This code is updated every 3 years and it is known as a model code. Is Flexible Gas Line Legal in Massachusetts. And that's why I am your guide on the intricacies of home maintenance, saving money, and avoiding costly mistakes. This type of gas line tubing is very popular among builders and contractors because of its ease of use, flexibility and its ability to save on labor installation costs especially over black iron pipe. If you have questions on the article I mentioned, you may contact the Dallas News. (Reference Massachusetts Department of Transportation Laws and Rules 700 CMR 7.07). can puncture this pipe. It's messy and hard work, but I must admit I sort of enjoy it. The list below contains summaries of all Massachusetts laws and incentives related to ethanol. Current through Register 1492, March 31, 2023. In general, expect an estimated quote of $250 to correct the existing CSST and about $4,000 to replace it. REGULATOR, PRESSURE. Read Also >> What Is The Code For Bathroom Fan Venting? This is often the easiest system to adapt at a future date. Multi-family Dwellings Diversity Factor in Percent of Total Load for Domestic Gas Ranges with connected Load Ratings of 63,000 Btu/hr. Additionally, the project inspector must approve the use. The IRC's Chapter 24 provisions also mandates standards for steel and wrought iron pipe. Who Can Help With Running or Installing a Gas Line? I suggest you look up the article in the Dallas News if you want more details. Funding for eligible project costs is available for local or state agencies and public colleges and universities that reduce diesel emissions by converting engines to alternative fuels, retrofitting exhaust controls, purchasing new vehicles, or adding idle reduction equipment. Take a look at GAS BTUH, CUBIC FEET & ENERGY, where we cite authoritative sources and (among others): One cubic foot (0.028 cubic meters) of natural gas contains about 1,050 BTUs Thank you for pointing out some confusion. I was afraid of CSST because of the thin nature of the pipe. Additional terms and conditions apply. There's no where in gas code that says flexible gas connectors are illegal to a hot water heater in Mass. What Is The Code For Dryer Vent Installations? Gas Company says Stacked Adapter on Appliance Linevalve. Need professional help with your project? DominicThank you for asking if we can use CSST or equivalent flexible gas line connectors outdoors or not. Yellow Gas Piping in Your Home May Pose a Safety Risk There are requirements for inspection, testing, and purging of pipe installations. Accessible and three or six feet long: The flexible connectors cannot pass through walls, floors, or ceilings, and they cannot be hidden. CSST should never be directly connected to movable appliances like dryers, washers, and ovens. Finally, most local building codes mandate that a licensed contractor must install gas piping, as these kinds of projects are not suitable for inexperienced or amateur builders. My first suspicion would be that the tubing acts like a lightning rod of sorts. When Utility/Natural Gas and Undiluted Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Propane Gas) systems are installed within the same building or structure, the following additional conditions must be satisfied as well as those conditions required for each individual fuel system: 5.4.2.3 Diversity Factor for Domestic Ranges. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. MassDEP prioritizes projects that benefit environmental justice communities. Studies have confirmed that a lighting strike near a home can puncture the membrane of CSST as result of the power surge. Lets look at exactly why that happens: CSST is extremely thin compared to the traditional 4 mm black pipe. flexible gas line? - Fine Homebuilding 20. All rights reserved. Please limit your input to 500 characters. Joining two or more connectors is not permitted by installation codes or product standards. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. This flexible gas piping has a very thin metal wall, only about 0.3-mm thick, and it can become a fire hazard if improperly installed. The gas piping is known as corrugated stainless steel tubing, or "yellow CSST.". These extremely flexible pipes are made from stainless steel and often come coated in a trademark yellow casing, though they can sometimes be black. To find laws and incentives for other alternative fuels and advanced vehicles, search all laws and incentives. Flex lines are all the hvac guys are running inside the house. Special instructions for appliances inst alled in the S tate of Massachusetts: This appliance can only be installed in the State of Massachusetts by a Massachusetts licensed plumber or gas fitter. 5.5.1.1 Gas Pressure Boosters. Some CSST manufacturers will require a minimum of flex line support every 4-feet, but other companies may only need support every 8-9 feet. The list below contains summaries of all Massachusetts laws and incentives related to propane. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, metallic piping joints and fittings which do not otherwise meet the requirements of this section may be utilized if approved by the Board or otherwise have met the product acceptance requirements of 248 CMR 3.04(1): Board Required Product-acceptance. Flexible Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST) will also be allowed as per the manufacturer's guidelines. This is a long time, no doubt, but not as long as traditional black steel pipes, which can last up to 75 years. Read more about our editorial standards. If youre wondering what the hype is with flexible gas lines, lets clear some things up. A line pressure regulator that reduces gas pressure from the range of greater than 0.5 psig (3.4 kPa) and less than or equal to 5 psig (34.5 kPa) to a lower pressure. Call a qualified, licensed plumber to install a gas line. The maximum allowed bending radius is usually 3-inches for 3/4" CSST and up to 5-inches for 1" or larger CSST. PDF INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS - FREESTANDING GAS RANGE - Lowe's Section 5.05 - Modifications to Chapter 5, Gas Piping System Design CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter. I agree with Gerry on the furnace. GAS PIPING GUIDELINES FOR HOMEOWNERS - City of Dubuque Always verify the flexible gas line code with your local state or city and with the manufacturer. 1995-2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Read Also >> What Is The Code For Stairs? HEVs and AFVs must be acquired at a rate of at least 5% annually for all new motor vehicle purchases so that not less than 50% of the motor vehicles the Commonwealth owns and operates will be HEVs or AFVs by 2018. However, new homes with CSST require electrical bonding or grounding to protect against lightning strikes. The pipe is extremely durable and rarely has a lightning strike cause a fire in a house with black iron pipe. And that`s why I wanted to create this guide to educate homeowners about the potential dangers of flexible gas lines and update them with the current code. A parallel CSST manifold system mimics an electric panel. Watch this video to see how CSST pipe is installed. Annie Sisk is a freelance writer who lives in upstate New York. But before you decide, realize there's a fire and an explosion hazard with this because of lightning! What's more, the threaded joints on both sides of the fitting can also be potential leak points. The International Residential Code doesn't specify the wire to be used for bonding, but it ismost commonly a #6 AWG copper conductor and installed where the solid gas pipe gas line first comes into the home. Read More: How to Fight Code Enforcement. 248 CMR 4.00: Massachusetts fuel gas code | Mass.gov The manufacturer will specify where and when shutoff valves will need to be required. Section G2415.3 (404.3) prohibits installing pipes through ductwork, clothing chutes, chimneys, elevator shafts and dumbwaiters. in Speech from Catawba College and a J.D. The CSST`s electrical bonding grounded the gas line and prevented subsequent damage and fire hazards. Traditional black iron pipe takes a lot of time to cut and thread. The minimum test duration shall be one hour and the maximum test duration shall be 24 hours, irrespective of system design. Please do not include personal or contact information. The CSST has many advantages. You may need to clear or refresh your browser`s cache to view the updated page. Some of their arguments never made sense to me. Over the years I have inspected so many homes with flexible gas lines,also known as CSST. If you use copper for gas lines in your home, be sure to paint them yellow and label them with red lettering "GAS LINE" so a future weekend warrior doesn't mistake them for a water line! Diversity factor is an important factor determining the correct gas piping size to be used for supplying domestic ranges in multiple family dwellings; it applies to domestic ranges only and shall not apply to any other gas appliances. The thin walls of CSST might not seem to handle as much of a strike as black iron. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Massachusetts Fuel and Gas Code. Dominic, short answer: Generally not, but there are flexible gas appliance connectors listed and approved for outdoor use, including some . It offers all of the same advantages of the CSST systems. Many of my fellow contractors who install gas lines thought it was unsafe. I just saw your article and thought I would provide feedback. Just because a home is exempted from current code requirements doesn't mean that the existing flexible gas line installation is safe. Because the CSST snakes its way around bends and obstructions as one solid piece of tubing, you only have a fitting at each end of the line. Lightning strikes are much rarer, accounting for only a portion of the 1.8% of residential fires caused by natural disasters. Installers should follow the recommendations of appliance manufacturers in installing gas piping or connecting to piping installations. An AFV powered by propane or natural gas may only use the Massachusetts Turnpike at or between Interchange 1 in West Stockbridge and Interchange 14 in Weston if the vehicle has a special fuel transportation permit issued by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Correcting an existing installation can cost as little as $100, while replacing CSST with black pipe can cost several thousands of dollars. Homeowners should check with the manufacturer to see if their CSST has an arc-resistant protective jacket. A typical black iron pipe installation requires a professional to precisely measure, cut, and thread the individual pieces of pipe. Code expert Glenn Mathewson describes 10 common water-heater code issues, including confusion about drip pans and drains, unsupported expansion tanks and plastic vents, lack of combustion air, and more. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The AFV must conform to applicable federal and state laws and regulations. If CSST is installed along drywall or in some area where nails may be used, it needs to be protected with metal plating. This guide isn't meant to detail every code, and I have summarized a few of the most important codes for flex gas lines from the IRC Chapter 24 Fuel Gas. Each year, the Executive Office for Administration and Finance and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) must set minimum percentage requirements for E85 use in state flexible fuel vehicles, depending on the availability of the fuel in the state. Gas Explosion from Flexible Gas Line CSST - Danger - AsktheBuilder.com Read More: How to Locate Underground Gas Lines Before You Dig. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. CSST is not user friendly for a DIY installer. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) provides U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding for projects that reduce diesel emissions in Massachusetts. Read Also >> What Is The Code For Dryer Vent Installations? Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles, Project Assistance & Funding Opportunities, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 6C, Section 75 and Chapter 90, Section 1, Massachusetts Department of Transportation Laws and Rules 700 CMR 7.07, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 7, Section 9A. Many U.S. states around 2006 enacted a CSST gas line code that requires electrical bonding of CSST such as this example in Virginia. (a) Separate Traps for Each Fixture. Flexible gas lines are made from corrugated stainless-steel tubing (CSST). Adding additional gas lines at a future date is not a problem if you plan for the possibility during the original installation. In addition, manufacturers require a protective coating to prevent nails from damaging flexible gas lines. At about 0.2 mm, or the thickness of two sheets of paper, the odds of lightning surging through improperly grounded and bonded CSST rise. All of the gas lines that feed each appliance start at a central distribution point or manifold. I responded to this very interesting email with a few thoughts of my own. & RockLife part of the Bonavox Foundation, Youngest Legal Marriage Age in United States, Wilson Huhn the Five Types of Legal Argument (3D Ed. Generally, the gas lines can be damaged due to any type of environmental or external damage and pose a serious risk to the house. However, newer CSST (usually black jacketed, not yellow) has an arc-resistant jacket that is already considered bonded when installed to a grounded appliance such as a furnace. Since CSST is a very thin metal with a thickness of about 0.3 mm, it is more sensitive to lightning. Plumbers and homeowners will need to follow the manufacturer's requirements and they should not bend the CSST too far. Chris, if the gas valve is in front (before) of the flexible gas connection, this is the most important thing close this valve. Only a direct hit from a hot bolt of lightning will bore a hole in a traditional black iron pipe. DEAR TIM: The natural gas lines that are being installed in our new home are not the heavy black iron pipe. Website operating One of two tables in the International Residential Code that governs pipe size for CSST. If you need assistance, please contact the Trial Court Law Libraries.