So Just What Was The Meter Reader Up To?

[BLSamuel]

Update

Talked to the neighbor on the other side and thought there was an electric company truck in our driveway that was smallish and white with an amber flashing light. So maybe the electic meter reader and not the gas meter reader. But I'm still concerned about somebody trying doors without knocking, or even after knocking but in this case they didn't even knock.

Had to take our youngest daughter to the doctor Monday and had an out of town funeral to attend Tuesday and didn't get around to calling anyone today so tomorrow it's time to call the electric company to see if/when they had someone at our house and what they were there for and then the gas company to find out when they did come.

Replacing the entry door in our garage is going painfullly slow as I'm planning to rebuild it closer to right than the boneheaded things done earlier.

I can't easily fix the step down from the outside to the inside but I can replace the stacked 2 x 4's as sill for the door with a small concrete sill. I would put more of a landing inside the garage but I don't think there's enough room but stepping down from there may be better than stepping down into the garage. But then I have a small concrete pad above the floor level and the walls in that corner as the door is real close to the corner. I'd like to get this in before the weekend's over but have a bit of concrete work to do which will need to set up and cure a bit no matter which direction I end up going. That would also mean that I'd have the bottom of the garage wall sandwiched between concrete for 3 to 4 feet.

I am planning to replace the header above the door that was cut out to make room for the door - looks like it was built from the garage floor (normal) but the level outside the garage is 3 to 3-1/2" higher (DOH! - not so normal) so the solution was to cut out most of the header. It's been that way from the beginning so I could leave it as it was but I'm not smart enough for that.

I also need to trim the brick molding on the replacement door as the opening isn't quite wide enough. And the oposite sides of the door arent really square with one another or the concrete outside isn't exactly parallel to the garage. Though the door opening seems reasonably plumb and otherwise square though I've not really checked it yet.

Maybe I should tear out the concrete between the house and the garage but then I'd need more than 2 steps up into the house and there really isn't room. Who builds a detached garage 3 or maybe 4 feet from the back of the house? A few more feet back would've worked much better. Pretty good example of how not to do things but a challenge to fix and leave it any better especially when I'm a newbie to home reconstruction as it is.

[colterphoto1]

Zoning is usually 4 feet between building minimum. Have to have room for firefighters.

[HarryO]

I would work from home for the next week and leave the door UN-locked while waiting with a shot gun.

If he falls back out the door, drag him back in...

ANYONE that will break into your home is is a threat not to be taken lightly.

Locked doors will NOT stop a criminal. They may give you time to prepare yourself though.

Just remember Indiana is one of the states that has a law that protects the criminals too. Make sure you were "defending your life" and no other option exists except to defend yourself. In this state you might want to "plant a weapon" next to the body. You have to protect yourself from the law here also.

Anyone that comes inside my dwelling without my permission has a serious problem. Period!

Heck, I'm such a badazz I don't need a gun. I'll insert the bullets manually. First there will be the mandatory session given to the perpetrator on the dangers of breaking into the wrong home. Forget the dogs, beware of owner! Judge, jury, executioner. My gas bill is too high anyway.

Harry

[Groomlakearea51]

Harry... you must have been living hell on the Hari-Krishna's at the airports!!![6][]

[HarryO]

Harry... you must have been living hell on the Hari-Krishna's at the airports!!!

Yea, I used to drag them out by the hair but they wised up.

[BLSamuel]

Zoning is usually 4 feet between building minimum. Have to have room for firefighters.

Well, I've exagerated a bit. Finally measured from siding to siding between house and garage near the corner of the house and it was 5' 3-12/". Closer lower to the ground as there's stone about 1/2 way up and in the corners. Still too close in my mind. I'd anticipate that it's 1 to 3" closer or further away if I'd measure closer to the end of the garage.

[BLSamuel]

Oops. I think I type dyslexic.... Thats 5' 3-1/2".

[stereotype]

I just read some old posts about the meter reader. I got a sick feeling in my gut when reading
some of the reply. I am a meter reader... I have an idea what might have
happened. Often times when reading a route some meters are in
basements. We rely on info in our HHU (hand held unit) that tells us
where our next meter is , right side, back, basement enter front door,
and so on. Info is vary reliable, at least everywhere I have worked, it
has to be. If we need to knock it says knock first. The problem is once
in a while the accounts are not in order in our HHU and the MR may have
been new or a temp and never read that route before and simply went to
the wrong house. I have done it myself many many times. Its part of the
job, hopefully we dont leave bloody. I always try to be as loud and
visible as possible but i still scare people everyday when i walk in
there back yard or I am outside there garage door when they open it. I
have scared dogs and they have scared me at the same time, gonna happin
when you go to 278 accounts every day, but till safer than when I'm
doing collections, people get pissed when you turn off the power!!!!

[Arkytype]

The electric meter reader where I use to live used a monocular to read my meter while standing outside my fenced in yard with "Beware of Dog" sign on the gate.

Unless the meter dials can't be read from a distance, there's no reason to enter a yard. The electric utility will periodically replace the security tag holding the meter loop in place.

Lee

[dtel]

I just read some old posts about the meter reader. I got a sick feeling in my gut when reading some of the reply. I am a meter reader... I have an idea what might have happened. Often times when reading a route some meters are in basements. We rely on info in our HHU (hand held unit) that tells us where our next meter is , right side, back, basement enter front door, and so on. Info is vary reliable, at least everywhere I have worked, it has to be. If we need to knock it says knock first. The problem is once in a while the accounts are not in order in our HHU and the MR may have been new or a temp and never read that route before and simply went to the wrong house. I have done it myself many many times. Its part of the job, hopefully we dont leave bloody. I always try to be as loud and visible as possible but i still scare people everyday when i walk in there back yard or I am outside there garage door when they open it. I have scared dogs and they have scared me at the same time, gonna happin when you go to 278 accounts every day, but till safer than when I'm doing collections, people get pissed when you turn off the power!!!!

Well that's simple don't try what he said happened at his house.

"Next she heard the front storm door open and someone trying the door knob without knocking. Couldn't really get a look at the window from where she was at and didn't want to be seen. The storm door closed and she could tell the person was walking towards the drive way. She said she tried to look at the windows in the next room but wanted to stay out of site.

She next heard the back storm door open and the door knob being tried. "

[stereotype]

Ur right, but alot of people think we are being lazy, and if they get a bill they think is high they blame it on you reading with the

binoculars. ALOT of people dont want you looking at there house with binoculars, but its safer for us and faster. Its a tool I use, but most places you cant.

[BLSamuel]

I just read some old posts about the meter reader. I got a sick feeling in my gut when reading some of the reply. I am a meter reader... I have an idea what might have happened. Often times when reading a route some meters are in basements. We rely on info in our HHU (hand held unit) that tells us where our next meter is , right side, back, basement enter front door, and so on. Info is vary reliable, at least everywhere I have worked, it has to be. If we need to knock it says knock first. The problem is once in a while the accounts are not in order in our HHU and the MR may have been new or a temp and never read that route before and simply went to the wrong house. I have done it myself many many times. Its part of the job, hopefully we dont leave bloody. I always try to be as loud and visible as possible but i still scare people everyday when i walk in there back yard or I am outside there garage door when they open it. I have scared dogs and they have scared me at the same time, gonna happin when you go to 278 accounts every day, but till safer than when I'm doing collections, people get pissed when you turn off the power!!!!

Well that's simple don't try what he said happened at his house.

"Next she heard the front storm door open and someone trying the door knob without knocking. Couldn't really get a look at the window from where she was at and didn't want to be seen. The storm door closed and she could tell the person was walking towards the drive way. She said she tried to look at the windows in the next room but wanted to stay out of site.

She next heard the back storm door open and the door knob being tried. "

Stereotype,

No basements in the area we live. Too hard to keep dry. This just seemed "fishy" trying 2 doors without knocking. Scared the crap outta our daughter. All gas and electric meters in our area are outside. In any case, I can't imagine anyone entering a house or trying to enter a house without knocking first.

Had this occurred at our neighbor's who is often home during the day the person at the door would've likely been met with a 45 aimed between their eyes.

We expect them in the backyard for the gas meter or the back of the house at the other end for the electric but none of our neighbors expect a meter reader to be trying their doors. They weren't loud and visible. And we usually have a dog near the gas meter so our bill is typically estimated. I need to check the dates they may came, I think normally a 3 day window, and move the dog but really don't have another place to put the dog

[BLSamuel]

Ur right, but alot of people think we are being lazy, and if they get a bill they think is high they blame it on you reading with the

binoculars. ALOT of people dont want you looking at there house with binoculars, but its safer for us and faster. Its a tool I use, but most places you cant.

The gas company estimates our most of the time due to one of our dogs too close to the gas meter. I need to try to figure out where to put said dog during the meter reading range so they get an accurate reading though the estimates are usually pretty close. I think just a bit over last winter as we kept the house cooler than previous winters.

[Wrinkles]

Something we do if no one is home is to leave a radio on loud enough that it can be heard from the front and back door and a light in a living room on where it can be seen from the front of the house. It certainly gives the appearance that someone is home. A seasoned thief may not be fooled, but it may make them think twice before attemtong a breakin or walkin of an unlocked house.

You could also pick up a plastic sign that states what security system monitoring service you are using and place it in the front yard.

Place a beware of dog placard at your front and back door.

Becasue we live out in the boonies, we have a sensor next to our driveway that senses a vehicle coming up the driveway and beeps for a few seconds inside the house.

There are lots of ideas out there. Many work.

I want to add to what Trey said without violating "the no gun talk" policy here:

Should you decide to purchase a weapon (whatever type) for your protection or your home's protection you MUST MUST MUST MUST know your state's laws. When you can use it, and when you are not justifiable in harming someone or taking their life. Be sure. Sometimes what should be obvious is not always within your state's definition of the law. The state's statues and laws on weapons can be found on the internet.

[jacksonbart]

Trying to enter a residence is not being lazy or dumb, its being criminal. I know my electrical service has a remote meter, the person drives through and his reader picks it up with out stopping his truck. Number appear on the bill, then you can fight them if you want.

[Trey Cannon]

Just to be clear, I don' t care what the law says...they break in to my house and I am there...they will leave in a bag.

I have lived in the country for most of my life...we never (that we know of) had a meter reader to try to get into the house.

Most folks in that part of the woods understand what will be waiting.

Or elect bill had a "tab" to send back with the next reading...thus no one came to read the meter. The LP gas guy went to church with us and was a good friend...he had a key.

Here in the city, things are a bit different. I still don't suggest anyone break into my house with me there...I think Professor T is the same way.

[Zen Traveler]

Just to be clear, I don' t care what the law says...they break in to my house and I am there...they will leave in a bag.

...Here in the city, things are a bit different. I still don't suggest anyone break into my house with me there...I think Professor T is the same way.

Does that mean if they break in when you aren't there that the criminals could steal your guns? [^o)]

Fwiw, I had a family member shot with his own gun in a hunting lodge in Mississippi by perpetrators that broke in (I don't know all of the details but he didn't die).