City water meter enclosure

[JMER817]

This really doesn't fit with this website, but I know there are a lot of innovative people on here with good ideas...so here goes. I have this city water meter located in the closet of a rental home I own. It had a small leak that went undetected by the tenants until it soaked about a 8' x 8' section of carpet and plywood subfloor. I ended up replacing the carpet, some drywall, and a pc of plywood. I am trying to come up with the best idea on how to create some type of catch basin or something to help prevent this from happening again in the future. I would also like to add some support to the bottom since it just "sticks" out of the wall inviting some kids to sit and stand on it. Any ideas??

 

[tommu56]

It depends on what is under floor one of those pre pasted wall paper wetter trays its long and narrow and a pvc male adapter to 3/4 or 1" pipe and pipe to safe area.

Look at a washing machine tray pan connection and make the tray connection like that or even if you have the room use a the washing machine tray.

I would insulate the pipes too to help the condensation too.

Tom

 

[Whitnel]

That is an odd looking meter set up there. I am guessing since you said you had to replace a piece of subfloor there is a crawl space. You could always make a tray to go under the meter and pipes and run a drain line out from under the house. Like a drain pan that goes under a AC unit in an attic.

 

[mrmikey]

I'd make an insulated, removable box, (top and two sides) that fit over a tray that you can set on the floor. Unless you can drain the tray with a small hose I'd also put one of those water alarms in it....Mike

 

[dmccarty]

I'd make an insulated, removable box, (top and two sides) that fit over a tray that you can set on the floor. Unless you can drain the tray with a small hose I'd also put one of those water alarms in it....Mike

This was my thought. Build a box around the mess and drain it. I am surprised the meter and connections have not been broken, especially in a rental.

Later,
Dan

 

[JB4310]

If you have a sub-floor drainage system, then cut the floor under the meter, slope the floor (new concrete) to the wall with a slight pitch and leave a weep joint between the new part of floor and the wall. That would be idiot proof as far as controlling any future water leaks. then just box in the meter.

Around here almost all homes have an interior footing drain system, which is what you would need for this to work.

Common job for us, mostly to control water that comes thru the breach in the wall for the water service, but we often expand it a little for sweating off the meter.

JB

 

[Whitnel]

Are your water meters inside due to the cold up north. Around here they are all buried at the road ROW about 18" deep.

 

[tlbuser]

While providing a drain is a good idea, why not install a water alarm or floodstop device?

FloodStop - TheWaterAlarm.com

 

[JB4310]

Are your water meters inside due to the cold up north. Around here they are all buried at the road ROW about 18" deep.

The vast majority of ours are inside the basements, not sure if it's due to the cold or what.
Mine is actually in a box outside, just onto my property, not as deep as I would think it should be either for this climate. The pipes are around 4 feet down but the meter comes up off them and is Probably only a foot and a half deep. there is a freeze plate that is supposed to give first so it doesn't damage the meter.

My house is 100 feet from the road so I figure the water company is protecting their commodity. If the line leaks anywhere in that 100 feet past the meter I'm paying for it. I have seen on several occasions where I have pointed out to customers that their water service line was leaking just outside the foundation, but since it was before the meter they didn't care.
Until of course the thing really lets go and they lose water pressure at the most inconvenient time.

JB