[tibberous]

I am taking out a furnace and can't get the gas line off the furnace. If I shut the gas off and open the stove, and wait a few hours, will I be able to use a recip saw to cut through the iron pipe?

My plan is to cut a section of pipe, then use a pipe-wrench to remove it, then cap it with a short threaded piece and a cap.

 

[jagans]

Use a close quarters pipe cutter, but I can't beleive you cant loosen it. Rent a couple of real Rigid Pipe Wrenches, and eat some Wheaties. Are you sure your are turning the Union in the right direction? They can be deceiving.

 

[tibberous]

Use a close quarters pipe cutter, but I can't beleive you cant loosen it. Rent a couple of real Rigid Pipe Wrenches, and eat some Wheaties. Are you sure your are turning the Union in the right direction? They can be deceiving.

There was actually a capped T like 2" away from a valve, so I removed the cap, closed the valve and cut it. Weird because even though I knew there wasn't gas / couldn't smell any gas, my heart raced the entire time.

The furnace is tight against a wall, if the wall wasn't there I probably could have unscrewed it.

 

[jagans]

That was probably a drip.

 

[tibberous]

That was probably a drip.

Ha! I though the guy ran out of L's so he used a T and a cap - your theory makes more sense...

 

[ddawg16]

Once the gas is off, you don't need to wait....the gas will disapate so fast that it's a non issue.

Remember, gas needs air to to burn....the gas in the pipe is not going to burn because there is no air. Worse case, you get a small 'puff' of flame at the cut (if you were using a sawzall)...but that would be it. I just spent the last 3 days messing with a 22M BTU Combustion Burner....We were opening valves...leaking gas out....doing all sorts of things....no issues....just don't smoke in the area....

 

[Fix'n it]

.just don't smoke in the area....

that doesn't make any sense. cutting it, and throwing sparks is ok. but a cig is not ok ?

 

[ddawg16]

that doesn't make any sense. cutting it, and throwing sparks is ok. but a cig is not ok ?

I was talking about my case....

 

[tibberous]

that doesn't make any sense. cutting it, and throwing sparks is ok. but a cig is not ok ?

I'd rather have a puff of fire near my hands than face

 

[Fix'n it]

I'd rather have a puff of fire near my hands than face

no doubt. but from what is being said here. there would not be enough gas left to light off.

and no, i am not advocating smoking and cutting gas line .
in my case, i would not do any kind of work, while smoking.

 

[oh'mike]

Off topic, but related-----

Once long ago I found a small leak at a coupling if the middle of a long run---above a drywalled ceiling-----

I pictured a major job involving extensive drywall work and reworking 40 feet of piping--

A plumber came in----sawed the coupling in half---removed the two halves---added a union and was done in less than an hour.

Duh---so simple,yet the idea of cutting the coupling in half never even occurred to me.

 

[BC Plumber]

Did you get a permit?

 

[oh'mike]

Did you get a permit?

No I didn't---Why did you ask?

Perhaps you aimed that at the OP----?

 

[BC Plumber]

To the original poster, not you mike, sorry for the confusion.


4 (1) An individual must not perform regulated work in respect of a gas system or gas equipment unless the individual
(a) holds a certificate of qualification issued under this Part,
(b) is authorized to perform regulated work in respect of gas without holding a certificate of qualification,
(c) has successfully completed a training program recognized by a provincial safety manager,
(d) holds another certificate of qualification to perform limited work in respect of gas under the Act,
(e) is a homeowner acting in accordance with section 24, or
(f) is permitted to do so in accordance with section 5 of the Safety Standards General Regulation.

24 (1) A homeowner may apply for an installation permit to perform regulated work with respect to gas equipment in a fully detached dwelling if

(a) no person is being paid to do, or assist the owner in doing, the work, and
(b) no part of the dwelling is rented to any person.
(2) Section 26 does not apply to a homeowner who performs regulated work under this section.


For liability. If anything happens with that furnace or piping without an inspection your home insurance is most likely void. Typically $50-$150 for the permit, which includes an inspection by an inspector with a gas license.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

Ells are for those without foresight and tees are for those that can see into the future . :thumbsup:

 

[Daniel Holzman]

As long as we are telling interesting stories about gas lines....

I was working on the Central Artery project (large highway project) in downtown Boston many years ago. We were doing the geotechnical analysis for the project, so we had to drill lots of holes. One day my field engineer calls me to report that the driller had drilled clean through a 24 inch diameter gas main, and it was leaking badly, and the job was shut down.

OK, so the gas company needs to fix the main. I assumed they would shut the line down and weld a plate over the line. Not so. Turns out that, as has been mentioned, natural gas is only flammable within a certain range of oxygen/gas mixture. There was so much gas that the area surrounding the line was not going to be flammable, at least that is what the gas company said. They excavated the line (it was about 6 or 7 feet down, sent a welder down into the hole with a scuba type tank, and welded the line shut without shutting it off. Neither I nor my field engineer wanted to be within a hundred miles of this operation, it sounded pretty crazy, but the gas company said to relax, they do this routinely.

Now I am NOT recommending this to any homeowner, DIY'er or anyone else, just saying......

 

[tibberous]

Did you get a permit?

I hope you aren't serious? Im not spending $50 and two days every time I want to cut a pipe or run a wire. I'm going to get exactly 1 permit, ever, to build a garage.

Doesn't anyone else think that the government telling you what you can do in your own home (and charge you to do it) is a little unamerican? Someone wants to tell me what to do in my house, they can pay me 250,000 - then it will be there house, and they can decide what is done to it.

 

[hvac benny]

As long as we are telling interesting stories about gas lines....

I was working on the Central Artery project (large highway project) in downtown Boston many years ago. We were doing the geotechnical analysis for the project, so we had to drill lots of holes. One day my field engineer calls me to report that the driller had drilled clean through a 24 inch diameter gas main, and it was leaking badly, and the job was shut down.

OK, so the gas company needs to fix the main. I assumed they would shut the line down and weld a plate over the line. Not so. Turns out that, as has been mentioned, natural gas is only flammable within a certain range of oxygen/gas mixture. There was so much gas that the area surrounding the line was not going to be flammable, at least that is what the gas company said. They excavated the line (it was about 6 or 7 feet down, sent a welder down into the hole with a scuba type tank, and welded the line shut without shutting it off. Neither I nor my field engineer wanted to be within a hundred miles of this operation, it sounded pretty crazy, but the gas company said to relax, they do this routinely.

Now I am NOT recommending this to any homeowner, DIY'er or anyone else, just saying......

They didn't weld on blowing gas. What they would have done is put a boiler plug into the hole, clamp it, let the gas dissipate to a safe level, then weld the plug in place.

If gas levels in the atmosphere are above the upper explosive limit, somewhere in that gas cloud is a gas concentration within the explosive limits,

 

[BC Plumber]

I hope you aren't serious? Im not spending $50 and two days every time I want to cut a pipe or run a wire. I'm going to get exactly 1 permit, ever, to build a garage.

Doesn't anyone else think that the government telling you what you can do in your own home (and charge you to do it) is a little unamerican? Someone wants to tell me what to do in my house, they can pay me 250,000 - then it will be there house, and they can decide what is done to it.

I am serious. You need a permit to replace a gas-fired appliance. Here we do anyway. Someone wants to tell you what to do in your house, because you are working with a flammable, explosive and potentially dangerous for not just yourself, but people that live in your area. Not to be rude, but you are uneducated when it comes to dealing with hydrocarbon gasses. As a plumber/gasfitter myself, it doesnt bug me when someone wants to change out a sink themselves, move water/sewer fixtues, etc- in the end if its done wrong theres a flood, sewage backup or it doesnt work as designed-in the end not a big deal. When dealing with GAS it can be life threatening.

It's worth getting the inspection as they can pick up other things that you may not even remotely be aware of.

Example.
Combustion air, flue gas analysis, flow rate of gas to your appliance. Have you clocked your appliance? Do you know if its getting the proper BTU to the burners?

I'm not trying to pick on you or be rude, ill do everything I can to help- but some rules such as permits are there to protect you, your block and future home owners

 

[paintdrying]

I like the idea that if I was to cut off my hand the government forces the hospital to sew it back on, even if I have no money or can not speak English. I am willing to pay so people that do not work or what ever can get their hand sewed back on. If I choose to cut off my hand the government should have no say in that. It is my hand. If someone want to cut off my hand I think the government should stop them. So in you working on your house with no permit is only endangering you and your property, have at it.