Hi, so I'm going to be running a gas line from my house to my detached garage in the near future for to heat it in the winter. I think I have it fairly well figure out accept for one thing I'm unsure of. My gas meter is actually inside my house (in the basement). I'm going to be digging a 2 foot trench that the line will lie in. The question is - Coming out of the house, should be gas line go threw the side of the house and then down into the trench.... Or can I just drill a hole in the foundation and have the pipe go directly threw that into the trench? At the garage obviously I will have the pipe come up and then go into the siding. But I don't know if I would need to do that at the house or not. Or if it would matter. Anyone have any ideas on this?
Running Gas Line
- Thread starter arohde
- Start date
gregtwojeeps
Well-known member
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sms1974
Well-known member
the ends of your gas line will have to come out of the ground in what is called a riser, its basically a sleeve that covers the plastic line where in goes in to the ground and has a compression fitting to get you to a standard pipe thread... however I would suggest you consult a professional plumber in your area...
vision8
Well-known member
All this must follow code; if anything happens ie. a fire or a leak and explosion. You will have voided your coverage. Same as doing your own electrical work and something happens .
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
If you run it underground in trac pipe make sure to sleeve any trac pipe that comes above ground before being connected to rigid black pipe,Also make sure the trac pipe is bonded to your electrical service.
slip knot
Well-known member
Check with your local planning commision. Find out what they require.I had to dig a gas line up last year becasue the plumber didn't run a trace wire in with the plastic tubing.
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
^ ^ ^ The yellow polyethylene plastic pipe is best solution. Use RISER at both ends that is L to come out of ground and transition to steel. Then use black pipe steel ABOVE GRADE to enter into the building.
Good luck OP but NO SHORTCUTS . . . Do It Once . . . Do It RIGHT !!
Yes, you need to put tracer wire in trench so plastic yellow gas line can be located later.
Good luck OP but NO SHORTCUTS . . . Do It Once . . . Do It RIGHT !!
Yes, you need to put tracer wire in trench so plastic yellow gas line can be located later.
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^ ^ ^ The yellow polyethylene plastic pipe is best solution. Use RISER at both ends that is L to come out of ground and transition to steel. Then use black pipe steel ABOVE GRADE to enter into the building.
Good luck OP but NO SHORTCUTS . . . Do It Once . . . Do It RIGHT !!
Yes, you need to put tracer wire around the plastic yellow gas line so it can be located later.
Thanks Everyone. So curious why I couldn't just go "CSST" directly from the meter (which is INSIDE in the basement) and run the "CSST out the wall of the house?
I guess I COULD just create another line in "series" off the meter using the current material (black pipe) and have it go outside, then transition to CSST (above grade like you say) but my original thought was to do the transition right off the meter from black pipe to CSST, then run the CSST through the floor joists in my basement, have it go out the wall, then have a riser, where it will go below grade.... Would you go black pipe out of the house? Thanks again for the information!
James-W
Well-known member
Why? Am I missing something? When the gas company ran the new natural gas service to my garage they ran a plastic gas line underground. Since the gas company uses plastic gas lines I have to assume they are safe and they meet code.Never trust a plumber who uses plastic gas lines.
KCarGuy
Well-known member
What I did, was...
Run Black Pipe in the House.
Went through the foundation above grade.
Black pipe 90 toward the ground.
shutoff in the house, shutoff outside.
Connected to CSST and ran that through a Roll Of Plastic Construction Piping Under Ground.
once out of the ground on the other end, connected back to Black Pipe.
Everything in the garage was Black pipe.
another shutoff entering the garage and at the Heater.
So...Everything in a Building (Black Pipe)
Outside of the building...CSST inside Plastic Piping (until 4 inches above ground)
all Sealed and waterproof
run a tracer wire too
and Shutoffs for repairs.
Good luck.
Run Black Pipe in the House.
Went through the foundation above grade.
Black pipe 90 toward the ground.
shutoff in the house, shutoff outside.
Connected to CSST and ran that through a Roll Of Plastic Construction Piping Under Ground.
once out of the ground on the other end, connected back to Black Pipe.
Everything in the garage was Black pipe.
another shutoff entering the garage and at the Heater.
So...Everything in a Building (Black Pipe)
Outside of the building...CSST inside Plastic Piping (until 4 inches above ground)
all Sealed and waterproof
run a tracer wire too
and Shutoffs for repairs.
Good luck.
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
The gas co does it because its cheap.If you ever hit a plastic gas line for some reason and punch a hole in it,be really careful about static electricity around it.
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
Make sure to bond/ground the csst/trac pipe .
So why didn't you just go all CSST? That's what I'm thinking about doing just because it seems simpler. Any good reasons not to do that besides paying a little more then you would for black pipe? Thanks.
Adam
That CSST idea in underground conduit will still be rusting from water, and bigtime risk for lightning. It might be easy, but doesn't mean it's good idea.
Deep trench and the yellow PE pipe is current standard setup. Drive into ANY back lot of natural gas company and you'll find lots & lots of yellow PE plastic pipe of all sizes. You'll NOT find a single piece of CSST !!
Deep trench and the yellow PE pipe is current standard setup. Drive into ANY back lot of natural gas company and you'll find lots & lots of yellow PE plastic pipe of all sizes. You'll NOT find a single piece of CSST !!
James-W
Well-known member
I don't claim to know very much about gas company policy, in fact, I know next to nothing about it. But it would seem to me that it would be beneficial for them to use pipe that didn't cause any problems in-so-far as leaks are concerned. In other words, it would be in the best interest of the gas company to use pipe that is not prone to having leaks because a gas leak from the street to the gas meter would mean the gas company is losing money, not to mention the safety hazards it would impose. Whatever money was saved by using plastic pipe would be lost if there is a leak, and the potential loss would most likely be many times more than the cost savings in using plastic pipe. But that is just my personal opinion and I could be wrong.
HoosierBuddy
Well-known member
Assuming your gas company will allow it (YES, you should ask them).
Run black steel inside and through the wall above ground. Paint or wrap the pipe to protect against corrosion, especially where it goes through the building wall. Install a 1/4 turn shutoff valve. Bury PE gas line (3/4" to 1 1/4" depending on load) from the house to the garage with anodeless service risers on each end. Your PE connections will be made by heat fusion or using stab-style couplings. If you don't know what I mean by that...then you should likely hire a plumber. Again, switch to black steel after you come above ground at the garage and take that all the way to the heater. Drop down into a drip leg and tee off to an approved appliance connector that will hook to your heater.
I'm not a big fan of trac-pipe in general. If you do use it, it does have to be bonded. Many types cannot be used underground as direct bury. You must be "certified" to install it by the manufacturer. Normally that just means you have to read their book of instructions and sign off that you understand them and you must follow them.
Good Luck!
Run black steel inside and through the wall above ground. Paint or wrap the pipe to protect against corrosion, especially where it goes through the building wall. Install a 1/4 turn shutoff valve. Bury PE gas line (3/4" to 1 1/4" depending on load) from the house to the garage with anodeless service risers on each end. Your PE connections will be made by heat fusion or using stab-style couplings. If you don't know what I mean by that...then you should likely hire a plumber. Again, switch to black steel after you come above ground at the garage and take that all the way to the heater. Drop down into a drip leg and tee off to an approved appliance connector that will hook to your heater.
I'm not a big fan of trac-pipe in general. If you do use it, it does have to be bonded. Many types cannot be used underground as direct bury. You must be "certified" to install it by the manufacturer. Normally that just means you have to read their book of instructions and sign off that you understand them and you must follow them.
Good Luck!
nadogail
Well-known member
Ditto's on running the black pipe through the wall above grade, you do not need water coming into your basement from an underground penetration.
This is the best solution to your problem. Plus, you need to bury a copper wire with the plastic pipe so you can locate it later. Lay the PE plastic pipe in the trench, put 4-6 inches of dirt on top, then lay the copper wire. Bring the wire above ground and wrap around the anodeless riser. There are a couple of reasons for the separation between the pipe and wire. First, there have been recorded instances of lightning hitting risers and following the wire which heats up and melts the plastic pipe underground. Secondly, and I think MUCH more likely to happen, it gives a visual clue to someone digging that when the expose the wire that they are very close to cutting a gas line.
zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
Feel free to explain that to M.U.D/metropolitan utilities district controls the gas/water in the Omaha area,Me and many others I know have tried.
Slowgsr
Well-known member
I did mine like this
Backthread to just after gas meter and put a T (1") then a shutoff
Then around the house, in black iron to another T
Then one side went to a bbq shutoff then under my deck where i converted to ccst and ended up at my bbq, no drip loop here... Our gas is super clean. Then i have a quick connect for the bbq hose
The other part of the T connects to a riser... Riser connects to that 1" underground plastic line
Comes up at my shop, another riser (all push connect) then a shutoff, then down to 1/2" and a couple 90's to make a swing and into the shop
Converts to ccst inside the wall, that runs up the inside of the wall, across of the attic, then to black iron where it comes through the ceiling, to a shutoff, drip loop and the u shape flexhose (black) for my radiant heater.
Backthread to just after gas meter and put a T (1") then a shutoff
Then around the house, in black iron to another T
Then one side went to a bbq shutoff then under my deck where i converted to ccst and ended up at my bbq, no drip loop here... Our gas is super clean. Then i have a quick connect for the bbq hose
The other part of the T connects to a riser... Riser connects to that 1" underground plastic line
Comes up at my shop, another riser (all push connect) then a shutoff, then down to 1/2" and a couple 90's to make a swing and into the shop
Converts to ccst inside the wall, that runs up the inside of the wall, across of the attic, then to black iron where it comes through the ceiling, to a shutoff, drip loop and the u shape flexhose (black) for my radiant heater.
HoosierBuddy
Well-known member
Feel free to explain that to M.U.D/metropolitan utilities district controls the gas/water in the Omaha area,Me and many others I know have tried.
High Density Polyethylene gas pipe has become the "Go To" material of choice for all gas companies in the U.S. The last "all steel" gas distribution system of which I was aware finally began using PE for additions about 10 years ago. Most had switched over by the 80's.
PE is cheaper than steel. It comes in rolls (for smaller pipe diameters) meaning you typically only need to fuse it at each end, compared to every 21 or 42 feet for steel. PE doesn't rust like steel. Obviously it's much cheaper than steel. It can be pinched off, using proper tools to allow for maintenance or to stop the escape of gas in an emergency situation.
Steel still has a place in natural gas systems. It's required for above ground facilities or lines operated above normal distribution pressures. In the US, traditionally plastic pipe has been limited by federal regulations to use below 100 PSI, but in Canada and Europe, newer plastics are run at even higher pressures.
So...the "should we use plastic debate" for gas lines occurred. It likely peaked in intensity about 35 years ago...and "YES" was the overwhelming decision.
99.9% of the issues with PE are people want to dig around it improperly...and are upset when that doesn't turn out well for them.
Call before you dig.
Phil
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zmaxmotorsports
Well-known member
The problem around here is that the gas co locaters generally as a rule cant locate their way out of a wet paper bag to save their lives,Ask me how I know this.
Ive seen them be off by more than 10' on many occasions .