Steel, black iron, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and copper are the most popular materials used to build gas piping. Some of these materials are prohibited by some utilities, so check with your local utility to see what is permitted in your region before installing any. If you employ a professional to complete the task, they will be familiar with the local regulations.
Flexible Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing
Corrugated stainless steel tubing is flexible and easy to install, and it works well in compact spaces and areas with a high risk of natural disasters. Flexible corrugated stainless steel tubing can crack over time, despite its ability to reduce damage. This material should only be used for indoor gas piping.
Galvanized Steel
Galvanized steel gas pipes are both energy efficient and long-lasting. Galvanized steel pipes are suitable for water supply lines since they may be used for both interior and outside gas lines. Because it is labor-intensive compared to other materials, this material is commonly found in older homes and is not used in new structures nowadays.
Black Iron
The most frequent material used to manufacture gas pipes, both inside and outside, is black iron. The substance is durable, heat resistant, and can be molded into an airtight seal. Black iron, on the other hand, can corrode and its sealant erode over time. Consider contacting a professional for routine maintenance if your gas pipes are constructed of black iron.
PVC
Because PVC gas pipes are sturdy and corrosion-resistant, they’re ideal for underground outside gas lines. Although PVC pipes are a cost-effective option, some places do not allow them since they can break during installation.
HDPE
HDPE pipes, like PVC pipes, are appropriate for buried outside lines. Although these plastic pipes are flexible and affordable, they can be damaged by subsurface material such as rocks and tree roots.
Copper
Some towns do not allow copper gas lines, therefore their use is limited. Copper pipes have severe code requirements that limit their use due to their estimated life of 20 years.
What is the best natural gas pipe to use?
CSST tubing, also known as corrugated stainless steel tubing, is ideal for gas appliance installation. Because these corrugated pipes can bend around curves, fewer joints and fittings are required.
What kind of natural gas pipe is used underground?
Underground systems must perform in tough and corrosive environments, unlike above-ground gas piping installations that require metallic piping. Underground installation of metallic pipe necessitates the use of additional, costly materials to safeguard the pipe. Polyethylene gas piping systems are designed and approved specifically for use underground. Gastite has teamed with Continental Industries, Inc. to deliver PE tubing and components that assemble in minutes to form a complete underground gas pipe system, providing a real underground gas piping solution.
Natural gas piping is made of what kind of material?
Natural gas pipes have been made out of a number of materials over the years.
The materials used depend on the date the pipeline was put into service, the pipeline’s diameter and pressurization requirements, and the terrain’s features.
The most prevalent pipeline materials are listed below.
Pipes for natural gas transmission networks are made of steel.
These pipes have a massive diameter and run for more than a quarter-million miles across the United States.
Transmission system pipes are built of 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick steel with specific coatings and “cathodic” protection, which is an electric current that regulates corrosion on the metal surface via electro-chemistry.
Although plastic has become the material of choice for pipe installed in the last 30 years, some distribution main pipe is steel.
Because of its superior corrosion resistance, cast iron was the material of choice for many urban utility systems for much of the twentieth century.
Steel superseded cast iron as the preferred material in the 1950s, owing to its flexibility and strength.
Plastic pipe has predominated in gas utility distribution systems running at less than 100 pounds of pressure for the past 30 years.
Plastic pipe made up half a million miles of distribution main in 2003.
Plastic pipe is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and easy to transport and install.
Plastic pipe can also be placed into existing lines or through soil without having to dig trenches all the way through.
Is it possible to utilize plastic pipe for natural gas?
The most extensively utilized plastic piping material for natural gas distribution is polyethylene (PE) gas piping. PE’s inertness to both the external soil environment and natural gas has been widely demonstrated.
Is copper tubing safe to use with natural gas?
Many households in the northern half of the country will have to turn on their heating systems at the beginning of October. Natural gas is one of the most cost-effective and efficient fuels for a furnace or boiler. With its benefits come questions about safety and obligations for homeowners. It is your role as a home inspector to assist in the detection of flaws that may jeopardize the safety of residents in natural gas-powered homes. We’ll go through some of the fundamentals of gas piping inspection.
The gas supply line, also known as the building line, is the plumbing that runs throughout the house. Individual appliances are served by branch lines. The branch line finishes in a drop line, which is a vertical pipe that drops down from an overhead branch line to the appliance. If it carries gas up to an appliance from a branch line below the appliance, it’s called a riser.
A sediment trap or dirt pocket, commonly referred to as a drip leg, is normally present at the appliance connection point and consists of a nipple and a cap. This pipe extension, which is normally at least 3 inches long, is designed to catch any water or foreign material that may be present in the gas before it enters the appliance. The solids and liquids fall into the pocket, which is just a gravity mechanism.
The homeowner is normally responsible for the pipework downstream of the gas meter. The gas company is normally responsible for the piping upstream of the gas meter, as well as the meter itself.
Steel, copper, and brass are the most popular materials for gas piping. In some cases, galvanized steel, copper, brass, or CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing) can be used, but copper is prohibited by some utilities. Copper is widely used in different parts of the world. You should be aware of what is considered acceptable in your neighborhood. Black steel piping with malleable iron or steel fittings is common. In other cases, galvanized steel is also used.
Flexible connectors are allowed to be used to connect appliances to gas pipelines. A shut-off valve must be installed at the rigid piping connection. This valve must be located in the same area as the appliance.
Accessible and three or six feet long: The flexible connectors cannot pass through walls, floors, or ceilings, and they cannot be hidden. Except for gas stoves and laundry dryers, the flexible connector length is normally limited to 3 feet. 6 feet is usually allowed for these equipment. Using nipples to splice or join connectors is frequently forbidden. Flexible connectors are only allowed in some jurisdictions for gas stoves, dryers, outdoor barbecues, and other semi-portable equipment. Flexible connectors may be prohibited on gas furnaces, water heaters, space heaters, and other similar appliances. Flexible connectors are more likely to be utilized on all appliances in earthquake-prone areas because they give some protection against gas piping leakage or rupture during an earthquake. To find out what is and isn’t permitted in your area, consult your local gas code.
The use of white thread seal tape (often referred to as Teflon tape) as a connecting compound for steel gas piping is not recommended. Cutting oils on the pipe threads from the manufacturing process may hinder the tape from sealing. Yellow thread seal tape is permitted in some regions. Pipe dope is favored and may be the only option available. You might wish to double-check with the gas company. Inquire about whether any piping installations with thread seal tape of any color should be reported as a defect.
Although certain exceptions exist, most appliances should have a shut-off valve nearby.
The use of gas piping as a grounding mechanism for the electrical service is prohibited by most authorities. In many countries, however, bonding the gas piping to the electrical grounding system is required. This is often accomplished by connecting the gas pipe to the supply water piping (assuming it is grounded) near the water heater. We want to keep the gas piping at zero electrical potential by attaching it to the grounding system to prevent an electrical potential building within it that could lead to arcing, which could ignite gas.
On gas piping, the following issues are common:
- Materials that are not appropriate
- Inadequate assistance
- A shut-off valve is missing.
- Connections that are incorrect
- Above-grade exposure of plastic pipe
- Chimney piping and duct systems
- Tubing made of copper that hasn’t been correctly labeled
All of these issues have the potential to result in gas leaks and explosions.
Carson Dunlop’s home inspection training program is the only certified college dedicated solely to house inspection training and is designed to ensure your success. For more information about Carson Dunlop’s home inspection training program, click here.
Is PEX suitable for gas lines?
PEX pipe is not the same as PE piping, and the two are frequently confused. Polyethylene, or PE, is a flexible plastic polymer that is ideal for piping in wells and other cold-water supply lines.
PEX stands for polyethylene that has been cross-linked. It’s made of polyethylene, a material with a stronger link between the polymer chains that make it up. PEX is now suited for both hot and cold water applications as a result of this advancement. It can also be utilized in some gas applications, depending on the building code.
PEX and PE are more flexible and have a significantly greater pressure rating than typical gas lines, thus they suit those requirements. They are, however, made of a soft material that could be damaged by nails, rodents, and other objects. As a result, in your location, either may not be permitted for use as a residential gas line. Even when the utility provider is able to install it, plumbers and homeowners are not always able to.
Why are gas lines made of black pipe?
Pipes are needed to supply water and gas to houses and businesses. Stoves, water heaters, furnaces, and other appliances run on gas. Water is both necessary and obvious. Black pipe and galvanized pipe are the two most prevalent types of steel pipe used to transport water and gas. Homeowners and even some professionals are often perplexed as to where and when to use these steel pipes.
Galvanized steel pipe has a zinc coating applied to it to make it more corrosion resistant. Galvanized pipe is mostly used to bring water to homes and structures. The zinc also helps to prevent mineral deposits from clogging the water line.
Because it is uncoated, black steel pipe differs from galvanized pipe. The black color is due to the iron oxide that formed on the surface during production. Black steel pipe’s principal function is to transport natural gas into homes and businesses. The pipe has no seams, making it a stronger and safer pipe for transporting gas. Because black steel pipe is more fire resistant than galvanized pipe, it is also utilized for fire sprinkler systems.
In summary:
- Steel is used to make black and galvanized pipe.
- Black pipe does not have a zinc coating, whereas galvanized pipe does.
- Galvanized pipe is great for transporting water but not for transporting gas.
- Because of the zinc coating, galvanized pipe is more expensive.
- Galvanized pipe is more resistant to corrosion.
Because of the galvanized coating, you should not use galvanized pipe for gas. Galvanized steel bits will flake off over time and block your gas regulators and burner units.
If you mix galvanized and black iron, corrosion will be accelerated where they come into contact.
What type of pipe should be used for an underground gas line?
The quickest and safest way to install underground gas is with the HOME-FLEX Underground Yellow Poly Gas Pipe. It’s simple to use and cuts using common hand tools.
What is the name of the yellow gas pipe?
In the gas business, HDPE pipe is less frequent and is typically used in non-residential applications with high pressures (up to 125 psi). HDPE pipe can be black, black with a yellow stripe, or black with a yellow outmost layer, whereas MDPE gas pipe is yellow.
Is it possible to utilize flex pipe for gas?
Let’s clear some things up if you’re wondering what all the fuss is about flexible gas lines. Corrugated stainless-steel tubing is used to make flexible gas lines (CSST). These stainless steel pipes are incredibly flexible and are usually coated in a distinctive yellow casing, though they can also be black. Natural gas may now be delivered to your fireplace, furnace, stovetop, and any other natural gas-powered appliances thanks to this ingenious redesign of the classic black steel pipes.
