Does this look like a gas line to ya'll?

[Agentbolt]

A little background: Our gas company Southwest Gas, for whatever reason, has been forced by the state commision to offer to replace customer owned gas lines. Currently my meter is close to 40 feet away from my house, in an alley. Alllll the underground piping is my responsibility.

What they're offering to do is come inspect for leaks, and if they find any, they'll move the gas meter from the alley to my house, making me only responsible for the gas lines in my physical house (they're responsible for anything in front of the meter). If they don't find any leaks, they leave it all alone.

The only caveat is that current code requires all lines to be at least three feet away from any doors or windows. If they need to move where the line enters the house more than 20 feet, I am on the hook for that. So I went outside to try to find where the line enters, and I THINK I've found it, but I'm not 100% sure. If this is it, it look like I'm golden, they can just move it onto the wall under the carport with very little fuss if need be. But before I pull the trigger on this, I just wanted to make sure I'm not looking at a weird water or electrical line I'm not aware of (The water comes from the street, not the alley, and the main shutoff valve is on the opposite side of the house, so I don't think this is water)

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_cfe-RggztSLXEybUtqRS16Slk

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_cfe-RggztSM0lISUx0ZktaTnc

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_cfe-RggztSMlJpaVdydzJyZEk

Thanks for any insight!

 

[brianmanahan]

what is a yall

 

[T_Yamamoto]

what is a yall

Southern slang for you all

 

[destrekor]

Southern slang for you all

I use "y'all" all the time

one of the things I picked up from the South. I was born, raised, and have forever lived in NW Ohio (aside from vacations, training, and school in various places).

 

[iGas]

Yes, it does look like a gas line, and meter shall not be installed within 2 ft. of an opening into a building (operating windows, doors, or air intake
vents), pending the local authority jurisdiction.

Gas line are allow to be install anywhere you please as long as it is not in direct heat source or underground, pending local authority jurisdiction.

Perhaps you should read the gas notification again and/or call the gas company/city permit office.

 

[brianmanahan]

I use "y'all" all the time

one of the things I picked up from the South. I was born, raised, and have forever lived in NW Ohio (aside from vacations, training, and school in various places).

i live in NE ohio and have never heard anybody ever say it who lives here

though i did know some texan in toledo who said it every other sentence

i told him that phrase belongs 500 miles south of here :awe:

 

[destrekor]

i live in NE ohio and have never heard anybody ever say it who lives here

though i did know some texan in toledo who said it every other sentence

i told him that phrase belongs 500 miles south of here :awe:

boring natives don't say it, of course.
Though you do get some of the Southern Ohio hicks who say Warshington and warsh and ohmygerd. D:

I'm a Toledoan who, though native, definitely uses y'all, like, all the time. One of the rare ones, me.

 

[Agentbolt]

Yes, it does look like a gas line, and meter shall not be installed within 2 ft. of an opening into a building (operating windows, doors, or air intake
vents), pending the local authority jurisdiction.

Sweet, thanks. Now I just have to figure out if it's some kind of scam, I don't understand why they're offering to do several thousand dollars worth of work for free.

And yes, "ya'll" is something I picked up from my time living in Myrtle Beach. They also say "Buggy" instead of "cart" or "carriage" when they talk about the thing you push around and put groceries in when you go to the supermarket, the weirdos.

 

[iGas]

Sweet, thanks. Now I just have to figure out if it's some kind of scam, I don't understand why they're offering to do several thousand dollars worth of work for free.

And yes, "ya'll" is something I picked up from my time living in Myrtle Beach. They also say "Buggy" instead of "cart" or "carriage" when they talk about the thing you push around and put groceries in when you go to the supermarket, the weirdos.

It is not free, because you will have to pay for it in gas price and/or jacked up service line fees.

 

[destrekor]

Sweet, thanks. Now I just have to figure out if it's some kind of scam, I don't understand why they're offering to do several thousand dollars worth of work for free.

And yes, "ya'll" is something I picked up from my time living in Myrtle Beach. They also say "Buggy" instead of "cart" or "carriage" when they talk about the thing you push around and put groceries in when you go to the supermarket, the weirdos.

Ha! That's where I initially picked up "y'all" (or "ya'll" I've never cared where the apostrophe goes and have seen it in both locations). Used to vacation in MB every summer. And then school, though at OSU (Columbus), it was definitely worldly and had enough Southern natives to hang around, and then of course more visits to SC and GA for training. I love the South and HATE HATE it. Most of the educated natives are quite awesome down there, and it's generally relaxed and friendly. But fuck the weather... unless visiting a beach, which just makes the beach all that more appealing and probably why it's so memorable.
That, and just about any beach anywhere in the South (ocean-facing) is better than the beaches on this damn cesspool we call Lake Erie.

 

[boomerang]

Sweet, thanks. Now I just have to figure out if it's some kind of scam, I don't understand why they're offering to do several thousand dollars worth of work for free.

And yes, "ya'll" is something I picked up from my time living in Myrtle Beach. They also say "Buggy" instead of "cart" or "carriage" when they talk about the thing you push around and put groceries in when you go to the supermarket, the weirdos.

I'd say they're going to foot the bill because they've been forced to do so. They've probably had many complaints about leaks after the meter on these types of installations and they were offered a choice, correct installations with existing leaks or get their pants sued off.

 

[IronWing]

I got the same notice. I think SWG is doing this because they don't want yeahoos trying to repair their own gas lines down the road.

 

[bbhaag]

It looks like it could be a gas line or a water line. If you turn that valve off do the pilot lights on your appliances go out or does your water pressure drop at the facets?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would ask to move it anyway. I would hate having my meter that far away and having to be responsible for that much more line. It can cost many thousands of dollars to dig up your yard in the event of a failure.

Oh and that line definitely looks like gas to me, though nothing would stop someone from using that type of pipe for water I suppose. But if your valve is at the other end then I highly doubt it is.

 

[Agentbolt]

I got the same notice. I think SWG is doing this because they don't want yeahoos trying to repair their own gas lines down the road.

Oh nice, a fellow Tucsonan. If I do get it done I'll be sure to update the thread and let everyone know what the catch ended up being. There's gotta be one. (Hadn't thought of a "line service" fee they might tack on, good call)

Also good advice bbhaag, I should have thought of that. Closing the valve has made my furnace unable to fire up so I'm guessing that means it is indeed the gas line.

 

[Agentbolt]

I would ask to move it anyway. I would hate having my meter that far away and having to be responsible for that much more line. It can cost many thousands of dollars to dig up your yard in the event of a failure.

Oh and that line definitely looks like gas to me, though nothing would stop someone from using that type of pipe for water I suppose. But if your valve is at the other end then I highly doubt it is.

Oh, our water lines are all exposed out here. The absolute coldest it ever gets is maybe 25 degrees at night here, there'll be the very very rare pipe freezing but it's always above freezing by 10 AM or so, so no one really had burst pipes around here.

edit: Did I imagine your frozen pipes comment or did you edit it out?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

That's a gas line alright. What are the wires in the first pic?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Oh, our water lines are all exposed out here. The absolute coldest it ever gets is maybe 25 degrees at night here, there'll be the very very rare pipe freezing but it's always above freezing by 10 AM or so, so no one really had burst pipes around here.

edit: Did I imagine your frozen pipes comment or did you edit it out?

Oh I edited it out, had missed the comment about the valve being at the other end, pretty much ruling out it being the water line.

 

[quackagator]

That's a gas line alright. What are the wires in the first pic?

Ground wires?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Ground wires?

Think about it. Ground wires to a gas line?

 

[amdhunter]

Hit it a few times with a hammer until you make a hole, then inhale for a few minutes.

 

[bbhaag]

The wires in the first pic look like the same wires on my house that let the water company walk up to my house and scan to get a meter reading vs. coming into my house and getting a reading directly from the meter.
That's why I thought it might be a water line instead of a gas line.

 

[Mixolydian]

Probably, but have the gas company come out and identify the line if you're not completely sure.

 

[Agentbolt]

That's a gas line alright. What are the wires in the first pic?

Excellent question, there's two or three of those poles around the back yard. I have no idea what they do. When the home inspector checked out the place last year (when we bought it) he didn't freak out about them so I assume they're fine, whatever they are.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Excellent question, there's two or three of those poles around the back yard. I have no idea what they do. When the home inspector checked out the place last year (when we bought it) he didn't freak out about them so I assume they're fine, whatever they are.

Any chance you have hydro to any out bulldogs? Shed etc? looks like the wires are just leading underground to run below the surface to another location.