Flexible Gas Piping Safety Issues (CSST)
Flexible Gas Piping has completely changed the Gas Piping industry. CSST, or Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing, when installed correctly is an amazing time and cost saving installation method. CSST is currently not available to the public. We get frequent requests to sell lengths of flexible gas piping to customers. We will NEVER sell flexible gas piping to a non-licensed person! CSST installed correctly is an amzing time saving product that is VERY safe. However, if not properly trained for flexible gas pipe installation, there are several scenarios that will pose serious potential for danger.
A flexible gas line installer must be certified with each manufacturer whose product they wish to use and must be licensed, insured and bonded within the state they are performing Flexible Gas Piping Installations. CSST must be routed correctly and with proper protection to be utilized safely. Although flexible piping can be run vertically thru walls, it’s most common application is underneath homes in the crawl area or above the home in the attic. If the flexible piping must be ran vertically thru a wall, certain precautions must be taken; Hardened steel nail plates specially designed for use with CSST must be used at the top and bottom of the wall, where the gas line is restricted by the penetration thru the top or bottom plate. Do not strap or secure the flexible gas line in any way inside of the wall, leaving the line loose in the wall will ensure a nail or screw will safely deflect off of the line.
There are many brands of flexible gas line available, make certain your installer is using a reputable brand. Tracpipe by Omega Flex and Gastite by Tite Flex are the two top brands available. In certain States, regarding Manufactured Home gas line installations, only a select few brands are certified for use by the state Fire Marshal. Recently Ebay and other online sources have been offering offbrand CSST to online consumers. Many of these products will not pass local gas installation codes and some are just not safe at all.
Flexible gas lines have changed the industry, making gas line installations much more affordable by dramatically reducing the installation time. Gas appliances are generally more effecient than their electrical counterparts, cooking aver an open flame on a gas cook top is truly hard to beat! Just be sure your retrofit gas lines are safely installed by a reputable licensed, bonded and insured gas piping company.
J&M Gas Piping Services
Oregon 503-680-0195
Washington 360-263-5600
Do your homework before hiring a flexible gas piping contractor! Google + reviews are a very trusted source
Underground Gas Piping (How else are you going to get gas pipe to your pool heater??)
