Questions tagged [utilities]
The utilities tag has no usage guidance.
71
questions
1
vote
2
answers
91
views
I do not see a ground wire to stake at the meter pole. Is this a utility problem?
I do not see a ground wire to stake at the meter pole.
Is this a utility problem?
Do I have to remove the smart meter to add a ground?
1
vote
1
answer
69
views
Decision on cutting the trees? [closed]
I have two big trees in my front yard. Their roots are visible all over the surface in the grounds. I am more concerned about the utility damage (water and sewer) they are eventually going to cause. ...
- 295
0
votes
1
answer
784
views
Need to move a power pole prior to new addition. Whats the cost? [closed]
I need to relocated a utility pole on a line going to a single home, pushing it back to the treeline. Once it is moved I need it to then go underground for the new pole to the house in the same ...
0
votes
2
answers
709
views
Mystery Arris box on side of house. What is this?
Recently moved into a 1960s era single-family home in the Chicago suburbs serviced by RCN/Astound broadband. Broadband comes in through a separate box that is several feet away. There is an Arris box (...
0
votes
1
answer
55
views
Separate furnace energy usage from other appliances?
I am looking to reduce my utility bills. It only makes sense if I know what my current energy usage (natural gas, electricity, etc) is for a given applicance (furnace, water heater, etc) before ...
- 141
-1
votes
1
answer
102
views
Is my space a good candidate for a hybrid electric heat pump water heater?
We're purchasing a condo, and the current water heater is almost 10 years old. I don't know that it needs replaced (I'll be researching replacing the anode next), but if it does, I'd like something ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
157
views
Is hand digging a 4 inch trench for PVC drainage pipe behind my gas meter allowed?
I'm doing some work involving drainage in my yard. One of my downspouts comes down right next to my gas meter. In order to direct water where I want I'd like to run the line in between the meters feed ...
- 1,807
0
votes
1
answer
79
views
Need for water pressure regulator when increasing supply line
I have city water at around 80PSI static pressure when measured at one faucet. There is some variation during the day but everything works well and I do not have a pressure regulator.
Because of ...
- 953
16
votes
3
answers
7k
views
How to (safely) permanently turn off natural gas?
We're switching out the natural gas oven for a new model, and we opted for electric. We already have the 240v supply in place and ready to go.
The oven is the last piece of natural gas equipment in ...
- 1,070
7
votes
3
answers
5k
views
How reasonable is it to do a panel swap with only one trip from the power company?
This question comes from my comment on this answer regarding a full panel replacement.
As someone who works in IT, and has a general distrust of "soft" safety features and many "smart&...
- 352
0
votes
0
answers
412
views
Is best practice to discharge sump through cinder blocks closer to ground, or through wood plate higher above ground?
I have a sump pump that needs to discharge outside. Next to the sump is maybe 9ft of cinder blocks for the basement wall, but in this side of the basement, ground-level is just 4ft higher elevation ...
- 1,527
0
votes
0
answers
56
views
inverter, air conditioning, electricity savings
Having two AC units of the same BTU and EER, one inverter one non-inverter, is my understanding correct that the inverter unit will still run on less power than the non-inverter unit only due to less ...
- 121
0
votes
1
answer
858
views
How can I limit the flow of cold air in my utility room? [duplicate]
I could not understand why my basement was constantly cold. I found by accident a cold blast of air coming through this vent from outside. Since this is in my utility room, next to my home forced air/...
- 805
0
votes
1
answer
120
views
Proposed Plumbing Layout Question for Utility Building - shower/sink/toilet
I have two questions regarding the plumbing layout for my utility building:
I would like to run the plumbing from the inside of the utility building to a currently existing main four-inch line ...
- 337
1
vote
2
answers
542
views
House's Power Cycling Between High and Low Voltage [duplicate]
Around 2am I noticed the voltage in my house changing. The only reason I noticed was because my bedside fan kept speeding up and slowing down. Usually my house has around 122v, so I got a meter and ...
- 21
12
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Can I have utility location done well in advance of a fence project?
Disclaimer: Before any work is done I'm going to have all utility companies come out to properly mark the utility locations.
I'm looking to get a fence installed by a fence company. However, in order ...
- 559
3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Enclosing utility room (furnace / water heater) basement
I have a very old furnace (HVAC) in a utility room (basement) with slatted door that’s very loud and was wondering if I could enclose the utility room (with mineral wool and solid doors) by adding ...
- 31
4
votes
2
answers
14k
views
What type of door can be used for a utility room?
I currently have a louvered door to get into my utility room. The gaps in the door don't allow the basement to keep heat in. Is there a needed code that doesn’t allow for a solid wood door, or am I OK ...
- 805
19
votes
8
answers
12k
views
What are these capped, metal pipes in our yard?
We've owned this home for 5+ years now, and these pipes have been bugging me. Even moreso now that I'm looking to do some landscaping right over one of them.
The house was built in the 60's in a ...
- 315
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How do easements work with gas lines on new construction?
I have a gas line (2" polyethylene main) going down my long (1/2 mile long) driveway. Half-way down, it splits to serve the neighbor and myself, each of us being another 1/4 mile apart and the ...
- 1,086
23
votes
6
answers
10k
views
Will window shrink-wrap make a noticeable difference in heating bill in house with single-paned windows?
I'm curious how well the window shrink wrap really works. I moved into an older house (1927) in Lincoln, Nebraska, this summer. It's all single pane windows with a window screen and a storm window, as ...
- 341
1
vote
1
answer
387
views
Move a gas meter 150ft or install your own gas line?
I am DIY-ing a house in Montana where a mobile home used to exist nearby (150ft away). There is an existing NG meter (250CFH). Of course my home is much larger and needs a little over 500 CFH. This ...
- 1,086
1
vote
1
answer
5k
views
Curb water shut off access pipe too high
After removing a tree, the grade on the front of my property changed, exposing the water cut off access pipe (not sure what it's actually called). How should I go about cutting it down. Is it a DIY ...
- 1,567
1
vote
1
answer
5k
views
What is this 4-1/2 inch Vertical metal pipe doing in my garden?
This 4 1/2 inch vertical metal pipe is sticking up a foot out of my garden.
The previous owner of the property didn't know what it was for. It has 2 hose clamps on it and a cap with a square nipple.
...
- 13
11
votes
3
answers
20k
views
Getting a power pole moved
Anyone ever had this done? What does this kind of thing typically cost if I have to pay for it? The utility cooperative here won't tell me anything without first paying hundreds of dollars for a "tech ...
- 1,086
1
vote
3
answers
2k
views
Why is electric bill all of a sudden $300+ when normally it is under $100?
My dads been pulling the last of his hairs out over this.
The past two years around this time, the electric bill jumps to about $300 when typically it’s around $100.
Nothing has changed, we haven’t ...
- 137
2
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Tobacco smoke smell from utility closet
I'm in a condo with neighbors on both sides. utility closet is in the basement.
It smells like old stale cigarette smoke in my utility closet, like somebody has been smoking cigarettes in there for ...
- 21
3
votes
1
answer
440
views
Connecting to water line stubs left at construction
I'm looking to install a utility sink on my patio that already has water lines that are capped off by the builders. If I am correct there is also a capped off drain pipe available. Are the water lines ...
- 31
1
vote
1
answer
1k
views
Cost-effective root barrier for home sewer line
We have 2 trees growing in the same area of our house front yard as the sewer line. As shown in the picture below, one tree is about 5ft away from the line, and the other, about 20ft away. I assume ...
0
votes
1
answer
276
views
Meter Panel Ground
I am trying to have "cable" installed. The installer clamped on to the "ground" cable on the outside of my building and read 0.5 to 3.3 amps, so he would not install cable until the reading is less ...
Mac Ballard
0
votes
0
answers
77
views
How can I provide effective access to a subdivided space below a non-structural floor?
One problem faced when finished spaces are built atop concrete slab floors (whether slab-on-grade/slab-as-basement-floor, or a suspended reinforced concrete structural slab floor) is "where do the ...
- 85.2k
0
votes
0
answers
85
views
Trenching requirements for utilities in a outdoors kitchen
I would like to build a small outdoors kitchen, with gas (for the grill), electricity, water and drain - sewage (for a sink).
I spoke this morning with a person in the building department of my city ...
- 953
12
votes
3
answers
8k
views
What are these (utility?) boxes at the side of the house?
What are the four boxes in the picture below for? The fat pipe to the left goes up to the electricity meter. I've also included pictures of the two labels I could find.
Also, why is there a green ...
- 225
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
Building a house in sections over time
Say I someday want to have a large estate, but for right now I just want to build the living room, kitchen, one bathroom, etc. and next year add another bedroom, library, etc. either adjoining or ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
913
views
Corralling multiple drain hoses
I'm trying to get my utility room in order, and one issue I'm finding is drain hoses.
My washer has a drain hose that drains in to the utility sink.
My water heater has the T&P drain that ...
- 209
1
vote
1
answer
207
views
How can I prevent makeup air vents from exhausting conditioned air?
The utility room has two 8-10 inch ducts running to it from the exterior of the home. There are also three fireplaces in the home, and we have noticed that occasionally the house smells like smoke, ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
863
views
Are these remains of electricity meter's anti-tampering seal?
This is an electricity meter on top of an old Zinsco panel. The meter does not have anything else hanging that reminds me of an anti-tamper seal. So I am wondering - has anyone tampered with this ...
- 484
2
votes
1
answer
397
views
Carrier infinity 25vna heat pump utility curtailment
I have a newly installed infinity greenspeed hp system and the utility is trying to figure out how to control the outdoor unit in heating mode.
It's my understanding that the utility sends a signal ...
- 21
1
vote
0
answers
39
views
Can I open a bulkhead open to two unfinished spaces with a finished space between?
I have crawlspace on two sides of a finished den, with the den sandwiched between them.
Can I finish a bulkhead through the den but open to the crawlspace on both sides to simplify utility passage ...
- 9,927
1
vote
1
answer
807
views
Why is there a current in my house panel grounding strip
When I measure current in the grounding strip coming from my house electric panel to the water pipe using clamp meter I am getting slowly fluctuating value from 1.5 A all the way to 4 A. In my ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
3k
views
What should I do about an electrical service panel that is next to the gas service meter?
I have to upgrade my electrical service panel from knob & tube to current grounded code. The house is on bedrock and ground is the water pipe entry in the garage more than thirty feet away. Now it ...
- 31
4
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Are there pitfalls to joining utility Energy Wise programs?
I'm specifically talking about Duke's EnergyWise program, but I'm fairly sure utilities everywhere are adopting similar programs. The idea is that they tie into your major appliances (i.e., heatpump ...
- 710
1
vote
1
answer
97
views
Maximum toilet pipe width?
It looks like incorporating a wider toilet pipe "system" (everything from the u-shaped tube of the bathroom toilet down to the home pipe that finally connects to the greater "public" sewer system) ...
- 113
0
votes
1
answer
688
views
City water connection - can they make a connection at a hose bib?
I'm converting from well system to city water. My well pump and water inlet are in the back. I have a hose bib on the front of the house which would save money using less pipe/digging. So couldn't ...
- 505
0
votes
3
answers
850
views
Can my house's electricity supply be upgraded?
I'm trying to start a business in my house: Cryptomining. Essentially, I will be buying many big power-hungry computers which will print money out of thin air. It's a very lucrative business.
(source:...
1
vote
1
answer
185
views
What is this utility box found above a basement bathroom?
While investigating putting in a fan, we came across this odd utility box with spring loaded cover. What is it for, and can we remove it?
House was built in 1935. An addition to another part of the ...
- 113
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
When is service connection completed for water / sewer for new construction?
Is it after Final Inspection that the lines are run from the house to the street? I'd like to hire a contractor for the service connection portion and need to know at what point in the process this is ...
- 133
3
votes
0
answers
11k
views
How could I run a residential water line across a creek?
I'm looking at a new location for a house, and all utilities will need to cross a creek at some point - it's about 10 feet wide, 3 feet deep at the lowest spot. Due to the proximity of it to the road, ...
- 31
1
vote
1
answer
80
views
Utility trenches to Accessory Dwelling
I live in Georgia and am putting a garage apartment behind my house. It is about 30 - 40 feet from the main house. I would like to know how many different trenches I will have to dig, how deep, and ...
1
vote
4
answers
20k
views
Fence post hole near utility lines, digging advice
I am looking for advice on how to go about digging fence post holes 42 inches down (to exceed 40 inch frost line) safely.and properly.
I was told that I must manually dig the hole within 18 inches ...
- 1,095