The final word: Clear the snow away from your gas meter

Mar 8, 2023 | Communities

gas co

Advice from SoCal Gas on clearing gas meters.

house fire

One of the many houses that caught fire, apparently as the result of a gas leak.

By Mary-Justine Lanyon

Confusion was running rampant as folks posted on Facebook. Some said you should clear the snow away from your gas meter. Others advised against it.

In the community meetings and press conferences that were held during and just after the recent series of storms, the advice was no less confusing.

Battalion Chief Michael McClintock of County Fire shared what he called official language from SoCal Gas regarding gas meters:

If you can, and if it is safe to do so, we encourage you to clear the snow away from your meter with a broom or brush — never use a shovel or hard object to remove the snow from the meter as this risks damaging the meter.

Residents should know there are no systemwide gas outages or interruptions in the area.  In the majority of instances, your meter being buried in snow does not present a safety hazard; however, falling snow and ice could potentially damage your meter. If you do not smell gas, please do not turn off your gas meter.

If you believe your gas meter has been damaged or smell gas, please call the fire department or SoCal Gas at (800) 427-2200 immediately.

At a county press conference on March 3, County Fire Chief Dan Munsey noted there have been “more structure fires than normal. We believe they have been due to natural gas leaks. We are working with investigators to determine the cause and origin.”

Over the previous 48 hours, the chief said on March 3, there had been five such fires. Since then, there have been reports of several more.

On Saturday, March 4, several SoCal Gas customers reported receiving this text from the utility: “Be cautious of meter damage. If safe, clear snow off meter with broom/brush. Report damage or gas smell to fire department or SoCal Gas at (800) 427-2200.”

 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share

groundwerks quarter page ad page 0001
rim bowling center generic 7 11 22 web
audio in english
audio en español

Major improvements for Leisure Shores

By Mike Harris Special to the Alpine Mountaineer   Funding for new heating and air conditioning units and major repairs to a very leaky roof at the Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club have been approved by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. At its Aug....

Fire lays waste to Crestline hotel

Fire lays waste to Crestline hotel

By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY Senior Writer   A late-night blaze of unknown origin incinerated a 1930s-era hotel in the 23800 block of Lake Drive in Crestline on Tuesday, Sept. 12. The fire, first reported around 11 p.m., elicited an immediate response from San Bernardino...

SOFA volunteers clean up the highway

SOFA volunteers clean up the highway

On Aug. 25, board members and supporters of the Save Our Forest Association (SOFA) spent the morning cleaning trash from the Rim of the World Scenic Byway – Highway 18. Pictured are volunteers Melodee S., Scott S., Heather S., Amy G., Lori S., Lyn D. and Alex H....