ANDOVER, MASS. (WHDH) - Andover residents have an option to expedite the gas disaster mitigation process on their own, officials said Thursday.
For those who decide to go about repairing or replacing their own appliances, there are several steps Columbia Gas has provided for residents interested in doing so.
The steps for restoration outlined in the mailer are:
• Contact Columbia Gas and make the claims adjuster assigned to your case aware of your intention to self-mitigate.
• Hire only licensed installers, who must obtain appropriate permits from the Town of Andover in order to complete the work. Work may include pressure testing, repair and replacement of gas lines, extension of outside gas lines, installation of appliances and completion of a town inspection. Once all of that work is completed, gas service may be restored to individual homes.
• Work with a claims adjuster to purchase replacement equipment and appliances. Columbia Gas will reimburse customers for reasonable replacement costs of like kind and quality appliances, including making payments on their behalf or paying customers back for out-of-pocket costs.
• Install equipment and appliances and complete inspection. Once the installation is complete, licensed installers will arrange a town inspection. Only work that has been appropriately permitted prior to completion will be eligible for an inspection.
• Contact Columbia Gas for service restoration. Once inspections are complete, customers will receive either a green “house ready” tag, or an orange “house ready” tag depending on a home’s level of readiness for service restoration.
“I want to emphasize to our community that they do not have to incur any out-of-pocket costs if they prefer to wait for Columbia Gas to complete its work on its timeline,” Town Manager Andrew Flanagan said. “However, the self-mitigation option does provide an alternative that could accelerate the restoration process for our residents and business owners, and I encourage everyone to consider this option and determine whether or not it’s the best approach for them.”
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