Ahh, the power meter. You know the one - the ugly box and pipes sticking out of the siding on the back or side of your home? One of the most frequent questions we get during a pre-construction walkthrough with clients is, “what’s the detail here”?
The truth is, even though we come across this item on dozens of projects each year - we don't have a single standard detail. The meter sticks out from the siding by different amounts on each home, and then our plan of install (removing all of the siding vs. going over the existing siding, installing a siding that is thicker than what’s there currently, adding exterior insulation behind the new siding, etc.), all change the details as well.
Our goal for this area is to make it functional (we are required to leave this mast accessible to the utility company in case of future work), while also detailing it in a way that fits aesthetically with the rest of the home as much as possible. We look at this area (with the power meter, and usually several vents, hose bibs, and other penetrations) as the ugliest part of your exterior, and it will be when we finish too. We just want to blend it in better than it is currently, while not jeopardizing the function of these utilities.
The most simple means of doing so is by running the new siding behind the conduit and simply installing around the box. Depending on the depth of the conduit and the new wall assembly, this may or may not be feasible. But when it is, it’s our standard detail.
If there isn’t enough space for us to install the new siding behind the conduit, one option is to do some custom metal work that fits in behind. Because the metal is thinner than the siding, we’re able to tuck this in behind - resulting in a watertight, finished look that hides the sheathing/insulation/original siding.
When we get into thicker wall assemblies (like installing over top of the original stucco, or installing siding over new exterior insulation), we sometimes run out of space to install as per the details above. Then we move to an over-the-conduit application.
We don’t want to restrict access to the conduit for the utility company, nor do we want to leave a big unfinished space alongside your new siding. So we install a 2pc custom metal box around the conduit. When possible, we build the box in a close match to the siding or the trim work.
And when a close colour match isn’t feasible with the siding colour, we’ll typically do the box in a matching colour to other accessories on the home, like window jambs or the soffit/fascia/eaves.
On a recent project, we were actually able to fit a full colour matched trim piece over the conduit. The trim was installed with face fasteners for easy removal/re-installation should a utility company need access in the future. While this isn’t usually feasible, the end result was a pretty seamless look with the rest of the siding, and we loved how it turned out.
To recap, because of the variety of factors at play, we don’t have one standard detail when it comes to power meters. What we can promise is that we’ll do what we can to keep things functional and looking great! And if your utility company does need access in the future, they'll thank you for having left the conduits accessible. And these details ensure a speedy fix to get everything back as it was when they finish.