During a minor basement remodel, the gas dryer was to be moved about 18 inches to make room for a wall. No big deal, right?After already using the wrong paint on the floor and destroying a lamp during the demolition of an old wall, I thought this would be something simple to accomplish. So, before going out for the evening, and while waiting on my wife to get ready, I thought I would go down and simply move it.
I got my arms around the dryer, took a good lifting posture, and shoved it!. Immediately, I heard a “snap” and then a loud “whoosing” sound… followed by the distinct odor of natural gas.
The gas line running from the supply to the dryer itself was the old fashion galvanized pipe and not the new flexible tubing. I had snapped the vertical pipe from the horizontal run in the rafter… snapped it right off so it would not even thread back.
After scrambling for a few moments to try and put it back together, and realizing the futility of that, I ran to the main gas shut off for the house. It must have been years since that lever was pulled and it would not budge.
Meanwhile the whole basement had started to fill up with gas. I ran upstairs and got the wife and the dog out of the house. Went back down to try again with a wrench and still no luck. We ended up calling the gas company emergency line and they did not seem to be too concerned by saying someone will be out within the hour.
So, with the entire house now filling up with gas, I called 911. Less than 2 minutes later a large fire truck comes down the street. By this time, you can smell the gas in the street! Two firemen go into the house and I show them where it is. Neither of them could move the lever and they were both significantly larger, stronger and younger than me. When the 2nd fire department vehicle showed up, he had a special tool that shut the gas off.
Lesson learned!
Ted took home a $400 gift card for his story. Congratulations!
Lesson learned!
Ted took home a $400 gift card for his story. Congratulations!
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