Gas meter making strange noises

Adaline · 2 January 2012 at 6:32PM

I switched on the heating (gas) about half an hour ago. When I walked past the cupboard where the gas meter is, I heard a noise I haven't heard before. The meter is making a kind of loud pumping noise, with an irregular rhythm. I can feel the pumping in the pipe above the meter. I tried phoning Scottish Gas but their customer service office isn't open as it's still the holidays, and I don't know if this is something I should be worried about. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Edit:
I forgot to say, it looks like a pretty old meter.

phill99 · 2 January 2012 at 6:42PM

Yopu need to call National Grid Gas. they are the people responsible for the Gas pipework including meters.

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Safety/Emergency/

There details are here. they will send someone out pretty quickly and it costs nothing.

Adaline · 2 January 2012 at 6:51PM

phill99 wrote: »

Yopu need to call National Grid Gas. they are the people responsible for the Gas pipework including meters.

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Safety/Emergency/

There details are here. they will send someone out pretty quickly and it costs nothing.

Thanks. Just did this, and they say that a noisy meter pumping irregularly like this isn't an emergency, and to contact Scottish Power when they open. That's all I needed to know, really, that it's not a serious problem and can wait. It's just very strange - usually the gas flows up the pipes, so I don't know why it's doing this weird pumping!

ic · 2 January 2012 at 7:25PM

Mine makes a rhythmic clunking as the dials churn away. Its located behind my sofa, so if the TV is down low I can hear it. I'd never describe the noise as "pumping". I guess the important thing is can you smell gas?

Myser · 2 January 2012 at 7:28PM

The clicking/clunking sound is normal as the dials go round.

Adaline - is it particularly cold today where you are? It coud be related to the weather.

Adaline · 2 January 2012 at 10:54PM

Myser - yes, there usually is a sound as the dials go round, but it's much louder, and very irregular - before it was just like a quiet regular tick. It's colder here tonight than it has been for a few weeks, but still not really cold (I'm in the South West). It does sound a little quieter now, so maybe it's just an old meter overworking!

Gas meter making strange noises

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free