Moving a water meter, is it possible?

[gad5264]

I don't even know if this is feasible but who better to ask than you guys. I was in the basement pondering my future renovation project for a family room. The basement is layed out in an L-shape and currently the back portion is storage and utility space. The front portion is where I want to frame it in and drywall for a family room. The water meter is currently the only utility that is in the future family room section as that is where the main line comes into the basement. My questions are this?

1. Are there rules about how far the water meter can be away from the main lines entrance to the house like there is with electrical?

2. Am I asking for future problems in moving this?

3. Should I just frame in the meter and leave a small access door area to get to it in the future?

Thanks in advance guys for your help,

[wreckwriter]

Your water meter is inside your house? The meter reader has to come in to read it every month?

Is that the norm where you live? Ours are all buried in the back yard.

[Tom Miller]

I can't enlighten you on "code" issues, but I think you'll want to leave the shut-off valve prior to the meter where it is. Since you'll need to make an access door to this, you might as well leave meter where it is.

Regards,
Tom

[gad5264]

Your water meter is inside your house? The meter reader has to come in to read it every month?

Is that the norm where you live? Ours are all buried in the back yard.

The water meter is in the basement, however there is a remote or tethered line that runs thru the wall with a plug on it outside that the meter man plugs into to read the usage.

[gad5264]

I can't enlighten you on "code" issues, but I think you'll want to leave the shut-off valve prior to the meter where it is. Since you'll need to make an access door to this, you might as well leave meter where it is.

Regards,
Tom

Could I not move the shut off valve tot he new locatuion as well?

[wreckwriter]

The water meter is in the basement, however there is a remote or tethered line that runs thru the wall with a plug on it outside that the meter man plugs into to read the usage.

Thanks. Didn't mean to hijack your thread, just had to ask how that worked.

[Stick]

Your water meter is inside your house? The meter reader has to come in to read it every month?

Is that the norm where you live? Ours are all buried in the back yard.

That's still common in many places. Mine is in the basement in my company house, but we aren't billed for water anyway. There's a curb cock outside as well as a shutoff valve inside before the meter.

[Tom Miller]

Could I not move the shut off valve tot he new locatuion as well?

Yeah, I suppose....

I was just thinking how you want as little chance of plumbing failure inside the house before the main shut off. Each foot of pipe, and sweat fitting, increases that chance. This may very well be a code issue, too, moreso than the meter itself.

Regards,
Tom

[just4funsies]

Water meters are often installed in basements in cold areas, so they won't freeze and crack. Always have a shutoff valve where the service enters, so that all your interior piping can be isolated if there is a break. Code issues should be discussed with your local plumbing inspector. Do the same with your water company, in case they have their own ideas (and they're allowed, since they are responsible for water quality, etc., so sometimes they have even tougher rules).

[tfischer]

Your water meter is inside your house? The meter reader has to come in to read it every month?

Is that the norm where you live? Ours are all buried in the back yard.

Can't have meters outside in areas where the frost line is 42"... As was mentioned, there is typically a remote readout outdoors. Although at my mom's house (very small town Iowa), until a couple of years ago, the water meter reader actually did have to go downstairs to read it every billing period. She's now gone so much they replaced it with a new one with remote.

As to the original question -- I'm guessing you could move the meter, but it would be bunches easier (and cheaper) just to box it into a cabinet or the like. I've seen that fairly commonly here in MN...

-Tim

[bfrikken]

I worked for the water dept when I was in college. I loved the job working for the city . BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, better give them a call if this is city water. We didn't read residential meters, so I'm not sure if it was okay or not, but businesses had to go through the city office to move theirs if they did renovation.

[Tequila]

I can't speak for your area, but I'm pretty sure that in my area the meter is actually owned by the water company, and as a homeowner I'm not allowed to do anything to it without getting them involved. Your best bet will be to talk to them.

I think the rationale is that they want the meter as close as possible to the entrance so there's no temptation for a homowner to branch off the lines before it reaches the meter.

[tfischer]

I can't speak for your area, but I'm pretty sure that in my area the meter is actually owned by the water company, and as a homeowner I'm not allowed to do anything to it without getting them involved. Your best bet will be to talk to them.

I think the rationale is that they want the meter as close as possible to the entrance so there's no temptation for a homowner to branch off the lines before it reaches the meter.

That's a really good point. When I said "you probably could move it" I really meant "you probably could pay the water company to have it moved". They own it, just like the electric company owns their meter, etc.

-Tim