Inside or Outside Gas Meter, Valve?

D107

Hi Tim,



At some point in the next few years we will be doing landscaping and it will be a good opportunity to run new water lines (old galvanized one's from 1924). 3/4" gas line is probably from the 1930s; it's been sleeved with plastic recently.



Our neighbor did a major rehab and his meter and valve are outside. Service seems one advantage; another is that when the gas co failed twice to tighten their newly installed assembly fully, the resulting gas leaks discharged outside--seems safer--and were more readily detectable given no one was home at the time.



Another advantage to outside meter/valve would be saving basement space. If I run a new line it seems like a good idea to run a one inch, either to cover a potential generator as well and to provide headroom for the likely day when the demand on the street gas lines goes higher as oil use recedes and the use of on-demand hot water heaters increases in municipalities where they are not prohibited.



The only negatives to me would be more difficulty in monitoring real-time gas use and potential damage from the elements or vandalism, though I'd think messing with a gas meter would certainly pose a risk to a vandal's life without a big payoff. I suppose some homeowners might find an outside meter aesthetically objectionable; not a concern of mine.



Any thoughts?

Tim McElwain

All the way around

the meter is better outside. For some of the reasons you mentioned along with the utilities want them outside. My neighborhood just moved all the meters outside. Mine has been outside for years (one of the perks for working for the gas company). I have never had any problems and as far as appearance I planted a shrub in front of the meter so you can't see it anymore. By the way meters are temperature compensated at 60 degrees F so they all read accurately no matter what the outdoor temp.