gas meter safety valve factory

Natural gas supply lines are exposed and vulnerable at the meter, and can easily be broken by impact from vehicles, landscape equipment, falling snow and ice, and more-often leading to a catastrophic incident.

When concrete or steel bollards are used to protect gas meter piping from damage, these often only provide nominal protection. In many cases, the bollards are actually the cause of the gas line rupture.

HaloValve is a patented breakaway valve installed to the riser where most breaks occur. Upon impact, HaloValve instantly seals the line, preventing the flow and accumulation of gas until the line can be repaired.

Because of their rigidity, gas risers and associated meter piping can easily break upon impact, causing dangerous leaks. HaloValve creates an intentional weak point in the meter set piping assembly, resulting in an engineered point that instantly self-seals.

HaloValve is a patented breakaway valve installed to the riser where most breaks occur. Upon impact, HaloValve instantly seals the line, preventing the flow and accumulation of gas until the line can be repaired.

Our Safety Relief valves offer an economical installation for large capacity relief applications. And that’s exactly the solution you need when other devices in the system don’t relieve dangerous overpressure in the transmission, distribution and use of gas. Leaking bypass valves can sometimes permit pressure to build during off-peak hours. Pressure regulators with damaged valves or seats are not able to effectively shut off when required, possibly leading to dangerous conditions.

Our mechanical safety relief valves are an economical solution with large relieving capacity. The Model 257-S features a “roll-out” diaphragm with a double-ported single valve in which diaphragm action is constantly matched with spring action. This design offers large capacity, tight seating and reseating, sturdy construction and easy servicing with no adjustments needed.

Sensus safety relief valves offer an economical installation for large capacity relief applications. The Model 250-S and 250-DW valves incorporate a deep molded diaphragm and offer an angled body with a large exit area for a high flow rate.

The Model 257-S features a “roll-out” diaphragm with a double ported single valve in which diaphragm action is constantly matched with spring action. This design offers large capacity, tight seat and reseat, sturdy construction, no adjustments, and easy servicing.

Mueller refers to one or more of Mueller Water Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("MWP"), and its subsidiaries. MWP and each of subsidiaries are legally separate and independent entities when providing products and services. MWP does not provide products or services to third parties. MWP and each of its subsidiaries are liable only for their own acts and omissions and not those of each other. Mueller brands include Mueller®, Echologics®, Hydro Gate®, Hydro-Guard®, HYMAX®, i2O®, Jones®, Krausz®, Mi.Net®, Milliken®, Pratt®, Pratt Industrial®, Sentryx™, Singer®, and U.S. Pipe Valve & Hydrant. Please see muellerwp.com/brands to learn more.

While it"s possible to manually shut off your natural gas, the following specialized valves are available that can automatically shut off your service in case of an emergency:

Earthquake natural gas shut-off valve (also known as a seismic natural gas shut-off valve) automatically shuts off your natural gas service when an earthquake of a sufficient magnitude occurs at your home.

An excess-flow valve (EFV) automatically closes and restricts the flow of natural gas in the event an underground pipe is damaged or if there is a significant increase in the flow of natural gas to the meter.

If you want to have an earthquake natural gas shut-off installed, or are required to have one by your insurance company or the local Department of Building and Safety, the valve must be installed on your house line.

If installation requires natural gas service closure, you"ll need to contact us to shut off the service and restore service when installation is completed. Natural gas service shut off and restoration of service orders can be scheduled by contacting us at 1-800-427-2200.

Under the regulations of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), General Order 112-E, only SoCalGas® or its certified contractors are authorized to operate the natural gas service shut-off valve.

When you hire a qualified professional to install your earthquake valve, you"ll need to make sure that the valve is installed on your house line, not on SoCalGas" facilities. SoCalGas" facilities include all of the pipe fittings installed and maintained by SoCalGas, up to and including the last elbow or tee connecting to your house line. See the diagram below for to see where your house line starts.

All unauthorized valve installations found on SoCalGas" facilities will be removed. In addition, earthquake valves are not permitted in utility curb meter vaults.

If an earthquake or other significant event causes your earthquake shut-off or excess-flow valve to close, you can follow the manufacturer"s instructions for resetting the valve so that natural gas flows again. However, we recommend that you contact a qualified professional or SoCalGas to reset the valve, and to perform a safety check of your natural gas appliances before they are placed back in operation to verify that no natural gas leaks exist, and to re-light your pilot lights.

Remember that following a major emergency it may take many days or even weeks before someone can come to your location. (SoCalGas charges a fee to reset valves and re-light pilot lights when your earthquake shut-off valve has closed due to a non-earthquake occurrence.)

Price: The cost of the valve is going to vary based on the type and size of the valve, as well as the installation requirements and the company installing it.

Choosing a valve: In order to choose the right valve size and manufacturer, contact your local Department of Building and Safety to find out their earthquake valve requirements.

Where to buy a valve: You can purchase an earthquake valve at supply retailers, licensed plumbing contractors, or directly from the valve manufacturer.

Using a contractor: You can hire a qualified professional to install the earthquake or excess-flow valve on your house line. SoCalGas will not install a valve for you.

Effective February 10, 2002, California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) Decision 01-11-068 prohibits installation of an earthquake valve on SoCalGas" facilities. In addition, SoCalGas no longer installs earthquake shut-off valves for its customers, and does not allow any customer owned equipment, including excess-flow valves, be installed on SoCalGas" facilities.

If you have an earthquake valve that was installed by SoCalGas or one of its authorized contractors on or before the February 10, 2002 cutoff date, that is located on SoCalGas" facilities, with proper documentation your installation may be allowed to remain in place. Authorized contractors are those who participated in SoCalGas" earthquake program and were trained by SoCalGas to work on their facilities.

Additional information regarding earthquake valves and natural gas service restoration after a valve activates can be found in Tariff Book, Rule 10, Section G, "Earthquake Valve Service."

An Excess Flow Valve, or EFV, is a safety device installed on natural gas distribution pipelines to automatically close and restrict the flow of natural gas in the event an underground pipe is damaged or if there is a significant increase in the flow of natural gas to the meter. These conditions are typically caused by digging or construction but can also be caused by damage to your natural gas meter by a vehicle impact.

EFV can reduce the risk of explosions, fires, and personal injury because they close or restrict any unplanned or excessive natural gas flow. Installation of an EFV will not protect a customer from household appliance malfunctions, small punctures in underground pipelines, and pipeline damage from earthquakes or flooding. It is

important to understand that an EFV does not shut off the flow of natural gas completely. Some leakage may still occur resulting in a hazardous condition.

An EFV is installed on the service pipeline that runs underground between the natural gas main (usually located in or near the street, alley or easement) and the SoCalGas® meter on the customer’s property).

The best way to prevent damage to a natural gas pipeline due to digging is to call 811, the Underground Service Alert program, at least two working days before digging. Underground Service Alert will coordinate with SoCalGas to mark the locations of buried utility-owned lines - absolutely FREE.

If you are interested in having an EFV installed on the service pipeline serving you[1], please call SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200. SoCalGas will first check to see if your service already has an EFV installed and, if not, an estimate to install the EFV will be provided. The cost to install an EFV can vary widely depending on site specific conditions and can range from $2,500 to $5,000 or more.

If you decide to have an EFV installed, we will coordinate with you to schedule the installation (note that it is possible that natural gas service will be interrupted to install the EFV). The construction crew will dig around the natural gas line in order to install the EFV and when the job is complete natural gas service will be restored (if it was shut off). If paving or concrete needs repair that work will be scheduled at a later date.

To stop the flow of gas into a building during an emergency, turn your gas off at the service shut-off valve. View instructions. Visit Turn Your Gas Off. PG&E installs gas service shut-off valves at all gas meter locations.

Keep a 12- to 15-inch adjustable pipe wrench or crescent wrench available to close the valve in an emergency. Earthquake wrenches with fixed openings may not fit your valve, so an adjustable type is ideal. To minimize the possibility of an unauthorized person tampering with the valve, do not keep wrenches near the gas meter. Shut-off the flow of gas only if you:

To turn off the gas, rotate the valve one-quarter turn in either direction. The valve is closed when the tang (the part on which the wrench is placed) is crosswise to the pipe.

Most gas appliances have a gas shut-off valve located near the appliance that lets you turn off only the gas to that appliance. Find out which of your appliances use gas and where the appliances’ gas shut-off valves are located. In some cases, you need only turn off the gas at the appliance’s shut-off valve.

Some city and county regulations require the installation of automatic gas shut-off devices. This installation may include excess flow gas shut-off valves and/or earthquake-actuated gas shut-off valves. The regulations can vary, but generally apply to:

If a customer installs an excess flow gas shut-off valve or earthquake-actuated gas shut-off valve, the valve must be certified by the State of California. A licensed plumbing contractor must install it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. We do not install or service seismic-actuated or excess flow gas shut-off valves. We do not recommend specific contractors for installation.

Excess flow gas shut-off valves and earthquake-actuated gas shut-off valves must be installed on the building’s gas houseline piping. This pipeline is the gas pipe that connects your appliances to the gas meter downstream of the utility point of delivery. It is located after the PG&E gas shut-off valve, pressure regulator, meter and the service tee. No attachments or connections of any kind are allowed on the utility facilities before the point where the service tee connects to the gas houseline piping. After installation, the valve must not obstruct any gas operations or PG&E services in or around:

The State of California requires approval for all excess flow gas shut-off valves and earthquake-actuated gas shut-off valves used within the state. A list of approved valves is available. Visit DSA Gas Shut-off Valves Certification Program.

A closed gas service shut-off valve or automatic gas shut-off device can delay the restoration of your service by PG&E. Please do not turn the gas on, yourself. Ask a PG&E representative or another qualified professional to perform a safety check, restore gas service and relight your appliance pilots, even if an earthquake did not cause the closure.

Knowing the location of your main gas service shutoff valve will help you turn off the gas supply to your entire facility quickly in case of an emergency.

The gas meter and gas service shutoff valve is usually located on the side or in front of the building. If the building has a breezeway, it could be located there.

In some cases, the gas meter can be located in a cabinet enclosure built into the building or located inside the building. In these cases, the gas service shutoff valve can be located outside on a section of gas service pipe next to the building, or near the gas meter.

If there are multiple meters serving gas to multiple units within a building, there are individual gas service shutoff valves for each unit near each of the gas meters, including a master valve for the entire building where the gas pipe comes out of the ground. Your facilities personnel or your property manager (if you are leasing) might be able to help you locate your unit’s valve location.

Do not shut off the gas unless you smell gas, hear gas escaping, see a broken gas line or if you suspect a gas leak. If you shut off the gas, there may be a considerable delay before PG&E can turn your service on. Once the gas is shut off at the meter, do not try to turn it back on yourself. If the gas service shutoff valve is closed, PG&E or another qualified professional should perform a safety inspection before the gas service is restored and the appliance pilots are lit.

In an emergency, your gas can be turned off at the main gas service shutoff valve normally located near your gas meter. Using a 12 to 15 inch adjustable pipe or crescent-type wrench or other suitable tool, give the valve a quarter turn; the valve is closed when the tang (the part you put the wrench on) is crosswise to the pipe.

Most gas appliances have a gas shutoff valve located near the appliance that lets you turn off the gas to that appliance only. In some cases, turning off the gas at the appliance"s shutoff valve will suffice if there is a gas leak or the appliance needs to be replaced or serviced. You should have an appliance gas shutoff valve installed at each gas appliance that lets you turn off the gas to that appliance only, instead of shutting off all gas at the main gas service shutoff valve. To turn off the gas at the gas appliance, rotate the valve a quarter turn.

Liquid Meter Company focuses on the highest quality products, newest technologies, and the most innovative solutions to equip oil and gas companies with turnkey systems for nearly any application.

​Seismic shut-off valves are a simple, but effective way to ensure you never experience a gas fire after an earthquake. They are designed for earthquakes, accidents and any event of impact. We have installed thousands of automatic gas shut off valves to the manufacture’s specification to ensure safe, trouble free use.

The seismic valves work on a simple, consistent and accurate principle. A sensor moves when the valve is subjected to a 5.4 magnitude or larger earthquake, releasing the valve float which blocks the line and prevents gas going in to the building. The valve is then manually reset once a safety inspection has been done and you’re sure there are no leaks in the building.

Each valve is tested and certified before leaving the factory to meet approval from the State Board of Architect and LA Counties stringent requirements. They are tested to ASCE 25-97, State of California 12-23-1 & ANSI Z21.70-1981 Standards for Seismic Gas Valves.

Some cities and counties in California have regulations that require the installation of automatic gas shut-off devices, which may include excess flow gas shut-off valves and/or seismic gas shut-off valves. Regulations vary, but generally apply to new building construction, or significant alterations or additions to existing buildings.

If a customer installs an automatic gas shut-off valve, it should be one that is certified by the State of California and it should be installed by a licensed plumbing contractor in accordance to the manufacturers instructions.PG&Edoes not install or service seismic actuated or excess flow gas shut-off valves, or recommend specific contractors for customer applications.

​Non-emergency shut-offs will occur if the automatic gas shut-off is not installed according to manufacturer’s specifications. For example, the impact of heavy vehicles can trigger a non-emergency shut-off. They operate on movement and shut off the supply of gas to a building, when triggered by a 5.4 magnitude or larger Earthquake.

Indirect Gas Fired Water Bath Heaters, Dehydration Systems, Amine Units, Metering Skids, Exhaust Silencers, Filtration Skid Packages, Liquid Separation Systems, Gas Processing Systems, Heat Transfer Systems, Glycol Pump Systems, Automated Valve Packages, Full ASME Certified “UV” & “VR” Facility for Assembly & Repair of Pressure Relief Valves