Field Notes Recap: Summer Gas Generator Installs
Every summer we see a spike in requests for gas line installs for whole-home generators. After dozens of projects this season, here are a few notes worth sharing:
1. No More Secondary Gas Meters in Harris County
A big change this year: Harris County is no longer installing secondary gas meters.
Before, if your gas meter was on one side of the house and your electrical panel was on the other, homeowners could request a second meter closer to the panel. It was a cost-effective alternative to trenching 100–200 feet of new gas line.
Now, that’s no longer an option. The only route is to run the new line across the property.
So moving forward:
Be prepared for a larger project (trenching, bigger pipe sizing, new meter upgrade).
Yes, permits are required. Yes, you’ll have to coordinate with the city and the utility company.
The good news: we pull our own permits and handle the process for you, start to finish.
2. More Homeowners Choosing Tri-Fuel Setups
Another trend we noticed this summer: more families are choosing tri-fuel portable generator setups with quick connects over full-size standby generators.
Why?
Value: They like the flexibility of running on natural gas, propane, or gasoline.
Simplicity: For something used only “once in a blue moon,” they’d rather invest less up front.
Our take:
We’re all for value and simplicity.
Plus, as our electrician partners told us, during the last hurricane many standby generators failed. The most common reasons?
Oil changes weren’t done.
Batteries weren’t charged.
A tri-fuel setup with proper maintenance may actually give you more reliability than a neglected standby system.
3. Quick Tip: Water Heater Controls in the Attic
While we’re on the subject of gas… here’s a bonus tip if you have a Honeywell gas control valve on a water heater in the attic:
Set the temperature dial to just HOT (not “very hot” or max).
Why? These controls are already finicky, and in a Houston attic during summer heat, pushing them hotter makes failures more likely.
According to Honeywell’s technical literature, their gas valves perform best when set to “HOT” rather than extreme settings.
Wrapping Up
Generators and gas lines are a big investment, but the way we install and maintain them makes all the difference. The big takeaway from this summer:
No more shortcuts with secondary meters.
Tri-fuel + quick connects are gaining popularity.
A little attention to your water heater controls can save you a service call.
For those of you who know me, you know I’ll always share it straight. We nerd out about gas lines and plumbing because we want you to have peace of mind when storms roll through.
Cheers, and God bless.
— Brazos Home Services
