Gas leak at meter - Call SW Gas? And one small problem maybe? (houses, water heater) - Phoenix area - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

HX_Guy · 01-07-2015, 08:17 PM

I was doing some stuff out by the gas meter on the side of the house and noticed the smell of natural gas. Sniffing around it's definitely coming from the gas pipe/meter that was installed when the house was built. It must be real small because if I stand up, I can't smell it, only if I put my nose up to the meter.

Do I call SW Gas for this or a 3rd party company?

Potential problem here is that we added a gas line that goes to the backyard for future use when we did our landscaping and while it's done to code, it wasn't permitted though the city (was a last minute addition when we were doing the pavers and didn't have time to go through the permitting process unfortunately). Is SW Gas going to say something about that?

DetroitN8V · 01-07-2015, 08:27 PM

SW Gas for sure. A third party will want to get paid to come out.

My gas pool heater was having issues and SW Gas came out the same day that I called them to install a new, larger meter and regulator. No charge.

asufan · 01-07-2015, 08:29 PM

FYI they are probably going to shut your gas off immediately and it may take a few days to get a crew out there, so prepare for cold showers if there is a delay.

HX_Guy · 01-07-2015, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asufan

FYI they are probably going to shut your gas off immediately and it may take a few days to get a crew out there, so prepare for cold showers if there is a delay.

Wait a second! Our heat is also on gas so that doesn't sound good.

Wally Sconce · 01-07-2015, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Wait a second! Our heat is also on gas so that doesn't sound good.

Oh MY! you might freeze when the temps dip to the 50s this week

.

43north87west · 01-07-2015, 08:49 PM

Call SWG. They aren't going to shut off your service for a little leak, nor will they check to find out if you got a permit for the modification. They provide gas service, not code enforcement. A hacked installation might raise an eyebrow, but otherwise, forget it.

HX_Guy · 01-08-2015, 10:11 AM

Well that was pretty awesome.

I called SW Gas this morning and literally 7 minutes later their truck pulls up. We go over to the meter...the guy says "Who hooked up your pipe to the backyard here?"

I'm thinking oh crap! I say I'm not sure, I'd have to look it up...and ask if there something wrong with it. He says that they should have been called out to do the connection because the company I used Tee'd off their meter and the T was supposed to be left open. I tell him that I'll get in touch with them to fix it, and he says don't worry about it, I'll just take care of it now.

The gas leak was coming from a loose fitting (on their end, not the attachment we had done). He fixed that, turned the pilot light back on the water heater and gas furnace, and was all done. I offered him a tip, and he didn't even accept it!

I think that may have been the best customer service experience ever.

Ponderosa · 01-08-2015, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Well that was pretty awesome.

I called SW Gas this morning and literally 7 minutes later their truck pulls up. We go over to the meter...the guy says "Who hooked up your pipe to the backyard here?"

I'm thinking oh crap! I say I'm not sure, I'd have to look it up...and ask if there something wrong with it. He says that they should have been called out to do the connection because the company I used Tee'd off their meter and the T was supposed to be left open. I tell him that I'll get in touch with them to fix it, and he says don't worry about it, I'll just take care of it now.

The gas leak was coming from a loose fitting (on their end, not the attachment we had done). He fixed that, turned the pilot light back on the water heater and gas furnace, and was all done. I offered him a tip, and he didn't even accept it!

I think that may have been the best customer service experience ever.

They take reports of a gas leak very seriously. You've seen the news reports of houses (and even blocks) that blew up on TV, no?

observer53 · 01-08-2015, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Well that was pretty awesome.

I called SW Gas this morning and literally 7 minutes later their truck pulls up. We go over to the meter...the guy says "Who hooked up your pipe to the backyard here?"

I'm thinking oh crap! I say I'm not sure, I'd have to look it up...and ask if there something wrong with it. He says that they should have been called out to do the connection because the company I used Tee'd off their meter and the T was supposed to be left open. I tell him that I'll get in touch with them to fix it, and he says don't worry about it, I'll just take care of it now.

The gas leak was coming from a loose fitting (on their end, not the attachment we had done). He fixed that, turned the pilot light back on the water heater and gas furnace, and was all done. I offered him a tip, and he didn't even accept it!

I think that may have been the best customer service experience ever.

Exactly what I would have expected from SW Gas, for the reasons Ponderosa atated. Glad it was an easy fix.

MalteseJane · 01-08-2015, 02:53 PM

Oh yes, they take leaks very seriously. And they are very good. My neighboor who is a snowbird turned off the gas before leaving a couple years ago. Before coming back he called them to turn the gas back on. My husband was with them with a key to the house. Boy, they checked everything and turned on everything, heater and water heater. No charge.