Gas Meter Pipe Sinking

silkysmooth on 16/05/2026 - 17:42
Last edited 16/05/2026 - 17:58

Hi All,

Just after a bit of advice.

I had my house built two years ago and it’s on a small slope. We had concrete poured down the side of the house for a path, and over the past couple of years it seems to have sunk slightly, which I assume is from the land settling.

I’ve now noticed the gas meter pipe going into the ground has sunk a few centimetres as well, and the meter itself looks like it’s sitting on a slight angle. Photo attached.

https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/147380/129154/img_4343…

Are there any gas plumbers or anyone experienced with this who can let me know if this is something that should be fixed ASAP, or whether it’s better to wait a bit longer if the ground may continue to settle.

Thanks in advance.

Home & Garden

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  • Benoffie on 16/05/2026 - 18:39

    Movement is normal but excessive movements over short periods may damage the pipes. Assuming the black pipe is the supply side, send the image to AusNet technical support and ask their thoughts.

    • 1
    • silkysmooth on 17/05/2026 - 07:08

      Thank you, I’ll email them.

      • 0
  • tenpercent on 16/05/2026 - 18:55

    It looks like your pebblecrete has turned into pebbles!

    • 1
    • theHMASfriendship on 16/05/2026 - 20:56

      Better than turning into Crete I guess

      • 2
      • tenpercent on 16/05/2026 - 21:00

        Yes. That would have been a maze for the gas plumber.

        • 0
        • ihbh on 17/05/2026 - 09:17

          a maze for the gas plumber

          I'm amazed you got in the labyrinth (wise)crack.

          • 0
  • MS Paint on 16/05/2026 - 17:59

    Photo attached

    No it's not.

    • 0
    • silkysmooth on 16/05/2026 - 18:02

      Just fixed it

      • 1
      • MS Paint on 16/05/2026 - 18:05

        I'm not a gas plumber but it looks fine to me.

        I'm guessing the loose pebbles are to allow for movement/settling as opposed to setting the ground pipe in fixed concrete.

        • 0
        • silkysmooth on 16/05/2026 - 18:19

          Correct, I got the concrete cut out around the pipe so there was no pressure if the concrete moved. That was fine. But it seems the black gas pipe has sunk down into the ground.

          • 0
    • Dr Phil on 17/05/2026 - 13:20

      Agreed
      As long as its not leaking there is no problem

      Besides the gas supplier is responsible for the gas pipe up to and including the meter.
      So if there are any issues up to and including the meter its thier responsibility.

      • -2
      • MS Paint on 17/05/2026 - 13:28

        its thier

        it's their

        FFS how many times do you need to be reminded?

        • 0
      • silkysmooth on 17/05/2026 - 16:34

        Thank you, the only concern I have as I got concrete path installed, and that it’s dropped. Worried if gas supplier blame the pressure from the concrete.

        • 0
  • ozbargainoid on 17/05/2026 - 13:02

    Common new build problem.
    The builders excavate the site for the house slab and dig trenches to lay stormwater and wastewater pipes.
    Unfortunately the ground above the trenches is not compacted when the trench is backfilled, and so with age the ground level drops.
    This causes the path to drop a bit, and in your case the gas pipe has subsided a little as well,
    Gas plumber costs are usually high, so that is expensive to fix.
    I recommend undoing the bracket on the wall behind the meter, square the meter up and reattach it to the wall lower down.
    Leave enough gap on the bracket to allow the meter to be adjusted further down in the future, as the soil compaction may still continue for a couple of more years.
    The only precaution I would take is if you can smell gas (unlikely) you will need a gas plumber to fix it.

    • 0
    • silkysmooth on 17/05/2026 - 16:28

      Thanks mate, A local plumber quoted me $150. He would cut down the u connection that’s connected to my house. Which takes the pressure of the connection to the meter.

      Wouldn’t the u bracket connected to the house hold it from further drops?

      • 0
  • jeffa on 17/05/2026 - 13:20

    Looks to me like the pipe wasn't at the bottom of the trench so it's still settling.
    How long ago was the gas meter level?
    How long since the last reading (that's on your last bill). I would expect that the person that came to read the meter would/should have reported it if it looked too sus.
    Either way, I'd be sending that picture to the supplier for them to decide.

    As it settles further (if it does) that oulet pipe (on the right hand side of the picture) will either flex or split, depending on what it is made of.

    Luckily the inlet pipe has the stop cock on it so IF you do see i'ts leaking you can turn the gas off…..

    • 0
    • silkysmooth on 17/05/2026 - 16:31

      The meter was level when the house was built about 2 and bit years ago.

      There was a reading last month, I’ll email the supplier see what they say.

      I had a plumber suggesting he can cut down the u connection, which goes into the house. He said it will level the meter and reduce the pressures on the connections.

      • 0
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