DTE wants to relocate their gas meter to the exterior of my aunt's historic home

[artds]

My aunt owns a home in Palmer Woods, and she received notice that DTE wants to come in and relocate the gas meter to the front of her house. She's been told that its necessary for safety reasons, but it seems like DTE is doing this more for their own convenience. Either way, having a boxy gas meter and gas pipes exposed on the front of the house is going to be a real eyesore. Presumably, they will be doing this with all the houses in the neighborhood, which could negatively affect the historical character of the neighborhood. We're trying to figure out if there are other solutions. Has anyone dealt with this issue before and successfully convinced DTE not to put the meter on the front of the house? Does anyone know which department at DTE I would contact about something like this? Thanks.

[ccal]

I live in Sherwood Forest and DTE contact ed me for the same thing. I am currently waiting on them as we speak. They gave me an 8-12 am window for today and they still haven't shown up and its 12:45.

My aunt owns a home in Palmer Woods, and she received notice that DTE wants to come in and relocate the gas meter to the front of her house. She's been told that its necessary for safety reasons, but it seems like DTE is doing this more for their own convenience. Either way, having a boxy gas meter and gas pipes exposed on the front of the house is going to be a real eyesore. Presumably, they will be doing this with all the houses in the neighborhood, which could negatively affect the historical character of the neighborhood. We're trying to figure out if there are other solutions. Has anyone dealt with this issue before and successfully convinced DTE not to put the meter on the front of the house? Does anyone know which department at DTE I would contact about something like this? Thanks.

[coracle]

I had this done years ago. It's not a "Gas Meter" as we know it. It was a small grey plastic covered gadget about 4" by 2" by 2" no pipes attached; no dials; very unobtrusive. I believe the "reader" collects the reading electronically from a "remote" position. I'm sure it's for the Gas company convenience but it suits me also because no one has to enter the house. I never see a Meter Reader now; just pay the bills.

[DetroitPlanner]

I have seen some homes where they have located the gas meter to the outside, and yes it is ugly. My house has it indoors, and there is what coracle describes on the outside. This means they can read the meter without ever stepping in the house. Heck they have been doing this in most neighborhoods since the early 1970's! LOL

[Honky Tonk]

My aunt owns a home in Palmer Woods, and she received notice that DTE wants to come in and relocate the gas meter to the front of her house. She's been told that its necessary for safety reasons, but it seems like DTE is doing this more for their own convenience. Either way, having a boxy gas meter and gas pipes exposed on the front of the house is going to be a real eyesore. Presumably, they will be doing this with all the houses in the neighborhood, which could negatively affect the historical character of the neighborhood. We're trying to figure out if there are other solutions. Has anyone dealt with this issue before and successfully convinced DTE not to put the meter on the front of the house? Does anyone know which department at DTE I would contact about something like this? Thanks.

Are you absolutely SURE it's a "meter" they want to install outside, and NOT the electronic 2"X4" grey reader sending unit? As far as I know, they're moving away from meters and opting for the electronic readers.

[douglasm]

The electronic "reader" has become more popular, and saves on labor costs. We use them to "read" water meters, and the Public Utility District uses them on their electric meters.

There's no more tromping through someone's back yard to read the meters. Basically our public works guy drives down the street, reading the individual meters on a hand held device. Makes for more accurate billing, in that [[because water meters are in ground), there is no estimating water usage like we used to do in the winter.

[mwilbert]

I strongly suspect it is the sending unit. That is what we have had in the University District for many years--there aren't any pipes or anything like that.. It isn't beautiful, but it isn't super obtrusive either. If you have any shrubbery in front of it, it isn't very apparent.

[Honky Tonk]

I strongly suspect it is the sending unit. That is what we have had in the University District for many years--there aren't any pipes or anything like that.. It isn't beautiful, but it isn't super obtrusive either. If you have any shrubbery in front of it, it isn't very apparent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UbtcmjfKa8

[mwilbert]

Well, if the Knights of Ni demand your shrubbery, then everyone will see your gray box. Probably only a minor risk

[Jimaz]

There's some info on their website but I didn't see anything there about getting exempted.

Loved the Monty Python clip but it was too short!

[mikefmich]

Your aunt can pay an extra few bucks and have it re-routed to the side of the house. If she bitches loud enough, they may just do that anyhow, at their own expense. At least that's how it used to work.

It used to be the gas distribution dept. Whether they still call it that, I don't know.

[canuck]

Man, if there is one thing that positively drives me up the wall is all the garbage the utilities, electricians plumbers, cable guys put up; cables, conduits and satellite dishes gas and electric meters. A lot of houses are visually ruined in this city for the sake of speed and so called convenience. Fuggit.

[Jimaz]

Man, if there is one thing that positively drives me up the wall is all the garbage the utilities, electricians plumbers, cable guys put up; cables, conduits and satellite dishes....

In Phoenix they bury a lot of that stuff. It looks better and it's less susceptible to storm damage. Maintenance access is through big mysterious boxes all over the place. I guess you can't hide everything.

A curious trivia tidbit about satellite antennas is that they don't have to be parabolic dishes. Using phased array technology, you can shape it to fit, say, an aircraft fuselage. An added benefit is that it can be steered electronically very quickly with no moving parts.

[jtf1972]

They put the reader thing on my mom's place. She talks about it in terms that make me tell her the solution is to get a colander & cover it in foil, then place it on her head to keep the government from reading her thoughts...

[canuck]

Yes Jimaz, I wish it could be done that way everywhere.

I am shopping for a house nearer to downtown and one thing I regularly come up against is the electrical conduits in front of the house. Here, we have mostly row houses and people got used to disfigured fronts which is something I just cant accept. I would have to hire an electrician to readjust some of the things I have seen to be happy. But then there is always something like windows or other stuff that is unsightly...

[Hamtragedy]

Canuck you may live in an area where conduit is required for all new/rewiring purposes. This is code in Chicago, which means that any new wires run, whether for a switch or a new outlet, must be in rigid conduit, [[that flexible stuff doesn't count, you only get to run 6 feet of that to any one location). Get your bender out and buy lots of extra sticks, you're gonna be pulling your hairs out, not to mention, minimizing wall damage.

As for the original poster, I received that same notice for years, and finally scheduled an appt after I smelled gas in the basement. Turns out, they left the meter in the basement [[in Hamtramck, no less, which is disconnection central) and found a leak in the main at the street, which was leaking enough to stink up my basement, both neighbors, and the three neighbors across the street.

The moral of that story is, have them come out, sniff around, do what they gotta do, and if necessary, fix their 100 year old mains.

[Jimaz]

... I smelled gas in the basement. Turns out, they left the meter in the basement [[in Hamtramck, no less, which is disconnection central) and found a leak in the main at the street, which was leaking enough to stink up my basement, both neighbors, and the three neighbors across the street.
The moral of that story is, have them come out, sniff around, do what they gotta do, and if necessary, fix their 100 year old mains.

A recent Free Press Story: Old iron gas pipes are leaking across Michigan; replacement is slow, can be deadly

Only four other states have more old iron gas mains than Michigan. These pipelines don't just increase the chances of a leak -- they're already leaking.

And the process of replacing them can lead to deadly results. On Feb. 27, as a Consumers Energy work crew replaced pipelines dating to 1929 in a Royal Oak neighborhood, a natural-gas explosion occurred, killing a man, leveling his house and damaging 30 other homes nearby.

[jerrytimes]

Couldn't you just have them locate it behind a bush or something on the outside so it's hidden? Mine is in the front of the house, but it's behind a bush so it can't be seen. Also, does she have air conditioning? My point in asking that is because there is a large unit outside for that, so what's the big deal if a gas meter is outside?

[Guideboat]

It is indeed the meter. Just got new gas mains on my street in Dearborn, and they are moving the meters [[yes, the actual meters) to the outside from the basement. DTE prefers to put them on the front of the house, but the workers will move it to the side if the conditions are right. I couldn't move mine to the side because one side has the driveway against the house and the other was chopped up my a basement window that opens [[a no-no), chimney, furnace snorkel, and AC unit. The workers were very polite and willing to work with me. Unfortunately it just didn't work out for me. My unit is hidden behind shrubbery so is not noticeable. Take the time to talk to the workers.

[wolverine]

Good if they can put it on the side of the house towards the front. Meters out front are an architect's worst nightmare!

[JohnnyFreddy]

"...... basement window that opens [[a no-no)......." - [[Guideboat)
DTE came into my house [[several years ago) to replace the reader meter device on my meter [[don't think they can't get a reading if this device is broken. I found out the hard way, thinking I was gettin' over. Doesn't pay to be dishonest) When they finished replacing the reader device, and some accompying pipe adjustments...unbeknowngst to me at the time...they adjusted the pipes directly in front of my basement opening window [[opens inward). So keep your eyes peeled during the process, and don't hesitate to speak up if you see something amiss. You're the customer, and anybody can make a mistake, but it should be done correctly regardless. Again, YOU'RE THE CUSTOMER.

[TheUsualSuspect]

DTE proposed doing this to my mom's house in Livonia. For something like $50 per linear foot, they put it on the side of the house and it was definitely the meter.

It took some convincing on my part to my 80 year old mom, that putting the thing on the side of the house was the right thing to do. Planted a dense bush in front of the thing and you'd never know it was there.

[grumpyoldlady]

Plant a bush in front of the darn thing and leave enough room for access behind it to get to the meter if needed. Problem solved!

[downtownguy]

For something like $50 per linear foot, they put it on the side of the house and it was definitely the meter.

Geez, for that amount, DTE should have given her free energy for her lifetime!