Old Gas Lamp, Saddle Valve Connection and No Shutoff for Line

[sleepdog]

Hey There,

I have a contractor coming in next week to start digging the foundation for an addition. I have an old gas lamp from the 1950s by the front walk. I turned off the valve in the lamp a few years ago to save gas. The contractor will have to dig up the metal gas line to the lamp from the foundation but it is connected in the basement to our black pipe with a saddle valve that appears to have no shutoff mechanism. I would like to eliminate the saddle valve altogether but does that mean replacing the black pipe? The contractor is aware of the line and won't dig in that spot until he hears otherwise from me. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Meat Plow]

A valve with no mechanism? You mean it's broken off or otherwise missing? I would replace the valve with a threaded plug if that's possible. Did you have your gas utility company mark the digging area?

[sleepdog]

Yes, 1800Digg is coming out today to mark the property but this particular line is not on any of the utility maps. They came out a few years ago and didn't mark it even after I mentioned it to the dispatch, probably because its not part of the "utility" portion of the utilities.

Anyway, silly me, I took another look and found the tiny shuttoff valve coming off the saddle valve before the flared fitting, after I went out and bought a 1/4" threaded plug and could not find a 1/2x27 tap to make the threads. It is kind of dark down there.

Still want to get rid of the saddle valve someday, but my immediate concern is settled with the digging on schedule.

Duh me