gas pipe problem

[bacskcah]

I was installing a new hose bib in a 1999 house, gigantic mc mansion type with all the bells and whistles, except no hose bib for the deck. Simple job of t'ing off the kitchen sink cold copper punch a hole out and screw on the sillcock. I was not expecting to run into 1/2 inch flexible gas line. There is about half a second of frozen stupidity in theses moments and then total panic running to find the gas meter. I talked to the home owner, called the boss and started to find parts for a repair. Thats when things got interesting. Apparently there are at least four different types of flexible gas tubing in use in the portland or area and none of the parts are universal. Luckily I was able to find the name of the gas line in a mechanical room and after five or six phone calls track down a distributer of "diamondback" pipe and fittings. Five hours later and the "simple" hose bib job was done and the gas was back on. Has anyone else run into this. What happens when these companies go out of business. Which brands are most popular? In the portland area there is Wardflex, Trackpipe, Gastight, and Diamondback.

[rombo]

the only one i have ever used was gastite but that is in canada eh

[Masterplumb]

I was installing a new hose bib in a 1999 house, gigantic mc mansion type with all the bells and whistles, except no hose bib for the deck. Simple job of t'ing off the kitchen sink cold copper punch a hole out and screw on the sillcock. I was not expecting to run into 1/2 inch flexible gas line. There is about half a second of frozen stupidity in theses moments and then total panic running to find the gas meter. I talked to the home owner, called the boss and started to find parts for a repair. Thats when things got interesting. Apparently there are at least four different types of flexible gas tubing in use in the portland or area and none of the parts are universal. Luckily I was able to find the name of the gas line in a mechanical room and after five or six phone calls track down a distributer of "diamondback" pipe and fittings. Five hours later and the "simple" hose bib job was done and the gas was back on. Has anyone else run into this. What happens when these companies go out of business. Which brands are most popular? In the portland area there is Wardflex, Trackpipe, Gastight, and Diamondback.]

If you couldnt locate the manufacturer you would have to repipe a new line. On the other hand it doesnt sound like this job was done correctly as the manufacturer requires the nail plates with "wings" and also the tubing that goes around csst in a vertical pipe layout to protect the tubing in a situation like this.

[NHMaster3015]

We mostly use trac-pipe, but there is a bit of ward-flex around also. I guess I like trac a bit better because it's easier to make up the fittings, but in the end it's all pretty much the same stuff.

[DuckButter]

]

If you couldnt locate the manufacturer you would have to repipe a new line. On the other hand it doesnt sound like this job was done correctly as the manufacturer requires the nail plates with "wings" and also the tubing that goes around csst in a vertical pipe layout to protect the tubing in a situation like this.

Three conditions to meet when installing CSST...
within 3" of a nailing surface- concealed - braced.
Whenever these three conditions are met...you absolutely MUST use nail plates.

I also have to question the wisdom of a "grunt" doing a gas pipe repair.
I understand the situation, but even the smallest leak could be BIG trouble down the road.

[DuckButter]

the only one i have ever used was gastite but that is in canada eh

It's better than Wardflex any day, I also like Tracpipe, they both have metal to metal seals.
Wardflex depends on graphite washers that easily tear if the cut has the smallest burr, plus Wardflex is annealed...it's soft & I've seen it tear when pulled through tight spots.

[wrench spinner]

There should be a standard to these products due to the fact that you never know what you will find behind the wall. For example If you are certified in WardFlex, and a situatition in the O.P. presents itself and you are not certified in "Diamondback" (I dont even know if they require certification I am pretty sure they do although I have never seen it here). What are we supposed to do find locate a contractor certified in this stuff to make the repair. I know a supply house isnt supposed to sell Wardflex to someone not certified. Yes if the product is in our area we should be certified for all of them if we are expected to do service plumbing. But it isnt fair to our customers for us to spend 2 hours trying to find something as simple some obscure manufacturer of a certain gas pipe.

If we have to wait a day for a faucet part ok no big deal turn off the fixture and the customer has a SLIGHT inconvenince if we have to shut down the gas that could mean no heat or hot water until we can obtain the proper fittings to make a repair. I just say there should be some kind of standardization!:rant:

[DuckButter]

Wrench, I cannot impress just how much I agree.
I've been certified in Trac, Gastite & Wardflex.
I did a job once with a licensed fella that had been certified in Tracpipe.
We were using Wardflex (I hate the stuff)...he didn't realize he was supposed to have 3 corrugates in front of the split sleeve & tightened them down the same way he'd have done Tracpipe.
On testing, there was only one slow leak...when I found it I noticed the way it'd been done, so I asked hiom if thats how he'd done them all...yes, he had.
We had to redo the whole thing, 2 units of piping.
If that leak hadn't happened, god only knows what woulda happened if 6 yr old Tommy was in the basement yanking on the pipe...

[Masterplumb]

I also have to question the wisdom of a "grunt" doing a gas pipe repair.

.

I don't follow you?

[DuckButter]

I don't follow you?

I'm not sure... but is this guy a plumber?

He lists "grunt" in his trade.

[Masterplumb]

I'm not sure... but is this guy a plumber?

He lists "grunt" in his trade.

Gotcha, I thought you were slinging insults at me again for calling you a hickdead. You know it takes us NYers a little time to catch on :slap: .

[DuckButter]

Gotcha, I thought you were slinging insults at me again for calling you a hickdead. You know it takes us NYers a little time to catch on :slap: .

I would NEVER!:eek:

Even though yer dam yankee's fans booed the crap outta our players in the allstar game last night...dam Ny'ers can thank JD Drew another time I guess...<sigh>

[Masterplumb]

I would NEVER!:eek:

Even though yer dam yankee's fans booed the crap outta our players in the allstar game last night...dam Ny'ers can thank JD Drew another time I guess...<sigh>

Well if Papelbum would have kept his mouth closed we probably would have cheered him........NOT :) Although I gotta say I have been a big fan of Drew for a long time.

[westcoastplumber]

CSST should be "snaked" loose inside a wall, never pulled tight. It sucks you hit it.

I never pull it tight, and have had inspectors call me on it :confused:

I always use a "conduit" when close to an outlet. Sadly, fittings are not interchangable, so brand has to stay with a brand, eays way to do this, only use one brand, I only use TracPipe.

As you mentioned, hopefully they stay in business :D

[OkieBill]

I use Gastite and have been pretty happy with it except for the cost:eek:...

Ya just got to remember to cut the jacket back two complete turns and the fittings will do the rest:)

[NHMaster3015]

Did you know that Ridgid actually makes a cutter for csst? It's a piece of crap, but they do make one.

[bacskcah]

I just wanted to assure everyone that I am a journeyman plumber licensed by the state of Oregon with lots of experience running gas lines, though mostly black pipe. I am very aware of how dangerous gas pipe can be and don't take a repair like this lightly. As for my description of "grunt" as a trade, its just a joke. I noticed that a lot of you own your own business and sometimes working for the man its easy to feel like a grunt. Thanks for all the good feedback from everyone, I think this could end up being a real pain in the a** for service plumbers in the future. Can anybody recommend a gas sniffing tool, it would beat the hell out of soapy water for situations like this.

[DuckButter]

I just wanted to assure everyone that I am a journeyman plumber licensed by the state of Oregon with lots of experience running gas lines, though mostly black pipe. I am very aware of how dangerous gas pipe can be and don't take a repair like this lightly. As for my description of "grunt" as a trade, its just a joke. I noticed that a lot of you own your own business and sometimes working for the man its easy to feel like a grunt. Thanks for all the good feedback from everyone, I think this could end up being a real pain in the a** for service plumbers in the future. Can anybody recommend a gas sniffing tool, it would beat the hell out of soapy water for situations like this.

I'm good, thats all ya hadda say, welcome to the forum sir!
Afterall...I'm a "popularity contest winner".
Hope you stick around and join the antics.

[aero1]

to standardize a proprietary fitting would be great, but wont happen because that would mean that all the little kingdoms[manufactures] would have to get together and work together for the greater good of a very important and potently dangerous and very lethal substance called natural gas, that should never be taken ligthly, and i personally feel that i will and all of my esteemed colleagues should refrain from giving advice to anyone not deemed qualified in this very serious field other than to call a licensed and insured professional, you dont often get a second chance to do it right with gas and as you all know this cant be taught on line or in a forum, and good advice can turn ugly in the hands of the wrong person!!!:nono:

[toolaholic]

I'm cert. for gas tite,never had a problem with it.
One thought on the comment ,of nail plates missing. We never got a picture,or exact details
on the existing installation,to make that call!

[PLUMBER RICK]

Did you know that Ridgid actually makes a cutter for csst? It's a piece of crap, but they do make one.

yes and no.

it's actually under development r&d.

i was given one to try in may and returned it in june with some concerns and questions.

i'm not aware that it's for sale yet?

rick.

[HVAC HAWK]

i just use a reg cutter with a stainless steal cutter and it works just as good as the other cutter . you just need to go slow

[DuckButter]

i just use a reg cutter with a stainless steal cutter and it works just as good as the other cutter . you just need to go slow

True...the CSST cutter just has wider rolls to keep it even as it cuts, plus they're plastic.

I have one, buried, god knows where.