robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) (11/05/84)
Well, we solved our gas meter problem (unexpected extra $120 in
the bill for natural gas). Here's a summary of people's suggestions:
(1) The current bill was not an estimate, but how about previous
bills?
(2) You should notify PSEG in writing that you dispute the bill.
They may then be unable to collect until the case is thoroughly
investigated. (The correspondent doing this, under Illinois law,
had to pay up 8 months later.) State law may provide for a way
to complain to a (partially?) impartial agency if you cannot resolve
your bill with the utility company.
You can:
- Have the gas company (or a recommended service agency)
check the appliances for efficiency. (in Illinois,
the gas company is required to check or recommend
a service company who can--you pay for having the
appliances checked) [By the way, don't be concerned
about a gas leak unless you've smelled gas. The
obnoxiuos smell from an extinguished range pilot
light, for example, would be enough to alert you very
quickly; yet the cost of that pilot light is probably
less than 25 cents per month.]
- Ask that they remove and test the gas meter for accuracy.
(3) A gas leak can cost a lot of gas. CLothes dryers, since they
are vented, can leak gas without much smell. [ I had run each
appliance separately, and also checked the meter for any gas
use while we were asleep, to check for leaks or badly working
appliances.]
So what happened in my case? The glass on the meter had gotten very
dirty, and the reading by the last person to visit our house was
simply inaccurate. I had "verified" the reading (confused by those
round dials that go in both directions, and the dirt, perhaps)
incorrectly. The PSEG agent who visited us and corrected the
mistake has decided that if I apply for a job as a meter reader,
he will not hire me. We will get a reasonable bill after all.
- Toby Robison
allegra!eosp1!robison
or: decvax!ittvax!eosp1!robison
alternate: princeton!eosp1!robison