Can I paint my gas or electric meter box?

The effect of weathering, as well as general wear and tear, can have an impact on the aesthetic of your meter box and you might be asking yourself the question, “can I paint my meter box?”.

This is relevant for both Electric meter boxes and doors as well as Gas meter boxes and doors.

      

Before answering this question, there are a few items to take into consideration.

What is my meter box made from?

As with any paintwork, before beginning it is essential to know what makes up the surface, this will have an impact on the type of paint you use. Some meter boxes are manufactured from glass reinforced plastic (GRP) while others are metal meter boxes. GRP material has many advantages over conventional metallic materials. These benefits include corrosion resistance, lightweight, thermal insulation and electric non-conductivity.

Please note that GRP meter boxes do not rust, but metal meter boxes do. In such cases where rust is an issue, a full assessment of the damage is necessary before painting or repairing the meter box.

 

Safety precautions when painting a meter box

Take safety factors into account before painting. Care should be taken to ensure that the paint used does not alter the properties of the meter enclosure. For example, particular paint products can affect the insulation property of a GRP meter box against both heat and electricity.

Fire retardant paints can be a viable option to paint meter boxes. Be sure to identify any safety requirements before initiating the painting process fully. For gas meter boxes special care should be taken to make sure not to block vents on the unit with drying paint.

Please note that paint used for pipes and other outdoor GRP product might not be suitable as the paint has to respect the fire-retardant property of the meter box. If the wrong paint type is used the paint might flake off and the final result might not be meeting your expectations or remain intact over time.

 

Some alternatives to painting a meter box

 

How to clean meter boxes

Another option to painting either GRP or metal meter boxes is to clean them. If your electric or gas meter housing is made from GRP, cleaning the outside is quite simple. However, it is extremely important to understand the risk associated with the interior components of a meter box. Appropriate safety measures must be taken to clean a meter box.

 

How to replace a damaged meter box part

In some cases where a meter box is damaged, it may be a possibility to replace the broken elements by using a replacement part or a meter box cover unit, also known as over frame. Replacement electric meter box doors and gas meter box doors are widely available and suitable for both recessed and surface mounted meter boxes.

Replacing a door is a straightforward process. It requires a minimum number of very common tools and can be completed in a few minutes. To find out more, check out our how to fit a replacement meter box door video.

 

Should your meter box frame also be damaged, you can fit a replacement meter box cover or overbox. More detailed instructions can are on our How to Fit a Tricel GRP Architrave Overbox video.