Underground Pipe Safety: What About Gas Lines Beyond the Meter?

As your natural gas supplier, safety is a core value and top priority, which is why we want to educate you about customer-owned piping.

UGI is responsible for maintaining the natural gas pipes that run up to your home, including the meter. Each customer is responsible for the maintenance of all customer-owned piping beyond the meter.

Customer-owned pipe includes the lines that run from your natural gas meter into your building and to the natural gas appliances or equipment inside your home or business. This includes buried piping, which refers to lines that run below ground between the UGI natural gas meter and your building or your gas-fired equipment. Customer-owned natural gas piping is part of the building or property and, like plumbing or electrical wiring, it requires periodic attention by the building owner.

If you have any questions or would like more information about customer-owned natural gas piping visit www.ugi.com or call UGI at 800-276-2722.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: CUSTOMER-OWNED NATURAL GAS PIPING

• UGI does not maintain your buried natural gas pipe.
• If your buried natural gas pipe is not properly maintained, it may be subject to the potential hazards of corrosion and leakage.
• Only qualified plumbing and heating contractors should perform inspection, maintenance or repair work on customer-owned piping.
• Plumbing and heating contractors can assist in locating and repairing your buried pipe.
• If your buried natural gas piping is metallic, it should be periodically checked for corrosion.
• If any leak, corrosion, or other unsafe condition is discovered in your buried natural gas pipe, it should be repaired immediately.
• Call 8-1-1 at least three business days prior to excavating so underground pipes can be located and marked.
• Buried gas pipe should be periodically checked for leaks. Leaks can be detected if you smell an odor similar to rotten eggs. The odor of natural gas is caused by Mercaptan, a harmless chemical added to aid in detection. Leaks can also be identified by physical indications such as a hissing sound, blowing dirt, grass or leaves near a pipeline, water bubbling or blowing into the air at a puddle, pond, creek or river, or flames coming out of the ground or burning above the ground. Natural gas/methane detectors can be purchased from your local hardware store.

If you smell gas, act fast! Evacuate immediately and move at least the length of a football field away from the building at call UGI at 800-276-2722 or 911. Don’t turn anything on or off or use your cell phone until you’ve reached a safe distance away. There is no cost for UGI to investigate a leak. Additional natural gas safety tips can be found at https://www.ugi.com/natural-gas-safety/leak-detection.