Safe and accessible meters

Gas meter maintenance

Occasionally, natural gas meters can malfunction. Help us to detect problems with your meter early by monitoring your natural gas bills for changes in consumption. Please contact us if your reading appears different (markedly lower or higher) from your usual consumption.

Accessible meters

The meter is the main emergency shutoff and must be easily accessible for service and for the meter readers who will come to your property to read gas meters on a monthly basis. Gas meters are usually located outside of the building and it is important for you ensure that your meter is accessible for reading and service at all times, not behind a building, locked gate, bushes, or other obstruction.

Having easy access to your meters ensures that we:

• Can get regular monthly meter readings for accurate consumption charges on your gas bill.
• Can perform regular maintenance on your meters.
• Have immediate access to shut off valves when we respond to emergencies, keeping your family and home safe.

Dogs

Dogs pose the greatest safety risk to our meter readers. They can be territorial and often try to protect their property from an intruder. If you have a dog, big or small, please make sure that it is properly secured or restrained sufficiently away from the meter.

Meter safety in the winter

It's important to keep snow and ice from building up on your gas meter. Although these devices are designed for outdoor use, gas meters need to vent. If ice or snow builds up around your gas meter and prevents it from venting, the gas buildup could be forced back into the house having potentially dangerous consequences.

Here are some tips for keeping your gas meter and equipment safe and accessible in the winter:

• Use a broom to sweep your gas equipment free of snow and ice. Never kick or hit your gas meter, pressure regulator, or piping to free up snow or ice buildup
• Keep all your exhaust and intake vents for furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters and clothes dryers clear of snow and ice.
• Keep snow and ice clear from the path to your gas meter. Do not shovel, blow, or plow snow up against your gas meter equipment.
• Remove icicles from your overhead eaves troughs.
• Watch for buildup of freezing rain or water dripping from the roof or eave troughs onto your meter. If there is an extremely large buildup of ice on your meter, do not try to chip it off. Give us a call and we'll remove the ice – for free.

If you have a problem with ice or snow buildup on your gas meter equipment or suspect a problem, please call us at 519-773-5321.

Identifying your meter reader

Your meter reader will:

• Wear a uniform with the EPCOR logo
• Carry EPCOR picture identification

Important: If someone claiming to be a meter reader does not have an EPCOR identification card, do not let them into your yard, home or business.