Out $164 and In-Need of Shower

We smelled a strange gas smell the last couple of times we turned on the stove. It was really bad on Saturday and worse on Sunday. So Ryan called the gas company to see if someone could come check it out to make sure everything was working properly. We were not home when they came, so they shut the gas off "for safety." Washington Gas told us that we had to get a plumber to certify that there were no leaks before it would be turned back on.

So we chose the plumber who charged $89 to "test for a gas leak." It turns out, the $89 was just to come to our house and give an estimate. It would be an additional $600 to test it, and more to fix it. We said "no thank you" and sent him on his way.

After calling the gas company over a half dozen times, Ryan finally pleaded with someone to send the gas people back to turn on our gas, because he never really said there was a "leak" but something wrong with the stove. They finally agreed and said they'd only leave it on if all gas appliances were in working order. We thought...they probably aren't, but it is worth a try.

The gas people came back today, and we don't have a gas leak. However, they "tagged" the stove and said if we use it and it blows up, it is our fault not theirs. Note taken! So Ryan called the stove repair people.

The stove repairman also showed up today to let us know that there's nothing wrong with the stove. We used an oil-based cleaning product on it and it has to burn off (who knew SoftScrub was oil-based or that you can't use that on a stove...there's a picture of one on the back of the bottle). That house call cost us $75.

So the moral of the story is...don't call the gas company's emergency line unless it is an emergency. Come to think of it, don't call the gas company until you've exhausted all other resources. And if you have gas-heated hot water and decide to call the gas company, at least take a shower before you call them because you may not have hot water for a few days.