Thread: Capped exterior gas lines

The natural gas ran underground to the meter. The house supply pipe left the meter and traveled ~6 feet into a T fitting. The supply line entered the T, the leg supplied the house and the other side of the T extended to a shut-off valve that also supplied a second shutoff valve.

Both of the shut-off valves had plugs. One of the valves was locked in the off position. The other valve was not capable of being locked.

Although technically capped, how do you feel about the valve that cannot be locked in the off position? Seems like removing the extension off the T and capping the line would reduce the desire to fiddle with the gas line?

There was also a second stub for a second meter. The homes electric meter panel was a double so had 2 electric meters at one time. 45 year old house near a university with a finished basement. It was capped but was not locked.

Just wrestling with the various features of just capped vs. locked valve, removed valves and capped, etc.

Comments?

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The utility company must not think it is an issue, they ran out of locks or they just don't lock all of them. I don't think that would make my report other than the gas service is turned off and the lines are capped.

You are allowed to have as many valves as you want, however, all unused gas lines are required to be capped.

That said, though, I don't see any pipe sealant compound on those plugs, and it should be showing if it was there.

Thus I am guessing that someone "just screwed the plug in", which is not properly capping it off.

I don't see a problem per se. The unprotected plugs should be painted or use HDG coating. The line in the third pic could be an abandoned gas feed from the street with no gas pressure. These shutoffs require tools and two distinct separate actions to open a pipe and release gas so I don't see how it would be a problem, once coated against corrostion. I agree w/ Jerry if pipe dope is not visible, recommend a qualified technician inspect, dope, paint and leak test.
Bob