Gas Line Services in Smithfield, NC

Who owns which part of the gas line?

A 2014 Utilities Commission report lists all of Johnston County in Piedmont Natural Gas's territory. Piedmont is responsible for the main in the street, the service line to your house and the meter. Everything after the meter, the pipe through the walls and crawl space, the shutoff valves and the connectors behind appliances, belongs to the homeowner. So does any line buried in the yard after the meter, such as one to a pool heater or a detached workshop. When Piedmont finds a leak on the house side, it typically shuts off service until a plumber repairs it.

What should I watch for in an older Smithfield home?

Smithfield is the Johnston County seat and one of the oldest towns in the area, chartered in 1777. Its housing reflects that: the median home was built in 1973, and about 65% predate 1980. In homes near the Downtown Smithfield Historic District and along Market Street, gas piping may be decades old and modified many times. Watch for a gas smell, rust on pipe in the crawl space, old bare brass connectors, yellow or sooty burner flames and pilots that keep going out. The smell is the only one that means leave; the rest mean it's time for a check.

Who handles the permit?

Smithfield contracts with Johnston County Building Inspections to handle building permit inspections for the town, and the town's planning department issues a zoning permit first where one is needed. The county office is on Market Street in Smithfield. New gas piping is pressure tested and inspected before the gas is turned on, and the plumber usually handles the permit.

Local note

Many Smithfield gas calls start with something small: an old connector found during an appliance swap, or a hiss under the house. In an older home, it's worth having the whole system pressure tested when one part is repaired, since nearby fittings are often the same age. When you call, mention the house's age, which appliances use gas and whether Piedmont has shut off or tagged the meter. If the work is planned, such as adding a range or water heater, have the appliance's model number handy so the plumber can size the line.