Do gas has a shut-off valve inside house?

[no mail]

I finished my basement last year. Now looking back, I am not sure if my house has a gas shutoff valve inside the house at the entrance. I may overlooked the valve and did not leave an access door.

The gas servers the furnace and the firplace. There is shutoff valve at the furnace, but not at the fireplace.

The gas meter is outside, just before entering the house, and is easily accessible. Do I need a inside shutoff valve? If so, then I may have to take off the drywall and some framing to find the valve and make an access door.

Thanks for any tips.

[Rich256]

I would expect that you would have a shutoff for the fireplace as well however that I suppose could be in the fireplace. I have one where the line to the fireplace breaks off from the furnace and water heater. There should be one for each appliance.

[scott21230]

Should have and actually have are two different things. It certainly should have one. If there isn't one on the furnace, put on in. I am not 100% positive if you need on inside the house if there is already one right outside.

When I bought my house, the only shout off valve was the whole house one at the meter (inside) and on the furnace (which was only there because furnace was replaced). I subsequently put a shout off valve for the dryer and stove. Will put on in on the water heater when it's replaced.

[SQLit]

NEAR the fireplace maybe inside I sure hope not. You must have a valve for the fireplace or is it burning all of the time? My gas fireplace had a key that turned the gas on and off.

I have one where the line

[cod]

Every applicance, including the furnace, the fire place, the gas dryer, should have its own shut-off valve. That is the way things are configured in my home and I think the building code dictates it.

cod

[Rich256]

For the fireplace I have a valve in the basement another one in the wall near the fireplace. Then another in the fireplace.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Yes, and the union goes after the vale so it can be safely disconnected.

[Improver?]

I converted to gas about 5 years ago. There are shutoffs for both the boiler and the water heater, but no interior "main." There is a main gas valve right before my meter, and that seems sufficient to me.

[no mail]

Thank all who replied.

I did not see a shutoff valve for the fireplace in the basement when finishing that part - it is possible that it was hid behind the insulation over the concrete wall. Maybe today's building code requires shutoff valve for each appliance. But my house is old (5 years) and code may be different then.

Anyway, the gas only server furnace, which has a shutoff, and fireplace, which has a shutoff valve inside the fireplace. They should be sufficient for us. We rarely use the fireplace.

My question is really if we can easily shutoff the gas at the outside meter - I don't know how, but it does not use a shutoff valve there. I just want to make sure that we can turn off gas in the house in case of of an emergency.

[Rich256]

Don't you have a valve in the wall near the fireplace? Mine has one with a square key in the wall. Then the valve that came with the logs is in the fireplace and then there is another valve where the line breaks off from the main line in the basement.

Maybe today's building code requires

Wow! Really old. Mine is only 35. Main valve outside at the meter and then a valve for each appliance. In Colorado.

Yes, there should be a shutoff valve outside. Have you looked? I expect there is a pressure regulator immediately in front of the meter and then immediately in front of it will be a valve. The valve will require a wrench to turn. In earthquake country we kept a wrench nearby. Might not be able to get into a garage or house to get it!!

[no mail]

There is no valve on the main floor, other than the one inside the fireplace. The gas pipe from the basement go directly to the fireplace.

That must be it! It looks like there is something on that meter assembly that require a wrench to turn, even though I don't what are all those individual components are - there are no labels on them.

Now do you think I can find the right wrench from places like HomeDepot/Lowes, or I have to go to a special store?

Thanks much.

Y.

[Rich256]

Naw, if nothing else just use a cresent wrench or even a pipe wrench. Measure it and you can determine what size box wrench would work. Some have a hole through the part that turns. For those you can just stick a screwdriver in it and turn.