City probably broke my house's gas service line and want me to pay... options?

[OOBradm]

I live in the city, and over the last month or so the city has been going down my street replacing the main gas line under the road. They finally made it to the street outside my house when I was away on vacation last week.

Well, when I came back I had a note on my door informing me that they had shut off my gas service because there is a leak in my service line. Then note went on to say that I have to hire a certified plumber out of pocket to repair it before they will turn my gas back on.

It was working fine before I left. Has anyone encountered a similar situation? My first step will be to contact the gas company and explain how it was clearly not my fault and that they should pay for the repair. Advice?

 

[K1052]

I'd want some more info from the gas company....like how and where they found a leak in the customer side service line.

 

[fstime]

Your story sounds a little weird. What business does the city have replacing the gas companies lines?

If main gas lines need maintenance, the gas company performs the work, not the city. Are you sure they were not performing street sewer or road paving work because that is work the city is responsible for.

 

[Schmide]

They prob turned off your gas, pressure tested your line and it failed. Could be as little as a bad thermocouple?

 

[C1]

At least here in San Diego, if the leak or break is on the city side (ie, line to and including the meter) then the city is responsible for the repair/replacement. After (or out of) the meter it's your baby.

I would think any leak after the meter would involve quite conventional piping and should not be a big deal to fix.

Hopefully you are not saying that the leak is like under the sidewalk or your lawn or driveway and the city is requiring you to repair that. I would remind the city about liability for gas leaks leading to the city's meter. The repair service responsible for the gas service to and including the meter needs to be blessed by the city so it is in the city's interest to take care of it to ensure that it is done to city code (eg, use of authorized materials/metals, pressure tested, piping employs proper substrate for support and drainage, etc.).

 

[rudeguy]

They prob turned off your gas, pressure tested your line and it failed. Could be as little as a bad thermocouple?

Be my guess.

Remember a couple years ago in CA when the gas company didn't do this and a whole (damn near) city blew up? If they fix the main line and leave bad lines coming out...stuff would go boom.

 

[kranky]

At least here in San Diego, if the leak or break is on the city side (ie, line to and including the meter) then the city is responsible for the repair/replacement. After (or out of) the meter it's your baby.

I would think any leak after the meter would involve quite conventional piping and should not be a big deal to fix.

Hopefully you are not saying that the leak is like under the sidewalk or your lawn or driveway and the city is requiring you to repair that. I would remind the city about liability for gas leaks leading to the city's meter. The repair service responsible for the gas service to and including the meter needs to be blessed by the city so it is in the city's interest to take care of it to ensure that it is done to city code (eg, use of authorized materials/metals, pressure tested, piping employs proper substrate for support and drainage, etc.).

Where we live, the homeowner is responsible for everything once it leaves the main pipe along the road, even if it's a long way from there to the meter.

 

[mmntech]

Get it fixed then ask the gas company how the line ruptured. If it was indeed the city's digging that caused it, file a claim with your insurance company. They'll then go after the city's insurance to cover the cost.

 

[OOBradm]

My meter is in my basement, and the leak is in the line that runs from the main line to my meter, which is underneath the sidewalk

 

[dud]

OP, the key word in your question is "probably".

If you cannot prove that the City damaged your line then the answer is they probably will not. The burden is up to you to prove that they did. In any case they did you a favor to turn the gas off ... your house might have gone up in flames.

Good luck ...