Questar green sticker program

Speaking to the Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee, Alan Allred, vice president of business development for Questar Gas, said "erroneous" reports had unnecessarily alarmed customers. Several committee members said they had fielded calls from concerned constituents. Questar wants customers to have the stickers affixed to furnaces and water heaters as a way to indicate that the appliances have been properly adjusted by licensed contractors to handle new gas supplies that will be making their way into Wasatch Front homes over the next few years.

Eventually, those not adjusted could produce excess carbon monoxide, which is lethal at high levels. But Questar said some news reports made the situation seem like an emergency, when in reality customers have five to seven years to have the adjustments made.

The company expects many customers to have the change done during normal appliance maintenance, or that customers will get properly prepared appliances when they replace their old machines. Allred said Questar had sent word of the program out to contractors, appliance manufacturers and others, but hit some snags spreading the word to customers. Some media reports spoke of "bad" or "dangerous" gas.

One TV reporter called it "lousy" gas. The company, however, will have a transition period for a few years as it moves from gas with high heat volumes to gas with a lower heat volume. During that time, gas from new and traditional supplies will be blended and will be safe to use in all appliances. Adjusting an appliance for the low-BTU gas involves altering an opening that governs the mixture of air and natural gas needed for proper and complete fuel combustion.

Allred said that more than contractors have been trained to do the work. The company said in and that the changes were coming and told appliance manufacturers, dealers and installers about the situation then.

Many new homes likely already have properly adjusted appliances, he said. No green sticker was affixed to his new furnace. Roger Ball, the committee's director, said he is deeply concerned it may not be possible to send a unified message when it comes to the program. Having a green sticker, Ball said, does not ensure any confidence of a properly adjusted furnace. I believe that the responsibility and cost is Questar's. Start your day with the top stories you missed while you were sleeping.

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Reddit Pocket Email Linkedin. Mixed messages and criticisms continue to hinder Questar Gas Co. The utility has set a deadline to have inspections performed. In addition, some service technicians are discounting the program.

Miller Group makes another move. He later told Jones he wants a new ad that emphasizes that the situation is not an emergency and that the ad be "fact-filled," "straightforward" and "without all the fluff. Jones said Questar has worked on the awareness campaign for three years and will continue it for five more.

Jones noted that some media reports have focused on the carbon monoxide aspect of the story, with headlines or other references to the "dangerous gas. In addition to the press releases and newspaper ads, information about the program was included in customers' September bills.

Hammon and Ball both said they also have concerns about the potential cost to customers to get the necessary inspections and adjustments on the appliances. Questar expects many customers to replace their existing appliances with new ones over the next few years, with the new ones already adjusted for the new gas. Others likely will have the adjustment made when their appliances undergo regular maintenance.

Jones said a list of licensed contractors is on Questar's Web site, www. He suggested that the utility send a printed list to customers, but Jones said doing that — and taking out more ads to explain the green sticker program — would be costly, with those expenses being added to customer rates.

The new gas supplies, primarily from a field near Price, burn at a different BTU level. Questar has said it is able to process the new supplies or blend them with other sources to create a mixture safe to use in all appliances and will be able to do so for three to five more years. If needed, the adjustment involves altering an opening that governs the mixture of air and natural gas needed for proper and complete fuel combustion.

New Questar Gas service areas in Wyoming and Utah should have appliances that already are properly adjusted for the new gas supplies.

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