There’s a lot to recommend natural gas. Compared to oil and even electricity (depending on the exact mix of production methods in your area), it’s cheap, relatively clean and effective in heating your home, cooking your dinner and running your boiler. It’s not without its dangers though, so it’s best to know what’s going on with your gas pipework if you’re considering having work done.
What Is Residential Gas Pipework?
As the name may suggest, residential gas pipework is the network of pipes which connect your appliances to the gas. This could be joining your boiler to a tank or stove to a city-wide supply- once it enters your property, it becomes part of your residential gas pipework.
Common applications in the home include things like:
- Boilers
- Water heaters
- Kitchen stoves
If you turn them on and see a flame, it’s likely that natural gas is being supplied to them via pipework.
Natural gas can be pretty dangerous if not treated with care and respect. This means that it’s a good idea to leave dealing with it to the professionals. Most locations actually insist that only trained, registered plumbers can work on gas lines, but it’s still a good idea to understand them as a homeowner.
Components of Residential Gas Pipework
As you’ve probably guessed, the key element of the gas pipework in your home is a network of pipes. The clue really was in the name. There’s a little more to it though and even the different pipes do slightly different things:
- Main Gas Line: This is the gas equivalent of the water main. It brings gas from your supplier into your home.
- Branch lines: These snake off from the main gas line and supply each individual appliance that uses your natural gas.
Along these lines you’ll find various fixtures and fittings including:
- Shut-off Valves: These allow you to isolate part of the network or even shut off the supply entirely.
- Various fittings: Things like outlet nozzles for connecting appliances to and all the usual elbows and joints you’d see on a copper plumbing system.
- Gauges: Gas within your pipework is pressurized. This allows it to be pushed around your home. Gauges allow you to keep track on whether it’s too high or low. They’re an important safety feature.
- Pressure Regulators: Just like water pressure, you want your home’s natural gas to be optimized. These devices avoid it getting too high, risking damage to your appliances and home.
All together, these elements form your natural gas pipework.
Types of Gas Pipes For Residential Use
Various different materials have been used in natural gas plumbing and each has its pros and cons. The most commonly seen are:
Steel Pipes
Otherwise known as black iron piping, these are strong and durable, making them great for dealing with pressurized gas. They’re relatively cheap to produce and easy to connect up too making them a common choice.
On the downside, they’re not coated with anything (the black coloration comes from iron oxide). This makes them susceptible to rusting, especially if they’re underground. They can be protected, but it’s an extra step to consider.
Copper Pipes
As with traditional plumbing, copper pipes are valued for their malleability, being easy to shape and bend. If handled correctly, they can be flexed into all kinds of configurations without loss of strength. Being cheap and easily available makes them the obvious choice for many natural gas applications in the home.
That being said, some local authorities don’t support the use of copper pipework for gas. There is some evidence that some variations of the natural gas available locally could cause corrosion within the pipes. This mostly applies in California and other parts of the West Coast. Other areas have been successfully using it for decades without issue. This highlights the importance of checking local regulations before considering any work.
Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing
Corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) is quickly becoming the material of choice when installing or upgrading gas pipework. It’s incredibly flexible, making it easy to run long lengths and avoiding the need for too many fittings. This gives it a bit of an edge against copper: the less joints, the less potential for leaks.
On the negative side, it’s particularly vulnerable to lightning strikes. A direct hit to an ungrounded gas line can cause leaks or even explosions. This can be circumvented by ensuring the network is well grounded. Unfortunately, the regulations around this were only adopted in 2006, so older installations may be non-compliant.
PVC and Polyethylene Pipes
While it’s unlikely that you’ll find plastics such as PVC or Polyethylene pipes inside your home’s network, there’s a good chance they’re used on the supply side. As plastics, they don’t corrode and have a good ability to withstand pressure. This makes them ideal for conducting your natural gas supply underground.
Unfortunately, they can be vulnerable to becoming brittle at low temperatures.
Installing Gas Pipework In Your Home
If you’re considering converting to gas or upgrading your existing pipework, there are a number of things to think about. You’ve got to weigh out the needs of your home, the safety elements and aim to ensure efficiency, both in terms of energy usage and costs.
From planning to installation, anything involving dealing with natural gas lines is a job for professional plumbers. In fact, it’s not just any plumber either: gas work is a specialization and it’s important to only work with fully licensed fitters. Natural gas can be dangerous if not properly installed, so cutting corners is beyond unwise.
The Residential Installation Process
The process for installing a new gas line plumbing system goes something like this:
- Initial Planning and Assessment: The needs of the particular home are considered before the layout blueprints are drawn up.
- Choosing The Right Materials: The specifics of the job, budget and safety are all taken into account before purchase.
- Installing and Securing Pipework: The pipework will be installed, aiming to keep the run as short as possible and with the least number of fittings. This reduces the risk of leaks developing.
- Testing and Inspection: The newly installed system will be thoroughly tested to ensure that it’s leak free. Once the installer is satisfied with their work, it will be officially inspected and the paperwork completed.
With a staggering variety of variations on local building codes across the country, working with licensed professionals is absolutely vital. Not only is it a legal requirement in most locations, it’s a matter of safety.
Maintenance and Inspection Of Residential Gas Pipework
As with any system in your home, it’s important to keep on top of the maintenance schedule. While any work is best left to the pros (it’s also a good idea to book in an annual inspection) there are a few things you can do:
- Regularly inspect for signs of corrosion
- Checking connections are secure
- Ensuring proper ventilation around appliances by keeping areas clean and tidy.
Keep an eye out for things like:
- Gas odors
- Hissing sounds
- Rust and corrosion
- Unexpected rises in bills.
Any of these could be a sign of a leak. If you see them, shut off the supply and call a registered engineer immediately.
Gas Pipe Safety Tips For Homeowners
If we had to give one simple tip for any homeowner regarding their gas lines it would be: leave them alone. Gas can be lethal, so it’s best left to those who know what they’re doing. Explosions were once common and are still not unheard of.
Slightly less flippantly:
- Avoid DIY modifications
- Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms around appliances
- Know where the shut off valves are and how/when to use them
- Keep vents clear
- Schedule regular inspections: ideally once a year.
Regulations and Codes For Residential Gas Pipework
There are a plethora of local and national regulations around the installation and maintenance of gas pipework in residential settings. These will vary depending on where exactly you happen to live, but as a general rule they emphasize the importance of professional installation and maintenance.
The International Fuel Gas Code aims to standardize a minimum level of compliance across borders. It covers things like appliances, venting, pipe sizing and everything else associated with installing, fixing and running gas to homes, businesses and governmental buildings. It’s updated every 3 years by the International Code Council, whose work is adopted as the basis for most local codes in the US.
Permits And Inspections
Almost any gas installation or modification of an existing system will require paperwork to be completed. This will be issued by your local planning authority and will require detailed plans to be submitted before work starts.
Once the work is completed, it will be inspected before being signed off. This process aims to ensure that all the relevant safety standards have been met.
Your gas registered plumbers will be able to keep you compliant with local regulations.
Innovations in Residential Gas Pipework
As gas takes off in popularity across the US, we’re seeing various innovations coming to the fore. Whether it’s the licensing of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping, offering increased both increased durability and flexibility, or energy efficiency standards being redefined by new technology, things don’t stay still for long.
In recent years, things like smart meters and automated shut-offs have been reducing residential fuel bills and improving safety. As technology and uptake continues to improve, environmental impacts fall, making natural gas an important steppingstone towards a greener future.