Piped natural gas appears to be unavailable for homes in Middlesex; no homes in the area heat with it. Gas appliances here run on propane, so if you smell gas, leave and call 911 or your propane supplier from outside. For propane piping repairs or new appliance lines, call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Middlesex.
Propane, not natural gas
Middlesex is a very small Nash County town about 25 miles east of Raleigh. Census-derived counts show no homes in ZIP 27557 heating with utility gas; about 24% use propane and about 74% use electricity. Nash County is listed for Piedmont Natural Gas in a 2014 state report, but in practice gas work in Middlesex means propane. The supplier owns and services the tank and its regulator, and the piping from there into the house is the owner's. Homes are mixed: the median was built in 1977, about 55% predate 1980, and about 23% have gone up since 2010.
What to do now
- Smell propane? Leave the house. Propane is heavier than air and can collect low, so stay away from crawl spaces. Call 911 or your supplier from outside.
- If it's safe, the supplier may tell you to close the valve at the tank.
- Appliance acting up without a smell? Turn it off at its valve and leave it off.
- Planning a new propane appliance or generator? Ask your supplier whether the tank size works for the added load.
- Call a plumber for the piping between the tank regulator and your appliances.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Rotten-egg smell | Propane leak; leave and call from outside |
| Tank emptying faster than usual | Leak in the line or an appliance problem |
| Weak flames on every appliance | Regulator or supply problem |
| Rust on the line under the house | Corroding older pipe |
| Yellow, sooty flames | Poor combustion or wrong orifice |
What affects cost
- Distance from the tank to the house and appliances
- Buried sections that need digging
- Condition of older piping
- Coordinating with the supplier on tank or regulator work
- Nash County trade permit and inspection
Building permits in Middlesex are issued by Nash County, after the town's zoning administrator issues a zoning permit where needed. Trade permits for plumbing and gas work are separate, and the plumber usually pulls them. Common propane jobs in Middlesex include running a line to a new range or dryer, adding a standby generator, replacing corroded pipe under an older house and replacing old connectors when an appliance is swapped. Water heaters here are typically electric or propane, so a propane water heater swap is a common call too.
Gas Line Services questions in Middlesex
My home uses propane. Can a plumber work on those lines?
How can I find out if natural gas reaches my street?
Can a plumber pipe gas to a standby generator?
Will 811 mark my own buried gas or propane line?
More plumbing services in Middlesex
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