden spike in your usage, to always call and have them check for leaks. He said unless the weather is insane or you get a new gas appliance, most of the time the change will indicate a leak somewhere...so I thought I would share the advice!

[StaceyS]

Wow! How old is your house? I live in an older duplex that has never been maintained well and I bet it posible that this could be happening to me. Thanks for the advice!