Thread: washer dryer in same room as Gas meter

hello all,

new to this forum, I am not an inspector just a home owner getting work done and I have tons of questions, I wanted to know if there is any issue with installing a washer and dryer in the same room as the gas meter, basically making a dead room a laundry room, plumber isn't sure but has no issue running pipes to accomodate the washer, the guy doing the work says he has done it before but I am a little leary on the dryer sharing space with the meter, I can split the room 75/25 basically making a 3ftw 6ftd 8ft high void to access the meter for reading or service, my laundry room would then be more a alcove but the meter would be in a seperate space, the plumber is crying too much work to go through another wall and the contractor is crying he has to build another wall, you would think I am asking this work for free.

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Contact your local gas company and explain this scenario-- they should be able to help.
The concern is having an ignition source close to the meter.

How do they read the meter now? Wifi? I can't recall seeing a gas meter inside.

they read the meter from outside, there is a small connection on the exterior wall, the actual meter is on the other side of that wall inside the house a decent size room but pretty much dead space if it can't be used for anything other than storage, i already have enough of that

Originally Posted by Richard Stanley

How do they read the meter now? Wifi? I can't recall seeing a gas meter inside.

Had one in a box cover in a living room.

Originally Posted by Stuart Brooks

Had one in a box cover in a living room.

That must have been an EARLY installation.

Gas meters in the 1870's, '80's and 90's were commonly installed in living spaces, and were often quite decorative, being japanned, sometimes inlaid with Mother of Pearl, and gilded.

At the turn-of-the-century coin-operated gas meters were common in living rooms in some cities with large transient populations.

Originally Posted by Jozef Bartik

That must have been an EARLY installation.

Gas meters in the 1870's, '80's and 90's were commonly installed in living spaces, and were often quite decorative, being japanned, sometimes inlaid with Mother of Pearl, and gilded.

At the turn-of-the-century coin-operated gas meters were common in living rooms in some cities with large transient populations.

The house was originally built in the 1920's in Arlington Virginia. The gas meter was originally on the outside of the house. BUT, someone put an addition onto the side of the house the meter was on in the early 60's. Instead of moving the meter they built a nice box around it with a little glass window for the meter reader. A vent from inside the box was run to the exterior of the house.

I saw a bunch of them inside in commercial properties in New Orleans. Also about 10 feet off of the floor, for obvious reasons. I think they were inside so people didn't mess with them, but it sure looked a little odd.

It would depend. The big question is "where is the regulator" for your gas service.


Gas Meters in the (mostly pre 1960s) homes in the Northern Illinois area was still quite common up until the last decade or two ago. IIRC there was quite a bit of news flurry a few years ago when the Gas Utility embarked on a directive to get them out of residences and placed outdoors by a certain time frame and there having not taken containment or capping precautions when carrying them (the old meter/pipe/regulator assemblies) through the path of egress and numerous mercury spills/contaminations discovered.

Seems to me if there were a choice in the matter I'd work with the utility to have the meter relocated to the outdoors if that were an option, especially now before you have all of that work done/completed.

I few years back I purchased my house which had the gas meter in the basement...I called up the gas company and they were happy to come relocate it to the outside of the house for free. The guys told me at the time that they were trying to gradually relocate all meters to the outside. Give the gas company a call.

Of course they want the meter outside. It makes it easier to see if you are jumping the meter with a garden hose.