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The joys of homeownership!

whoaru99 said:
Waiting for the gas man to show in the 4 hour window so he can bleed inside gas line. They installed a new gas meter, probably because the old one wasn't showing any gas use, and now have me on service disconnect until they bleed the inside line. At least that's the story line.

I think joke's on them though. All the gas has been stuff shut off inside, including pilot light, for many years. If no reading on the monthly bill was their reason to replace the meter, the new one is going to read exactly the same; zero. LOL.

(Using electric heat and furnace is the only gas appliance.)
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Not sure about where you live, , , , , cause "LoTL" isn't a State that I recognize, but in many States (Like, for instance Massachusetts where I live) if you don't use the gas service for a number of years the gas company will terminate the service, remove the meter, and cap the lines......


"Yes, Eversource may remove a gas meter if the service has not been used for a number of years, particularly if it has been inactive for 24 months or longer.
Here are the key details regarding unused meters and removal policies:
  • Inactive Service Policy: In most service areas, if the gas service or meter has been shut off or inactive for 24 months, it may be deemed unusable and cannot be reactivated.
  • Safety Inspections: Eversource is required to inspect meters regularly for corrosion and safety. If a meter is not being used, they may opt to remove it to remove a potential safety hazard from the property rather than continuing to inspect it.
  • 7-Year Replacement Rule: Eversource generally replaces gas meters every 7 years to ensure accuracy and safety. If a meter is ignored and not updated, the company may turn off the service and remove the meter entirely."
 
init4fun said:
Not sure about where you live, , , , , cause "LoTL" isn't a State that I recognize, but in many States (Like, for instance Massachusetts where I live) if you don't use the gas service for a number of years the gas company will terminate the service, remove the meter, and cap the lines......


"Yes, Eversource may remove a gas meter if the service has not been used for a number of years, particularly if it has been inactive for 24 months or longer.
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Nobody's ever mentioned anything like that. Apparently here, in the Land of Ten thousand Lakes, Centerpoint Energy is minimally satisfied as long as I pay the monthly ~$12 service fee. Far as I recall the service fee is same whether I use gas or not.
 
I found this.... :dunno:


"Yes, CenterPoint Energy reserves the right to remove a natural gas meter if no gas consumption has been registered for twelve (12) consecutive months.
Key points regarding inactive gas meters and removal:
  • 12-Month Rule: According to CenterPoint Energy's Minnesota rates and rights documents, the company specifically reserves the right to remove a meter if it shows no usage for 12 consecutive months.
  • Safety and Inspection: CenterPoint Energy is required by federal regulations to inspect its equipment, including meters, to ensure safe and reliable service. Inactive meters still require this maintenance, and removal is often easier than ongoing inspection for unused lines.
  • Reconnection Charges: If a meter is removed for non-use or non-payment, a reconnection charge—based on the current time and material costs—will be applied when service is resumed.
  • What to Expect: If you are planning a long period of non-use, you should contact CenterPoint Energy to discuss setting the account to "off" to avoid unnecessary service charges, but be aware of the 12-month removal policy."
 
Not trying to be alarmist about this, and it took 5 years for it to happen, but here in Massachusetts they pulled & capped my neighbor's meter because he hadn't registered any gas use for 4 plus years.....
 
init4fun said:
Not trying to be alarmist about this, and it took 5 years for it to happen, but here in Massachusetts they pulled & capped my neighbor's meter because he hadn't registered any gas use for 4 plus years.....
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Thanks, but I'm not too worried. It's been like this for years, at least a decade, maybe more, and zero mention of it. I spoke to the guy at the house, today, he said nothing of it.

If anything ever comes of it like a formal disconnect notice, I'll either turn on the pilot light for minimal consumption or maybe consider letting it go to disconnnect if they think zero is better than $12/mo service fee.

I actually have a post on AK from 2015 talking about "a couple years ago" when they wanted to replace the meter for showing no use. So, at the very least it's been 13 years since it came up before and it was all off for some while before it came up back then.
 
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dietz31684 said:
I put down some Pergo laminate flooring for the first time. It was cheap, relatively easy but time consuming as I made all the cuts outside. I was able to pull the old baseboard and sand/fill/repaint. For under $500 and some labor it was worth it to ditch the carpeted dining room.
View attachment 3741981
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Great job, that looks really nice! :thumbsup:

(I hate carpet and think what you did looks a thousand times better than any carpet would)
 
Copanel said:
The carpet is only good for the audition room, I took it out because the dogs were peeing on it.
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Agreed. I now have carpet in my listening area only. I replaced a couple of sheets of OSB prior to laying the floor as our old dog peed on the carpet. As she aged she picked the one end of that room as her spot. I could smell the pee if I put my nose to the OSB so I ripped it out.
 
dietz31684 said:
I put down some Pergo laminate flooring for the first time. It was cheap, relatively easy but time consuming as I made all the cuts outside. I was able to pull the old baseboard and sand/fill/repaint. For under $500 and some labor it was worth it to ditch the carpeted dining room.
View attachment 3741981
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Looks awesome ! We did the same thing in the two smaller bedrooms and the closet in the master bedroom during Covid (summer and fall of 2021). It was a lot of work, especially all the cutting, but worth 10 times the trouble in the end (we used "Mohawk" brand). I had to have both knees replaced after doing the job, just too much crawling around for the old beat up things to handle.

109_2216.jpg020.JPG109_2339.jpg
 
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dietz31684 said:
I put down some Pergo laminate flooring for the first time....
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I like it.

I do also like actual carpet. Last house I owned I had Berber carpet installed, but it's just not thing here.

Tatami is nice...if...

If you don't have heavey furniture, use the room a lot, can commit to keeping it clean...It sucks for daily use, so it has to go.
 
motorstereo said:
I'd been contemplating this weekend about spending $45Gs on a new vehicle. I was ready to sign on the line Friday but then I started thinking beyond the already high purchase price. Meaning additional property taxes for several years. It should be an interesting discussion at the dealership later today when I tell them they've lost a sale mostly because of the tax man's greed.
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I don't understand what buying a new car has to do with property taxes??
 
Home ownership in CA is getting more expensive by the year.

Zone 0 (zero) legislation was passed and will start being enforced in 2027 as a reaction to the fire dangers.

It will require all homes in high fire risk areas (which is pretty much everywhere) to clear any vegetation and anything considered flammable (hoses, fences, storage bins, city provided trash containers) within 5 ft of your house structure. This includes parking your car within 5 ft of your house on your own driveway. Oh and even doormats if they are flammable.

We have planter beds right up against the house, a tree for privacy, storage bins, a wood fence with gate to the backyard that adjoins to the side wall, and a couple of hose carts and garden hoses (both petroleum based plastic/rubber).

All of that will need to be cleared out, the tree cut down, and the fence replaced - at our cost - no tax breaks. We'll need to decide if we want to redo the hardscaping to fill in the dirt planter beds.

Non-compliance could result in insurance policies not being renewed. All that will be done by drone 'surveillance'.

:(
 
Erik Tracy said:
Home ownership in CA is getting more expensive by the year.

Zone 0 (zero) legislation was passed and will start being enforced in 2027 as a reaction to the fire dangers.

It will require all homes in high fire risk areas (which is pretty much everywhere) to clear any vegetation and anything considered flammable ...
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A guy I know used to live in Weed. He moved out of state citing one of the big reasons he was tired of fires.

He was saying the big problem is CA doesn't allow cleanup of deadfall so it just builds up and that's big reason for extensive fires. A couple sparks and it's lit up. Now, it sounds like shifting the focus. Is that true, or at least your opinion?
 
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