Hasty efforts to save money on home improvement projects might cost thousands of dollars and a trip to the emergency room.

To cope with the economic downturn, an increasing number of homeowners are opting to start their own projects in the yard rather than to hire a professional, said Chris Kozak, Columbia Gas spokesman.

But this also leads to an increasing number of broken gas pipes.

Since the end of May, Columbia Gas already had 40 reported instances in which a homeowner busted a gas pipe because they dug into the ground without knowing where the lines ran. There were only nine instances of this in 2008, Kozak said.

Ohio law requires that homeowners dial 811 to request that a gas company worker come to the property and gas line locations in the yard before building fences, decks, planting trees or starting any other project that involves digging, Kozak said.

It costs a homeowner about $1,000 on average to repair a busted gas pipe, but Kozak, an occasional contributor to the Toledo Free Press Arts section, said that some cases could total as much as $4,000.

Also, a damaged gas pipe could result in a fire or explosion, which threatens the safety of the homeowner, he added.

A Columbia Gas news release stated that homeowners need to mark their proposed project area and call 811 at least two business days before they planned to start the project.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 12:31 pm and is filed under Community, Utilities.
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