Painting the gas entrance piping

[JB Thompson]

Hello all,

Is there a requirement for painting the gas line as it enters the home? I'm thinking specifically IRC, but I'll take any answer.:)

Thanks in advance.
Bruce

[Jerry Peck]

What color?

Hot pink or fluorescent green? :)

[JB Thompson]

My client ( a buyer) informed me that the person who inspected the home she just sold required that the gas pipe should be painted.

She painted it... hot pink :)

[Jerry Peck]

the person who inspected the home she just sold required


A home inspector?

How can a home inspector "require" anything?

No, to my knowledge, the gas line does not need to be painted, hot pink or otherwise.

[JB Thompson]

Require was not the right word. I guess that he said it should be painted and the buyer said "paint it".

[Gunnar Alquist]

If the black pipe has rust on it, I have a standard sentence that suggests painting. No requirement, just a suggestion.

[Michael Thomas]

The last time we had this discussion Bob Harper suggested a cold galvanizing compound such as Galvax and Jerry Peck suggested using the brush-on rather than the spray can material.

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When I want to cover myself, and need something more specific than "scrape" for the surface preparation portion of "scrape, print and paint" for metallic surfaces such as corroded exterior gas pipes, I use:

"remove existing corrosion and prepare surfaces for painting in accordance with the "Surface Preparation Standards and Specifications" of the Society for Protective Coatings ( SSPC Standards Titles and Scopes (http://sspc.org/standards/scopes.html#sp) ) or per the coating manufacturer's instructions."

[Jim Luttrall]

I just say to protect the exposed pipes from corrosion.

[JB Thompson]

I just say to protect the exposed pipes from corrosion.

I like that line the best.

I just thought it was funny that the purchaser was basically saying that this pipe needed to painted by the seller before they would go forward with the house.

I hope they like hot pink.

[John C Ritter]

Is there a requirement for painting the gas line as it enters the home? I'm thinking specifically IRC, but I'll take any answer.:)

I can't point to a particular code requirement, but here in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, I've had two different furnace people suggest to me (different houses) -- that the black gas piping should be painted yellow -- at least every 6 inches -- to readily identify it as a gas line.

Didn't seem like bad advice, though why anyone would just start cutting into a line when they don't know what's inside... Guess that's why "fool-proof" never works -- Always a better fool somewhere...

John

[JB Thompson]

Seems like (to me at least) it's pretty obvious that it is a gas line. Down here in TX, all of the new construction for gas is a yellow plastic line running all through the attic to a manifold.

[Bob Harper]

IFGC 401.5 Identification. "For other than black steel pipe, exposed piping shall be identified by a yellow lablel marked "gas" in black letters. The marking shall be spaced at intervals not exceding 5 feet (1524mm). The marking shall not be required on pipe located in the same room as the equipment served. "

CSST comes wrapped in yellow with black markings (clever, huh?) so it already complies and is a listed system. Copper tubing is the big one here. They now sell it with a yellow polyester coating with markings just like CSST. They also sell it with a red poly coating for fuel oil. When you use this plastic coating, you can run the copper through masonry walls or in direct contact with masonry as it is already protected. Not too many techs know about this coated copper tubing. BTW, it comes in K & L but I have not see it in AC/R around here. Kamco was the first I saw to market it.

One of the big reasons for this requirement is so homeowners won't be tempted to use the gas tubing as a clothes line. The other is, of course, you don't want to tap into the cold water for your ice maker only to get gas instead! Also, black steel painted another color is still considered "black steel" per the codes.

Around here, most techs that care will paint their black steel with black paint. There are stickers available to place on the lines if needed. Some municipalities go nuts over this one requiring neon signs with motion detectors anywhere near gas lines. Sorta' like the Knight Rider car, KITT. A lot of inspectors will allow nice printed tags that state "gas" tied on with zip ties since they recognize that peel & stick labels may not stick to sweating, oily pipes.

Properly installed (including support) and labeled exposed gas lines should not cause panic.
Bob

[Jerry Peck]

A lot of inspectors will allow nice printed tags that state "gas" tied on with zip ties ...

Bob,

As long as they use the black ties and not the white ones when the ties are exposed to sunlight - only the black ones are sunlight resistant, and only the black ones are approved for use outdoors (because of the sunlight UV issue).

Down in South Florida, those white ties would be brittle and deteriorated within 2 years, up here in Central Florida, it takes another year or so. The further you go, with less intense sunlight, they will survive slightly longer, but they (the white ties) will deteriorate, become brittle, then break and fall off, they are not rated or approved for use where exposed to sunlight.

[Bruce Lunsford]

Yes - I know this is an ancient thread - but a lot of it depends on the gas company.

When I was a contractor in Indy, the gas company required they be painted, one of the gas company employees even gave me a quart can of "gas pipe paint" just to be a nice guy.

Part of the reason in this case was that gas company required black pipe, and did not allow galv. pipe. They said it was because "they reserve the right to buy corrosive gas if needed" and the black pipe was more corrosion resistant to the corrosive gas.

I found it trying to find a place to buy some of that "gas pipe paint". Can't find it anywhere, oh well, looks like Krylon is the way to go.

[Dave Elden]

Has to be painted in Ma., at least every build I did before becoming an inspector had to have the pipe painted as per the plumbing inspector. My plumber always used gray and I see that a lot in Ma. homes.

[Steven Reckner]

A home inspector?

How can a home inspector "require" anything?

No, to my knowledge, the gas line does not need to be painted, hot pink or otherwise.

Thats a great point Jerry, inspectors never require anything but payment! Just kidding but seriously should have just been "needs further evaluation by a qualified, licensed plumbing professional" let them sort it out if it's up to code we aren't code enforcers.