Freaking out - new home - High voltage and gas in front of house

last year

last modified: last year

hello,

we bought a resale home in July and jyst moved in. there is some electric high voltage box right in front of the house which is very concerning. i vaguely recall asking my agent and her saying its ok.. we did not look into further at that time because of desperate need and high competition. After moving in , we freaked out for 2 days and convinced ourselves that ekectric thing must be ok since they would have folliwed guidelines. today, we all got a mail from PECO about gas lines and it said people in and around 50 feet vicinity need to be careful and they sent a 5 page document about how dangatous it could be. we looked out and we have yellow thing which says ”gas facility” on it right next to the ekectric one and my first floor bedroom is only 20 feet away. we are very concerned/freaking out not knowing what it means..

can someone help me in understanding what they both mean and how dangerous is it to live so close to them. any precautions (like installing anything ) are needed to take for our health and safety.

see puc for ref..our house is the one on right side

Featured Answer

HU-867564120

last year

last modified: last year

Stop freaking out! Both an underground feed to a ground-pad mounted electrical transformer and buried gas lines are entirely normal. And, that yellow gas pole is not the gas line, the actual line is underground. The yellow pole just locates it. The electrical transformer is sealed and closed up, and likely has a utility padlock on the cover that can open for service. I have these in front of my house and we sleep fine every single night.

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Comments (12)

H D
last year
I’m not an expert, but I think with the gas line, the biggest concern is to not knock it over— not to hit with lawn mower or when parking car for example. Is it actually on your property or on community property?
H D
last year
Also, is your house the one to the left or the right?
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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
last year
last modified: last year
They are no danger to you, any more than any other gas line in anywhere, USA - and the underground routed electrical wires are actually safer.

The utility companies were simply telling you to be aware of their presence and do not attempt to dig, plant trees, or otherwise risk disrupting the lines. All gas companies will routinely send notices about gas safety - or they should.

Read the document that they sent more carefully and calmly.
sn na thanked raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
Ally De
last year
Have these all through every development I've ever seen or lived in. Houses need access to electricity and gas, those utilities don't magically appear to power your home.
rrah
last year
last modified: last year
We have a similar electric box on our extra lot (adjacent to our house.) I've never given it two thoughts except when spraying weed killer around it.

The idea that "high voltage" presents a danger to one's health was a concern in the late 1980's/early 1990's when we were purchasing our first home. The concern was about high voltage towers and lines, not electrical boxes. There is no science to support the concern.

Enjoy your house.
worthy
last year
I'd prefer any day to have underground hydro (electrical) than swinging wires in the wind.

Clearing Toronto area hydro lines, ice storm 2013. CITY-TV

Our approved build has secondary lines barely 12 feet in the air entangled and overhung by loads of overgrown brush from the p.o.

During the last vicious ice storm, power was out for two weeks in that neighbourhood. And though I'd think nothing of chainsawing the brush in the open, I'm resorting to a high-priced pro for the job.
PRO
Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
last year
You may be the only buyer who ever read this stuff.

Buried utilities are the safest IMHO.

Still safer than the alternates from centuries ago - a live fire in your home to heat & cook, outdoor plumbing with the bears & alligators.
chispa
last year

Sorry, couldn't help myself!

Seriously, these utility boxes/markers are all over suburban America. Drive around your neighborhood and see how many there are. Stop freaking out!
T T
last year
Totally normal and nothing to be concerned about. Past two houses have had a box like yours on it. As others have said, these are everywhere and there is no need to worry. These are safer than overhead wires.
sn na
Original Author
last year
Thank you everyone for the inputs !

one more q - if these are general utility and gas pipes then why is it that not every house in communitg have them ? There are only 2 of those between 2 and 3 houses from both ends in every street of the community.
kudzu9
last year
last modified: last year
It is not necessary for every house to have one as these units function as distribution points for the gas and electricity, and each services several houses. Even though they may be on your property, they are not serving just your home.

No matter how many more questions you can think of to worry yourself that something is amiss here, the answers remain the same. Please find something else to fret about that might actually pose a concern.