Beginning April 14, 2017 new federal regulation 49 CFR 192.383(e) requires all natural gas utilities to notify their eligible customers about the potential benefits of an Excess Flow Valve (EFV), who is responsible for the initial installation costs of an EFV, and who is responsible for any replacement or maintenance costs associated with an EFV.

You may request that an EFV be installed on the gas service line to your property if it currently does not have one, and the service line meets certain criteria.

EFVs are mechanical shut-off devices that can be installed on the gas service line. An EFV is designed to shut off the flow of natural gas automatically if the service line breaks, for example, by an excavation accident or vehicle striking the meter set. Stopping the flow of gas from a broken service line significantly reduces the risk of natural gas fire, explosion, personal injury and/or property damage. EFVs are not however, designed to close if a leak occurs on house piping or appliances, or if the leak on the service line is too small to trip (close) the EFV.

EFV's are rated for a specific flow rate. If at a later date you add additional gas appliances, for example, a pool heater, emergency generator, etc., the additional gas flow may cause the EFV to trip. If this happens, the EFV will have to be replaced with an EFV that will accommodate the larger flow rate. On the other hand if you chose an EFV with a larger flow rate than you need, it will take a larger breach in the service line to stop the flow.

You, the consumer, are responsible for the cost of installing the EFV. The average installation cost is estimated to be $4,000, but the actual installation cost will depend on the difficulty of installation. We will inform you of the actual cost before you make the final decision to install an EFV. If it becomes necessary to replace the EFV on your service line due to increased flow demand, you will be liable for the cost of replacing the EFV. Replacing an EFV would normally cost approximately the same as the initial installation, but will be figured at the time of replacement. If a malfunction (sticks open or closed) occurs due to normal wear and tear, the Utility Gas System will be liable for the replacement of the EFV.

If you request an EFV, we will inform you if your service line meets necessary conditions and then set up a mutually agreeable date when we will install an EFV on your service line. If you have any questions or would like to request the installation of an EFV contact Hanson Engineering at 620-626-5777. For your safety always call 811 to have gas lines and other buried utilities marked before allowing anyone to dig in your yard!