Gas Piping: Everything You Need To Know
When you have gas piping in your home, pipes are carrying natural gas to help heat your home. An efficient system, it is one that should not be ignored. If you assume no problems can arise with gas piping and your gas line, you’re wrong. If you’re wondering what gas piping is, its benefits and costs, and other important facts, we at Boss Plumbing have all you need to know.
What is Gas Piping?
Gas piping is a system that relies on numerous branch lines to supply natural gas to various appliances in your home. Gas piping is very popular here in Los Angeles and nearby areas. Though efficient, it can become dangerous if not properly maintained, since leaks can occur in pipes and result in explosions or other serious problems.
How Does Gas Piping Work?
Relying on pressure within pipes to deliver natural gas to your home’s heating system and other appliances, a gas piping system runs from its main line, known as the distribution line, to the service line attached to your home.
Prior to natural gas entering your home, it passes through a pressure regulator, with its pressure becoming higher than the air pressure once it’s switched on, which allows the gas to flow easily through the pipes.
As a customer, you are responsible for maintaining your equipment and supply line, while your natural gas provider maintains the service line and other components.
Common Used Pipe Materials
Many types of materials are used to make gas piping systems for homes such as yours. The most common materials are galvanized steel, flexible corrugated stainless steel tubing, black iron, PVC, HDPE, and copper.
Of these, black iron is the most widely-used material for gas piping, since it is extremely strong, heat-resistant, and great for forming airtight seals within a gas piping system.
Is Gas Piping Safe?
When properly maintained, a gas piping system is considered to be very safe to use in a residential capacity. As an example, copper gas pipes can easily last 20 years with proper maintenance, while flexible corrugated stainless steel tubing is easy to install and often sustains little damage due to its flexibility, making it popular in Los Angeles due to the potential for earthquakes.
What about Earthquakes?
Since there is always the risk of earthquakes here in Los Angeles, our Boss Plumbing team usually relies on the flexible corrugated stainless steel tubing systems when making new installations or repairs.
However, it is important to note that this type of gas piping system, as well as others made of PVC or HDPE, can sometimes crack when subjected to rocks or the severe underground shaking that occurs with earthquakes. Because of this, we recommend you have your gas piping system checked regularly.
Benefits of Gas Piping
There are many benefits to using gas piping, such as:
- High energy efficiency
- Lower heating costs
- Good for the environment
- Usually easy to install and maintain
As more people choose to go green with their homes, gas piping systems are continuing to grow in popularity here in L.A. and elsewhere.
Costs to Install and Run A Gas Piping System
To install and run gas piping, you can expect to pay about $20 per linear foot. At a typical home in Los Angeles, this translates to a cost averaging between $200-$1,000 or perhaps a bit more. The national average to run a gas line in the U.S. is about $550.
Can You Install Gas Piping Yourself?
Here at Boss Plumbing, we always recommend you not try to install gas piping yourself. In fact, many localities do not allow individuals to install gas lines themselves. Since even the smallest mistake during installation could result in a serious accident, leave your gas piping system installation to our pros here at Boss Plumbing.
Lifespan and Maintenance
As mentioned earlier, copper gas piping systems can last 20 years or more. Maintenance should be conducted annually by a trained professional, who can check for gas leaks and other issues, enact repairs, and give you and your family peace of mind.
Is Gas Piping Easy to Repair?
Gas piping systems are usually easy to repair, and are not costly unless problems, such as improper connections, rusting and corrosion, have been ignored for a long period of time. If you notice any of these problems, contact us here at Boss Plumbing.
Rely On Our Team
Whether you need a gas piping system installed, are in need of repairs to your gas piping, or have other questions for which you need answers, contact us here at Boss Plumbing today.
