WORK ZONE SAFETY
Liberty crews follow strict safety guidelines in work zones, but you also play a role in work zone safety. Watch the video below to learn how you can help keep our employees safe.
FLOODED GAS APPLIANCES
Gas control valves on furnaces, water heaters, and other gas appliances that have been under water are unfit for continued use. If they are used, they could cause a fire or an explosion. Silt and corrosion from flood water can damage internal components of control valves and prevent proper operation. Gas can leak and result in an explosion or fire. Replace ALL gas control valves that have been under water.
KEEP METERS AND REGULATORS CLEAR OF ICE AND SNOW
During winter months, check your outside gas meter and regulator for ice and snow build up. The gas service regulator reduces the gas pressure before it is delivered into your piping system. A frozen regulator may result in uneven gas pressures and cause an unsafe condition and/or unsatisfactory operation of your gas appliances. Do not use a sharp object to remove the ice. If you notice a significant build up of ice and are unable to safely remove it, please call Liberty Utilities at 1-800-454-2201.
KEEP GAS VENTS IN GOOD CONDITION
Some heating systems and water heaters may vent into a masonry chimney. Regular inspection of chimneys is important to ensure proper venting. The chimney should be lined and the tile liner should be in good shape. There should be no debris or obstruction of the flue. Problem chimneys can be refurbished with a chimney liner in most cases. A qualified heating contractor can properly size the liner. Regularly check the vent connectors from your heating system and water heater to the chimney. There should be an upward pitch, all joints secure, and no signs of corrosion. New power vented equipment may utilize either metal or plastic vent pipe. Again, all joints should be secure and there should be no obstruction of the outside termination fitting.
UNVENTED APPLIANCES
Some appliances are designed not to be vented and are safe when properly used. A kitchen range is a good example of an unvented appliance. It is designed for cooking and is safe for the task, but never under any circumstances should it be used for heating. Approved unvented room heaters are safe when properly installed and utilized. They are equipped with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) which will shut the unit off if the oxygen in the room falls to an unsafe level. An unvented heater should be properly sized for the room, taking into consideration the amount of combustion air available. Unvented heaters are designed to be supplemental heating appliances and must not be used as a primary heat source.
EXCESS FLOW VALVE (EFV)
An excess flow valve (EFV) is a mechanical device installed inside a natural gas distribution service line between the street and the meter. EFVs are designed to shut-off the flow of natural gas automatically if the service line breaks. Effective April 14, 2017, customers may request an excess flow valves be installed on their service.
EFVs will not trip during general usage, including the normal cycling of appliances on and off. EFVs are not installed on large service lines with high flow rates, and certain other conditions may also prohibit their installation.
If an existing service line is not already equipped with an EFV, a customer may request one be installed on an eligible service, at an agreed upon price. To install an EFV, Liberty Utilities will excavate the service line at its connection to the gas main. Then, Liberty Utilities will turn off the gas service, install the EFV, backfill the excavation and relight the gas appliances. Under certain situations, Liberty may need to replace the entire service at no additional cost.
Since an EFV is sized to operate properly under current gas load conditions, any significant future volume consumption changes that might require a larger meter (i.e. installing and emergency generator or pool heater), may necessitate the replacement of the EFV at an additional charge.
Call 1-800-454-2201 with inquiries about your existing EFV or to have an EFV installed on your gas service.
REQUEST SAFETY INFORMATION
Liberty Utilities regularly provides safety information to our customers in our Pipeline bill insert and bill messages. For both customers and the general public, we provide public service announcements by radio and newspaper. If you would like to receive additional gas safety Information, such as a natural gas odorant card (scratch and sniff) via mail, please contact our customer care department at 1-800-454-2201.
SAFETY PAMPHLETS
CROSS BORED SEWER POSSIBILITY
By following the instructions below, you can help prevent a serious gas leak.
Liberty Utilities has been installing gas lines using pneumatic boring tools and other trenchless technology for over twenty years. As you may know, most municipalities have few, if any, records regarding locations of sewer lines (especially lateral sewer lines). Liberty Utilities recognizes that there may be instances where a gas line has been installed within a sewer line whose location was unknown at the time the gas line was put in.
Under normal circumstances, if a sewer line is damaged during gas line construction, a problem with the sewer line soon appears and leads to discovery of the cause of the problem. However, when a gas line has been installed for many years without creating a sewer problem, penetration of the sewer by the gas line may remain undetected for years.
For the safety of all persons, your sewer clearing personnel should refrain from using root-cutting equipment in any sewer line before ruling out the possibility that a gas line may be involved in the blockage. Before auguring a plugged sewer, your sewer clearing personnel must contact Liberty Utilities to obtain information as to the location of gas lines in the vicinity of the sewer. Through a cooperative effort, we will likely be able to determine if the location of the sewer obstruction is in the area of any gas facilities. If it is determined that a gas line is the cause of the sewer problem, we will, of course, take immediate action to remove the gas line from the sewer and responsibly assist in completion of the necessary sewer line repairs.
Should a gas line be damaged and begin leaking while clearing a sewer line, the proper procedure to follow involves immediate evacuation of all persons in the building, notification of the local fire department, and notification of Liberty Utilities. We regularly train fire departments and other emergency personnel on how to handle such an event.
SAFETY-RELATED INSPECTION NOTICE:
Liberty Utilities regularly performs mandated leakage surveys on distribution mains and services utilizing highly sensitive gas detection equipment. By definition, a service includes all piping from the main to the outlet of the customer’s meter. For meters installed inside a home, business or other building, Liberty must gain access to all piping and appurtenances, from the point of entry (into a building) to the outlet of the meter, in order to complete such surveys.
Access shall be granted to such piping as Public Service Law (PBS §65) provides that “9. Buildings may be entered for the examination of meters, gas pipes, fittings, wires and works. (a) Any officer or agent of any gas corporation, electric corporation or municipality for that purpose duly appointed and authorized by the corporation , upon exhibiting a photo-identification badge and a written authority signed by the president or vice-president and secretary or assistant secretary of the corporation, or by the mayor or clerk of a municipal corporation or by the chairman and secretary of a municipal board in control of a public utility, may enter, at all reasonable times, any store, building, room or place supplied with gas, electricity or water by such utility corporation or municipality for the purpose of inspecting and examining the meters, pipes, fittings, wires and works for supplying or regulating the supply of gas or electricity and of ascertaining the quantity of gas or electricity supplied. (b) If any person, at any time, directly or indirectly, shall prevent or hinder any such officer or agent from so entering any such premises, or from making any such inspection or examination at any reasonable time, he or she shall forfeit to the corporation or municipality one hundred dollars for every such offense.”
ADDING GAS APPLIANCES
If you are planning to add a gas appliance to your home or business, please contact Liberty Utilities at
1-800-454-2201 first to determine if your gas service and/or meter has the capacity to handle the additional gas demand. This is an important safety check.