Why did/does a gas meter have an exhaust port?

[Robert Gift]

In our old Denver house, the gas meter was in the tiny basement. To read the meter I had to move the kitchen table and swing open a hatch to go down the ladder.
Then read the meter and mail a post card with the reading to the gas company.

They finally installed a remote indicator from a wire to the basement meter.
But the meter exhausting hazard still existed.

A year later through the crawlspace I had to run 1-inch black pipe to their outdoor meter location.
Did I have to pressurize the pipe from furnace and water heater and see reading after 24-hours?

Do new meters still have an exhaust port. For what purpose? Thank you.

 

[wwhitney]

Meters don't have exhaust ports, but regulators do. Part of how they regulate downstream pressure to be lower than upstream pressure is to occasionally vent any downstream excess pressure.

Typically the utility's pressure regulator is installed right next to the meter.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Fitter30]

There are two types of meters out the old style is a diapham and the new smart meters 1/3 of the size of old ones. They are ultrasonic can detect leaks , can get usage any time and company can turn your gas off remotely. Regulators have a air vent. They vent all the time to adjust gas pressure as usage will vary along as supply pressure. Vent pipe outside needs to be over the snow line and have a ell pointed down so not to collect rain and a screen so the nothing can build a nest if the gas is not used for a while.

 

[John Gayewski]

The port is for the diaphram to breath air in and out as it moves up and down. The only time they should give out gas is in an extreme situation.

 

[Jeff H Young]

pretty sure ive seen the regulator under houses in crawlspace I also remember on a job had a regulator in a basement I had to run black pipe to vent reg to outside air its been 20 years dont remember the specofic requirements