I want to hook up a gas dryer to a newly installed gas line a plumber put in for me. The line doesn't have a shut-off valve, so I was going to shut the gas off at the main. But the gas company says that if I turn it off, I have to have them come out and turn the gas back on (which could take at least a week to schedule).
It seems like it is pretty easy to turn off and back on...one twist of the valve. Is there really any danger from me just turning it back on myself?
Thanks!!
No none at all if your confident in your work! Mine has a valve at the meter that can be locked closed just turn that 90 degrees and your pressure is off. Do your work add a shut off valve check all your fittings with Snoop or some other similar bubbling leak detector after you turn the gas back on and if everything is good your good to go! YMMV.
Rich
Thanks for all your responses. Yes, we think the plumber is an idiot too; which is why we are trying to finish the work ourselves. It actually all seems fine (except for the lack of valves), but well, he was just difficult to work with.
Anyway, I looked up online how to turn the gas off and on (and they had pictures of the valves). The line is capped, and we have a reducer to attach it to the dryer (and teflon tape for the grooves). We're pretty sure he turned the gas off at the meter and then turned it back on. (This was about a month ago, and there have been no problems, so it seems fine.)
Is there some sort of kit we can buy to add a valve to the currently capped line before we attach it to the dryer?
Thanks again.
They want to make sure of your work and to make sure all the pilot lights are back up and working.
no 'kit' but you can buy a valve at the hardware store. I like to use the local mom n pop hardware store where they can tell you a thing or too about what you just bought and how not to kill yourself. Usually they know one or two people who have almost killed themselves so the advice is usually solid. Pay a bit more, but its certainly worth it.
Big error on the part of the plumber. There MUST be a shutoff valve before the dryer. He should have installed one before the union that connects to the dryer. This guy was an idiot if he did not put a valve in the line.
Not really, but they get fussy about things like that. You must re-light any pilot lights and you may have air in the lines, especially where the new work it. Do not even think about finishing the job the plumber did half assed with no valve. Sequence is valve, nipple, union, rest of the piping.
OTOH, do you know what a gas valve looks like? It is not a knob on top like a water valve. How did he terminate the line? Should be plugged or capped. How did he turn the gas back on when he finished?
In alt.home.repair on 26 Jul 2005 15:59:17 -0700 snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com posted:
I'm not going to comment on gas, but in Baltimore County, or Maryland, when they disconnect your electricity for non-payment, they won't turn it on again unless someone is home**. On the other hand, when it is disconnected for snow, which can last days, they reconnnect everyone at once whether they are home or not.
**They do come within probably 2 to 4 hours, not a week, but sometimes someone wants to go to work instead of back home.Meirman
-- If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.
You don't need a kit. You need a gas ball valve (looks just like a water ball valve) and then you need a line from the valve to the appliance. Just go to a plumbing supply store and tell them what you want to do, they will tell you what you need. All you need to know is the size of the capped pipe. Probably suggest a little higher quality than you need but well worth avoiding plumber costs.
The plumber had to shut the gas to install the new gas line. Did the gas company come out then to turn it back on?
No, I'm sure the plumber turned the gas back on himself. Since I'm not a plumber I just wanted to make sure it wasn't more dangerous than it seems (especially with the gas company being so adamant about doing it themselves.).
Thanks for all your responses!!
Why didnt your plumber follow IBC and put a shut off valve at the termination of the gas line? As a licenced gas pipe fitter, this kinda shit scares me...that there are actually people getting paid for halfassed work.
One reason the gas company likes to turn gas back on is that if you turn back on too quickly there is a chance that could rupture the rubber diafram in the regulator. Be sure to always turn on slowly.
Actually, no. Not unless they have a commercial system running more than 5lbs, and even then, the regulators are built to handle more than that. The reason the gas companies like to be there is to make sure that the new install is safe. If you sold a product that most people on average didnt understand but the BOOM factor, and you had unlicenced persons working with it, would you not want to make sure it was safe? One NG explosion in a neighborhood really hurts profits as everyone changes over to electric.
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