WEEK 16: aka The Continuing Saga of the Gas Service. When I last left off this topic, we had remedied many of the gas line installation woes with our utility company. They had correctly repositioned our project as a “flood recovery” one and therefore were much more receptive to our needs. They agreed to install the new gas line, at their expense. We dig a trench, they do the rest. They gave us a date to allow us time to get the trench dug.

SURPRISE: Imagine our surprise when they showed up a week early. Giant piles of dirt and a huge excavator were in the way. As a trench was yet to be dug out, they promptly left, vowing to return the following week.

A PROMISE IS A PROMISE: Knowing how hard it had been to get them to come at all, we were worried we had missed our window of opportunity with conEdison. Would they come back as they had promised? Indeed they did – again earlier than expected. Again, our site was not ready. So …. they just went ahead and did what they needed to do without any help from us.

LIKE MAGIC: Note the big pile of dirt in the background? No trench in sight. Apparently, they have the tools to dig a narrow access hole to install the new gas line that does not require any trench at all. One day we did not have this on the side of our house, the next day we did. Poof!

Making what should be a short story infinitely longer, we still need to have the meter installed and the gas turned back on – prior to being able to move back home. But before we can do that, our plumber has to check the amount of load for the house and make sure all of our interior pipes are in good working order, before the inspector will pass the house for the plumbing inspection, before conEdison will come back again.

WHAT A DRAG IT IS GETTING OLD: As I’ve mentioned before, our house is old – almost 100 years old. Guess what else is old? Our interior gas pipes – not quite that old, but old enough to merit an extensive overhaul. Many of the gas pipes were found to be leaking at all of the joints. They were installed in the era when pipes were merely joined in a screw-type fashion, not sautered. Rather than fix all the leaks, it was determined to be more cost-effective to replace them. Not all of them, but most. The plumber said it was imperative to fix the leaks or the house was at risk of blowing up.

“You don’t want your house to blow up, do you?” he asked.

“Not if I’m in it,” I replied.

Although an older home does offer certain charms lacking in those built in the current age, it comes with a cost of high maintenance. There is little we haven’t had to update in this old house. The upgrades and updates have been extensive.

Dear future homeowner of this house …. you’re welcome.