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Hooking up his own gas line almost cost a Greensboro man $1,800

Gary Bisher didn't mind working in a cold building, but when he decided to sell it, he felt having a furnace would be wise. What he did later got him in hot water.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Gary Bisher likes the grind and enjoys work. He had a glass shop in Greensboro for several years before retiring in 2018. Bisher worked out of that same building he purchased in the 1990s.

Even after retiring, Bisher was not one to stay home and relax or hit the golf course on a regular basis. In fact, on many days he would go to work.

“I would usually come out here once a day. It was part of me I guess,” Bisher said.

The old shop was mostly empty aside from some glass left over and a few other items. There were some mismatched pieces of wood, a wheel barrel, and a lawn mower in the back part. When you walked in, there was a cornhole board and a few bins filled with supplies.

Bisher recently decided to sell the building, so he put a furnace in the front. The back building had heat but the front didn’t.

“I worked in the cold a lot of the time,” Bisher said.

He felt the building would be easier to sell, so he bought a furnace and then mounted it in the rafters in the front of the building.

Bisher also ran a line from the side of the building where the gas line was and connected it to the meter. A couple of months later, Bisher opened his gas bill and found a charge of almost $1,800. He also discovered the line he connected was cut and a lock was put on the meter.

“I hooked the lines up not realizing I wasn’t supposed to,” Bisher said.

The gas company was fining him for not notifying them about the line even though, it was running through the meter.

“I was going to pay for the service, but I didn’t realize hooking (the gas line up) was a no-no,” Bisher said.

He wasn't sure how he was going to pay a $1,800 bill, so he contacted an attorney.

“He recommended that I call you folks,” Bisher said.

We reached out to the gas company and explained the issue. We also made sure it was clear Bisher was not trying to steal the gas. The company reviewed the claim and decided to wipe away the bill but made sure Bisher knew he can’t connect a gas line on his own.

“I appreciate it very much, everything you’ve done,” Bisher said.

The gas company wants to clarify that what Bisher did, was not okay and that if you want a gas line connected, always let them know in advance.

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