# natural gas soon to be in town.



## save$ (May 30, 2013)

There are two companies compeating to bring natural gas to this area.  I live on a dead end street with about 1000 ft long with 6 homes.  From other's experience, is it likely that the gas company will run a line in here?  I have an oil fired hot air furnace and an oil fired hot water system.  Any one have experience if these are worth or able to be converted?   oil is so costly that I burn pellets now.  About 5 ton each year and use less than 200 gallons of oil a year. I would like a gas stove, fireplace and heating system if I could it for a reasonable price.   Augusta Maine area  thanks


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## DAKSY (May 31, 2013)

save$ said:


> There are two companies compeating to bring natural gas to this area. I live on a dead end street with about 1000 ft long with 6 homes. From other's experience, is it likely that the gas company will run a line in here? I have an oil fired hot air furnace and an oil fired hot water system. Any one have experience if these are worth or able to be converted? oil is so costly that I burn pellets now. About 5 ton each year and use less than 200 gallons of oil a year. I would like a gas stove, fireplace and heating system if I could it for a reasonable price. Augusta Maine area thanks


 
The likelihood of your getting NG is probably gonna be based on the number of houses on the street perpendicular to the one you live on, & the distance between those houses. I don't know the exact number, & you should probably call one of those companies to ask, of residences per mile required to make running the underground pipe worth their while. I'm 4 miles from the end of the run in this area & until there are a LOT more houses between the terminus & my place, it'll never happen. Your equipment can probably be converted, but you will have to talk to local companies to see what's involved & what the cost will be.
One of the gas companies running the lines will more than likely have service techs to do the conversion work.


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## Doug MacIVER (May 31, 2013)

Recent gas proposal for Hanover,Mass  neighborhood. To deliver pipeline down street for 78 households, $5695/home. Then to house and new furnace?


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## peakbagger (May 31, 2013)

Depends on the developer and their contract. The density sounds marginal but the supplier may have had to agree to certain density. Best thing to do is have a barbeque for the neighbors and see how many would make the switch and contact the utility. I looked into a conversion for my parents Buderus boiler on a house that was about 70 feet from the edge of the street, it was approximately $4,000. This converts a standard oil boiler to gas and therefore you dont get the higher efficiency you would get with a dedicated gas unit.


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## Jaugust124 (Jun 18, 2013)

Local gas company was working less than a mile from my house, so I decided to try to get them into my area.  I sent out 75 letters to neighbors and have about half so far willing to convert.  Then passed the info onto the utility company and have heard nothing.  Can't even get a phone call or email back from them.  We are practically begging them to come to our area and install the gas lines.  IF they come to our area they will install from road to the house for free including the meter, just have to cover the cost inside the house.
When I started this process I discovered that many people have been trying to get them into our development for years.  Its been here for over 40 years.  You would think by now they would have been here, but  apparently it hasn't been worth their efforts.  We'll see what the future brings.

That's my experience.  I hope you fair better.  Good luck.


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## save$ (Jun 18, 2013)

I'm 1000 ft in from where a main line "might" pass by.   6 homes on this dead end street.   Not holding my breath,  but at my age anything that is easy and lower maintence sounds welcoming.


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## PapaDave (Jun 19, 2013)

Sis-in-law is moving up here soon, and had the co-op estimate the cost to bring the line from the road to her house. About 225', and the cost would be about $1400 to the house. Approx. 300 of that to go under the gravel road. Main line already there.
Lots of houses on her road.
Our place is on a road that's just over 1/4 mile and connects 2 others. The gas line was run before we got here.
Only 8 houses.
I'd attempt contact with those co.'s to get info......worst they can do is ignore you. Seems like they'd have a good idea what the plan is, even if they don't get the job.
Hard to bid on work, w/o that info.
HTH


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## save$ (Aug 19, 2013)

Well, they are at the end of my road.  They have cut the tar and will be putting in the gas line soon.  Still no idea if thy will come up my street.  1000 ft for six homes.  No idea if the neighbors are interested.  Two of them have the line in front of their homes.


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## btuser (Aug 20, 2013)

I've done some underground construction for utilities.  Digging in the street is no fun, but if you can get an easement and don't have to bore under too many driveways it can be pretty easy.   
It got me thinking the other day.  My neighborhood is underground utilities for about 50 homes.  No friggin way ng is ever coming down in a new pipe.  However,  almost no one has a landline anymore either switching to VoIP or a cell phone.   Why not pull out the old trunk lines and run flexible gas pipe to the per and then to the homes?

This would of course be illegal and dangerous due to clearances from ignition sources (transformers and house meters) and most likely not even feasible due to the pressure needed for the volume of ng being pushed to housing. 

Might end up making more sense for me to install an electric boiler.


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## save$ (Sep 11, 2013)

So,  I wrote to Summit Gas,  they replied, that the line going by me was a transport line,  going to from point A to point B.  No access to this line. At the end of that line, they put distribution lines.  Those connect to home, business etc.  They have no projected plans to serve this area. What we got was the dust, dirt, and limited access during the construction phase.  At my age, I had better give up on ever seeing them on my street.  Shouldn't miss what I never had.


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## BrotherBart (Sep 11, 2013)

I have lived eight miles from the largest gas pipeline from Texas/Louisiana to the Northeast for 28 years and no gas available here. Heck for 40 years the people whose houses were on top of the gas fields in Louisiana didn't have access to gas.


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## fossil (Sep 11, 2013)

The City of Bend OR has gas service.  I live ~¼ mile east of the city limit, and I have none.  My cousin lives ¾ mile east of me, and has a pipeline running along an easement across his property...no gas service.


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## woodgeek (Sep 14, 2013)

Hey, my neighbors on three sides have gas, and the main ends in front of my property 10' from my driveway.  The gas co says rules require the main to reach my driveway to hook me up.  Say extending the main 15' would cost $15k, since the main is in bedrock under the road, blasting would be required.  Far as I can tell, its been like this for 40 years.


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## EatenByLimestone (Sep 14, 2013)

I got it at my house a few years ago.  I swapped the oil burner in my boiler for a gas burner.  I had a 40 gal electric water heater that was made in '78 so I  switched to an indirect unit at the same time.  I'm thrilled with the setup.


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## save$ (Sep 14, 2013)

So, no gas for us anytime soon.   The road is a mess,  they are working day and into the night, and even in the pouring rain with thunder and lightning.  Saturday pm, and they're still at it.  They let about 20 cars go through, then halt te traffic , then let a few more go inthe opposite direction.   Nice bunch of men.   They put some iron platform over the trench once so we could finally get out from our dead end road. I'll be glad to see them move up the road so we won't need a flag man standing at the end of our road all the time.  Most every access road around here is being torn up. The gas companies have 20 crews working in this little community.


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## Seasoned Oak (Sep 15, 2013)

woodgeek said:


> Hey, my neighbors on three sides have gas, and the main ends in front of my property 10' from my driveway.  The gas co says rules require the main to reach my driveway to hook me up.  Say extending the main 15' would cost $15k, since the main is in bedrock under the road, blasting would be required.  Far as I can tell, its been like this for 40 years.


Dont sweat it. Its not worth it. Iv divorced the gas CO in the 90s. Wont ever go back. Sure they get the gas cheap now ,but you dont. Largest share of the bill is their charges to bring it to you and of course to rent the meter to you for life. For me its solid fuel from here on out.


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## Seasoned Oak (Sep 15, 2013)

save$ said:


> There are two companies compeating to bring natural gas to this area.  I live on a dead end street with about 1000 ft long with 6 homes.  From other's experience, is it likely that the gas company will run a line in here?  I have an oil fired hot air furnace and an oil fired hot water system.  Any one have experience if these are worth or able to be converted?   oil is so costly that I burn pellets now.  About 5 ton each year and use less than 200 gallons of oil a year. I would like a gas stove, fireplace and heating system if I could it for a reasonable price.   Augusta Maine area  thanks


Your better off with the pellets. At least the pellet companies don bill you for meter hanging at your house for life. I would change out the oil though. Probably to a heat pump and an electric hot water heater,save the pellets for the really cold weather.


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## woodgeek (Sep 15, 2013)

Seasoned Oak said:


> Dont sweat it. Its not worth it. Iv divorced the gas CO in the 90s. Wont ever go back. Sure they get the gas cheap now ,but you dont. Largest share of the bill is their charges to bring it to you and of course to rent the meter to you for life. For me its solid fuel from here on out.



Totally agree.  The retail NG price ain't all that, nor is guaranteed to stay 'low' forever.  In my climate (99% design temp is 15°F), any properly installed heat pump will provide cheap heat, without a $200 annual service call (for oil) or the $$ meter charge (for gas) or $$ tank rental (for propane).  I am getting 1 M BTU for $17 using ultra low carbon wind power.  No complaints here.

Buddy told me that a local propane company was charging $4.90/gal for propane, seasonal pre-buy.


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## Seasoned Oak (Sep 15, 2013)

woodgeek said:


> Totally agree.  The retail NG price ain't all that, nor is guaranteed to stay 'low' forever.  In my climate (99% design temp is 15°F), any properly installed heat pump will provide cheap heat, without a $200 annual service call (for oil) or the $$ meter charge (for gas) or $$ tank rental (for propane).  I am getting 1 M BTU for $17 using ultra low carbon wind power.  No complaints here.
> 
> Buddy told me that a local propane company was charging $4.90/gal for propane, seasonal pre-buy.


I like the heat pumps too WG. Iv been looking into a mini split for an apartment im remodeling. That and a small wood stove for the really cold days and for the ambiance should get me 365  days of comfort.
Some have a SEER rating of 18. Im not familiar with SEER rating but that sounds good? WIll get my AC as well.


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## Jaugust124 (Sep 16, 2013)

After months of trying to get NG to our neighborhood, we just got the letter stating that there is just not enough interest at this time.  I think there's too many elderly folks around here that don't want to make the switch.  Maybe adding a pellet stove to my set up is in the future....hmm... something new to research.


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## EatenByLimestone (Sep 17, 2013)

That's a shame.  I was able to swap out the oil burner on my 2 yo (at the time) boiler to a ng burner.  I have the same efficiency as the oil burner (85%) but was able to get less expensive fuel and get rid of the circa 1946 oil tank in my basement.  It's amazing how much room they take up.


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