What is the deal on LP & Natural gas lines inside a home?
Can I use the flexible Copper with flared fittings? It would be a lot easier to snake thru the floor joists to the various appliances.
Or do I have to use black Iron pipe? If so is it required to have the Tee fitting with the 6 inches of crud receptacle underneath each drop. My existing house has this setup. Each location has a tee with a 6 inch nipple underneath it enclosed with a pipe cap. The gas goes up the tee to a shutoff then to the fitting then the appliance. I figured it was a place for the pipe scale to drop.
Last thought. Buried gas line from the house to the detached garage. how deep? is there a material preferred? what about shutoffs?
I currently have to use LP in this new construction but I hope to move my neighbors into the world of Natural Gas. Getting the pipeline extended is a tiresome political issue in the neighborhood.
Cost/benefit/laziness/crankiness. The tools of the political world.
Replies
I'd never use copper for interior gas line. It can crack or deteriorate over time. My preference would be black iron.
Whatever you do, make dang sure you check out your local codes first.
It's not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on. [Marilyn Monroe]
There's some stainless flexstuff with a plastic coating that is for gas. I don't know what state you are in so maybe it's not approved, but check with your plumbing supply. It's a hell of a lot faster and easier that black iron pipe. Comes in rolls, no joints every angle, no threading. Joe H
Edited 9/11/2002 2:48:58 PM ET by JoeH
The 6" dead-leg to catch crud is good practice, I'm not aware of a code requiring it. Not needed in my town.
I'm required to put NG lines 18" deep on residential property. The nicest option for the service line or to connect your buildings is polyethylene with steel stub-ups, typically 3/4" or 1" for residential. You measure carefully and the plumbing supply house makes them up to that length. I put shut-offs on both ends At the beginning (e.g. at the house where it leaves for the garage) so that in the case the trench pipe gets hit, I can still heat the house. And at the garage gas line entrance because that's the first place one might look to quickly shut it off. But that's just my practice, not a requirement.
The presence of sulphur compounds in NG varies locally and therefore the option of using copper varies locally. Your building department could lay out your options quickly.
NG is so much nicer than LPG. Cheaper, most appliance run hotter, no tank to refill and you recover the yard space from the tank (which is so very attractive).
"The presence of sulphur compounds in NG varies locally and therefore the option of using copper varies locally. Your building department could lay out your options quickly."
Is that right? Does each place have different mixes for the gas smell? I was told that copper and galvanized was not allowed due to the chemicals that were added to natural gas to give it's smell. I recently did a project (large commercial) in Minneapolis and all of the gas piping was hard copper with silver solder joints. In Chicago all gas piping is black iron pipe up to 2" and then welded steel. No copper is allowed. In England all of the gas piping was soft copper. I though that all of the natural gas came from a similar source "bought from different places but put into the pipe line and sold".
I believe that most all NG utilities add mercaptans for the familiar "gas odor". "Deodorized" gas is labelled as such when it is shipped as a safety warning. Two factors are going on. The regional one is that a given source of natural gas (Western Canada, Texas, the land under my house, etc) has a natural amount of sulphur compounds. The second, local factor is what your building department allows. Hopefully that takes into account the chemical composition of the regional source of natural gas. But it is also effected by contractors, manufacturers, politicians, and institutional inertia.
What people flush down the toilet is very similar from one city to another. Many cities allow ABS DWV piping. Yet some still insist on cast iron. Sometimes it is a "what worked in 1920 is good enough for me" mentality. Or a fire department might make a big stink about toxic off-gassing in a fire. Regardless, it favors the contractors versus DIYers. Which camp wins varies from place to place.
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Your right. In Chicago lead supply piping was outlawed only 10 or 15 years ago. PVC waste piping is only allowed in residential that is less than three stories and the max. pipe size is 3". All of the old houses have 4" cast iron and you cannot extend the stack with 4" PVC (found out the hard way). All electrical must be in conduit (even low voltage). NM is only allowed for whips (6' or less) or if it is fished inside of existing walls and is concealed. Most of these requirements are a result of the strong Union presence. In fact a homeowner is not allowed to do any electrical work, only a licensed contractor. If you want to do your own plumbing you have to have a notarized letter stating that you have elected to do you own work.
No copper allowed inside the residence or buildings in our locale with LPG…..period; and for good reason. Black pipe is the only piping material allowed inside until you’re within 36” of appliance connection, in which case you can use flex. Copper is allowed only for underground feeders.
Remember.......the code is there to protect you in this case.....if the gas pipes in your house develop a leak………….you just might wake up dead.
If your local code official will allow it (and most should) corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) is the way to go. It must be installed by a certified installer is the only catch. One brand is Omega TracPipe
http://www.omegaflex.com/trac/default.htm
another is by Parker Gas Piping (PGP)
http://www.parker.com/parflex/pgp.htm
CSST can be pulled thru walls almost like electrical wiring and is generally installed in a manifold system with "home runs" from each appliance.
Labor costs are less than half that of iron pipe although material costs will eat up a good portion of the savings. In a residence, unless you have a great number of appliances, you are not likely to see a savings