Gas Line Extension - Can I use Flexible Pipe?

jogr

I'm looking forward to this thread popping up again sometime in the fall of 2012.

cabledogrg11

Look on their site, http://www.gasflex.com you can find local distributors in your area where you can buy it. Not required to be a professional. About $2-$3 a ft. is still correct, the fittings are pretty fair.

log_doc_rob

Two years early !!!!!

DIYers do not understand that going the easy way is not always the best way to do things and can be quite dangerous.

fireguy

Do not forget, you cannot connect the flexible corrugated hoses together for more length.

BigEater

[/INDENT]You were darn close. Check out this story from the Des Moines Register.

"At least 24 house fires in the Des Moines area since 2007 have been linked to a popular flexible gas tube that is vulnerable to damage from lightning, fire officials said.Local fire officials estimate thousands of homes are at risk - particularly in developments built in the past 20 years"

This type of pipe has been linked to many lightning-strike fires. Apparently what happens is that when lightning hits the ground near the pipe, it is able to travel up the pipe into the house and then arc when the pipe passes by another metal object like a nail. The arc puts a hole in the pipe and ignites the gas. Some experts are saying that it will happen even when the gas line is grounded. So as usual, grandpa was right all along.

BigEater

See above

rico567

I can hardly see how grandpa was right about that, any more than his pa was right about never giving up his kerosene lamps. I find it difficult to believe that lightning is going to travel up plastic pipe into a house, plastic being a pretty good insulator. Our propane provider is preparing to use this pipe on a new line to our tank for a standby generator, says they like to do separate lines with another cutoff. Since it's all outdoors, I think I'll risk it.......

autx790

The pipe isn't plastic rico...it's stainless steel. Most gas line installers will tell you it "was" a risk to fires but believe if grounded properlly, the risk is removed. However, as bigeater mentioned, even when grounded properly, this type of gas line is still causing fires all across the country.

Lightfoot

i sure hope the OP got it fixed by now

Ozzie Vincent

There is a medium density flexible yellow polyethylene tubing used for gas pipe by local utilities underground. It is thermally or heat fused to itself for longer runs and to Tee couplings for taps. I have see coils up to maybe 2" diameter. I have also seen 4" and maybe 6" diameters for mains that are maybe 40F long that are fused together into block long runs. These long runs are then hydraulically pulled through existing pipes a block at a time. They apparently use higher pressure to compensate for the smaller diameter.

I would like to know if this tubing is every permitted above ground.


Separately, there is a flexible, corrugated stainless steel tubing that has an additional yellow plastic covering. This is apparently permitted anywhere within buildings but does require special fittings and special tool to compress the corrugations to make a gas tight connection at the end to attach to the fittings.

rico567

Our propane supplier installed this type of line as a separate supply when we had a standby generator installed this Fall. Where it goes above ground, it is installed in a gray plastic conduit. I am assuming (but I do not know) that the conduit is required to protect the yellow plastic gas tubing whenever it is exposed.

plummen

All it takes is a little static electricity around a leaking plastic gas line to set it off,and yes theres lots of static around the plastic ones buried in the ground

hvac benny

Plastic (PE) pipe is not allowed above ground for gas installations, mainly for two reasons: it can be punctured easily, and the sun will damage it. To bring the plastic pipe up and out of the ground, the plastic transitions to steel inside of a steel pipe, or riser.

hvac benny

This thread couldn't stay hidden until then! Who knows, maybe it'll resurface this fall.

shnz821

Wish granted

Actually I ran across this thread while researching the flexible black gas line, as my contractor's plumber just installed some of this line in my house last night. We wanted to tap into the gas line in the utility room directly below our kitchen, in order to change out our electric stove for a gas one. He ran the black flexible line from the tap off the gas main downstairs, up and around the ductwork in the open ceiling in the utility room and through the floor into the kitchen. I don't see any evidence of the 'bonding and grounding' that I read about online, and when I asked about it, I was told that since the line has a rubber exterior and it's tapped into the main "grounded" gas line, that there shouldn't be any issue. Still not 100% convinced.