Cannot turn gas meter back on after shutting it off

[M***@hotmail.com]

Hello, I had to shut off my gas at the meter in order to replace a hot
water tank. However I cannot seem to get the gas back on. When I turn
the valve I can hear the regulator pressuring up but nothing is getting
through the meter itself. Is there some kind of safety built in so home
owner cannot turn their gas back on? Does anyone know how to reset it?

Thanks!!

[Doug Miller]

Post by M***@hotmail.com
Hello, I had to shut off my gas at the meter in order to replace a hot
water tank. However I cannot seem to get the gas back on. When I turn
the valve I can hear the regulator pressuring up but nothing is getting
through the meter itself. Is there some kind of safety built in so home
owner cannot turn their gas back on? Does anyone know how to reset it?

If you don't have a current demand for gas (i.e. some appliance actually
burning it, or, God forbid, a leak) there won't be any gas moving through the
meter. Water heater gas control valves shut off the gas to the burner when the
pilot goes out -- which it certainly did when you turned off the gas. So turn
the valve all the way to the open position and go light the pilot on your
water heater. I predict all will be fine.

[M***@hotmail.com]

Thank you for the reply. When I cannot relight any of my pilots, when I
press the pilot button no gas comes out of any of the appliances. Also,
I turned the gas back off and removed the relief cap on my side of the
meter and slowly turned the gas back on. Again, I can hear the
regulator pressure up but nothing comes out of the open line on my side
of the meter. It's definitly not getting through the meter itself and I
don't know how to reset it. The meter is brand new and installed about
6 months ago.

[Doug Miller]

Post by M***@hotmail.com
Thank you for the reply. When I cannot relight any of my pilots, when I
press the pilot button no gas comes out of any of the appliances. Also,
I turned the gas back off and removed the relief cap on my side of the
meter and slowly turned the gas back on. Again, I can hear the
regulator pressure up but nothing comes out of the open line on my side
of the meter. It's definitly not getting through the meter itself and I
don't know how to reset it. The meter is brand new and installed about
6 months ago.

Like I said... there isn't going to be gas flowing through the meter until
some appliance starts using it.

You probably aren't being patient enough when trying to light the pilots.
Opening up the piping system allows a fair amount of air into the lines, and
it takes a while to purge it.

[Tony Hwang]

Post by M***@hotmail.com
Thank you for the reply. When I cannot relight any of my pilots, when I
press the pilot button no gas comes out of any of the appliances. Also,
I turned the gas back off and removed the relief cap on my side of the
meter and slowly turned the gas back on. Again, I can hear the
regulator pressure up but nothing comes out of the open line on my side
of the meter. It's definitly not getting through the meter itself and I
don't know how to reset it. The meter is brand new and installed about
6 months ago.

Hi,
Wonder if regulator shut off occured. Right in the middle(center) of
regulator there is a big screwed in cap, unscrew it and see if the shut
off occured. Gently push that little brass button back in if it popped out.

[M***@hotmail.com]

Centerpoint came out this morning and replaced a bad regulator. The
service is working again!! Thanks for all the info.

[MC]

Post by M***@hotmail.com
Centerpoint came out this morning and replaced a bad regulator. The
service is working again!! Thanks for all the info.

Warning, if you turn gas back on too quickly will burst the regulator
diagphram, turn back on very slowly.

Not sure if that was the problem, most of the time regulators are
replaced after shutoff that ends up what happens.

[EXT]

The gas valve is just a valve, it can be turned off and back on, unless it
is locked off, usually by a padlock. If gas does not feed through the meter,
call the gas company. However, normally you will NOT hear gas passing
through the pilot light when you press the button on the water heater. It
may take time to purge the air out your line to get the gas flowing. It can
take several minutes, so keep trying, or call the utility.

Post by M***@hotmail.com
Hello, I had to shut off my gas at the meter in order to replace a hot
water tank. However I cannot seem to get the gas back on. When I turn
the valve I can hear the regulator pressuring up but nothing is getting
through the meter itself. Is there some kind of safety built in so home
owner cannot turn their gas back on? Does anyone know how to reset it?
Thanks!!

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Post by EXT
However, normally you will NOT hear gas passing
through the pilot light when you press the button on the water heater. It
may take time to purge the air out your line to get the gas flowing. It can
take several minutes, so keep trying, or call the utility.

Have a gas range? Turn the burners on as that is the onlyh appliance that
willfreely pass the gas. Purge the air and it shouldlight. Once it seems to
be steady, light te pilot lights on the other appliances. There will still
be some air to be purged, so be patient.

I don't know about residential meters, but some industrial regulatgors
dohave a reset on them. It is just a rod you have to push down. I've not
seen a new residential meter so I don't know if it would apply in your case.

[n***@hotmail.com]

I agree with Doug. It takes a LONG time to purge the line. I remember
that when I did mine, I thought that I did something wrong because it
took that long and my shutoff valve was only 6 feet away in a 1/2" pipe.