Can PEX be used for natural gas or propane lines?
Yes, natural gas smells like rotten eggs or garlic, which is the added scent. Around here, Pex is used for underground gas piping of both natural gas and propane. It's yellow polyethylene similar to plumbing pex but not as thick walled usually.
Can you use galvanized pipe for a gas line?
You do not want to use galvanized pipe for gas because of the galvanized coating. Over time pieces of the galvanized steel will flake off and clog your gas regulators and burner units. Never mix galvanized and black iron or where they touch corrosion will be accelerated.
Can you use PVC pipe for gas line?
In short, the answer is no, they cannot. Due to the nature of PVC and other plastics as well, they are not well suited to use for fuel gas or kerosene. PVC and other plastics deform easily in high temperature environments, and may leak or rupture. What pipe can be used for natural gas?
Should I use PEX tubing or copper pipe?
While copper pipe and fittings are still common, many professional plumbers now use flexible PEX for all new construction and in repairs and extensions to existing copper systems. PEX is especially friendly to DIYers, who find the various methods of making connections much easier than soldering copper fittings with a torch.
What is PEX pipe?
What is PEX tubing?
Why is PEX tubing frozen?
How long does PEX pipe last?
Can you use PEX pipes for outdoor gas lines?
Can you use PEX pipe in rain?
Is PEX pipe safe for outdoor use?
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What is best pipe for gas line?
PVC pipes will work well for natural gas lines and water supply. They are generally available in sizes of 10 feet and 20 feet and come in varying diameters. The size ranges from ½ inch to 6 inches to choose one depending upon the purpose.
Where should you not use PEX pipe?
PEX cannot be taken anywhere outside the house where it is directly exposed to UV for a long period. The synthetic material of the pipes can slowly disintegrate due to the light of the sun. Even light bulbs have been known to affect the lifespan of PEX water lines.
Can plastic pipe be used for natural gas?
Polyethylene (PE) gas piping is the most widely used plastic piping material for the distribution of natural gas. PE has a well-documented inertness to both the external soil environment and to natural gas.
What type of pipe is used for natural gas lines?
The most common materials used to make gas piping are steel, black iron, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and copper. Some utilities prohibit some of these materials, so be sure to check with your local utility to determine what is allowed in your area before you install any.
How long will PEX pipes last?
50 yearsPEX: Due to its flexibility and durability, PEX piping should last at least 50 years. PVC / CPVC: Under typical conditions, these pipes should last up to 100 years. Keep in mind that PVC pipes are often used for drainage because extreme heat can damage them.
What are the disadvantages of using PEX pipe?
The biggest disadvantage to PEX is that it is unknown how well or long it will last. While PEX piping is warrantied for up to 25 years, it is unknown what could happen to PEX piping as the years go on. Since it is so new, it is hard to know what water will do to the plastic over 30 years.
What kind of fittings is allowed to be used on gas pipe?
Flex connectors: Flexible connectors are permitted to connect appliances to the gas piping. There has to be a shut-off valve at the connection to the rigid piping.
Can I use flexible gas line in my house?
In short, flexible gas lines are perfectly safe as long as they're properly installed. A CSST that is not correctly grounded or bonded can leak natural gas or become ignited, leading to a major fire hazard.
What is the yellow gas line called?
HDPE pipe is less common is the gas industry and usually is intended for non-residential applications with high pressures (up to 125 psi). MDPE gas pipe is yellow in color, while HDPE pipe can be black, black with yellow stripe or black with a yellow outmost layer.
Why is black pipe used for gas lines?
Black iron pipe is used to transport natural and propane gas in residential applications. Black steel pipe is manufactured as seamless which makes it a better type for gas transportation and fire sprinkler systems since it can prevent fire better than galvanized pipe.
What is black PEX pipe used for?
PEX pipes often replace copper for hot and cold water in residential retrofits. They are easy to cut, install and connect and less costly than copper. These lightweight flexible pipes for water easily maneuver around obstructions without elbow fittings.
Does a gas pipe need to be sleeved through a wall?
Any gas pipe passing through a wall needs to be sleeved. This is required by code because this added layer of protection helps prevent gas from leaking into the rest of the house. This is also why you need to have a licensed plumber complete your gas line installation.
Can I use PEX for bathroom sink?
PEX has several advantages over traditional copper pipes: it costs less to manufacture and is simpler to cut and connect. It also resists rust and corrosion and can carry hot or cold water to sinks, showers, toilets and many other fixtures.
Should I use PEX or copper?
PEX pipe is not only cheaper than copper but more durable too. PEX is immune to corrosion and mineral build-up, and it's not affected by electrolysis, which can cause small pinhole leaks in copper piping. Copper pipes can last anywhere from six months to the life of a building.
Should I replace copper with PEX?
While copper is an excellent material, no material is perfect. You can develop some problems with your copper pipes, and PEX is often a great replacement that can eliminate these problems. Keep hot water hot: PEX keeps the water warmer as it flows through the pipe so that you get hotter water on the other end.
Is PEX tubing safe for hot water?
PEX pipe is approved for residential and commercial hot and cold water distribution systems, municipal water service lines, radiant panel heating systems, hydronic baseboard heating systems, snow and ice melting systems and building services pipe.
What type of gas piping is used in a home?
So depending on your local code enforcement the most common type of gas piping, again, inside the home, is either CSST, black iron, or copper. CSST is more money but so easy to install. Requires simple tools no more complicated than a pipe cutter and a couple wrenches.
Who does gas line inspection?
Your local building department would do your residential gas line inspection so let’s hope they know the right products. Did you know this kind of work requires a permit?
How much pressure is in propane compared to natural gas?
The differences in pressure between natural gas and propane at the house meter, to the house, is minimal at under one pound and measured in inches of water column. Most of my customers didn’t know that.
Is trac pipe resistant to lightning?
Even within the CSST family of pipe there are different products. TracPipe has a product that is resistant to lightning. Even if you don’t live an area prone to lightning TracPipe would be my favorite. Just another layer of safety.
Can you cut CSST pipe?
Using an ordinary pipe cutter will work but doesn’t quite cut the CSST pipe and sometimes leaves a slightly ragged edge. Check out this cutter on Amazon’s inventory. It was specifically designed to cut CSST pipe.
Is plastic pipe good for natural gas?
We live in a plastic world today and plastic pipe is a wonderful product when it comes to natural gas and propane installations.
Do gas piping companies follow a national code?
They follow a national code, but they stick in little variables that have to be followed to get a final inspection approved. Code reinforcement personnel, for the most part, know the products used for gas piping and where they can be used.
What is PEX piping?
PEX piping is a different kind of PE piping, and the two are often confused. PE stands for polyethylene, a flexible plastic material that makes for great piping for wells and other cold-water supply lines. PEX is cross-linked polyethylene. It is made of polyethylene that has a stronger bond between the different polymer chains ...
What is PEX used for?
It is more commonly used for external underground gas lines that deliver large amounts of gas to serve a whole neighborhood.
What is HDPE gas line?
HDPE is very commonly used as a commercial and industrial gas supply line and it may be a bit of overkill for your residential use–but it can be used. Corrugated yellow stainless-steel piping is most commonly used for gas lines inside of homes. This material is also called CSST, which stands for corrugated stainless-steel piping.
What is black polyethylene pipe?
The most common confusion is what some people call “black polyethylene” or HDPE. HDPE stands for high-density polyethylene. This pipe has a greater density than a typical PE pipe, and it is more rigid as a result. HDPE is very commonly used as a commercial and industrial gas supply line and it may be a bit of overkill for your residential use–but ...
Is PEX hot water?
As a result of this improvement, PEX is suitable for hot and cold-water applications. It can also be used in some gas applications, where building code allows it. PEX and PE are flexible and rated for much higher pressure than most gas lines, so they meet those basic requirements.
Is black iron pipe a gas line?
Black iron pipe is an older and more traditional material for internal residential gas lines. This pipe isn’t actually iron. Instead, it is steelcoated with a black finish.
Can you put a PEX gas line in your home?
And plumbing professionals can install a PEX gas line in your home to supply gas to whatever you need. However, PEX might not be the right choice for your needs and may not be allowed by your building codes. Here’s what you should know.
Is PEX tubing work with gas lines?
I am curios is PEX tubing work with gas lines? I am search for codes but didn't find anything about usage PEX for gas at NSF. Just one Australian source make picture more clear http://www.gaspex.com.au/technical.html but I am not sure I can find the same PEX in US.
Comments (4)
I am not a fan of plastic for gas pipe indoors. I know of several cities that have had to have a lot of it removed. A max 50 year life span on a lot of it from what I see is insufficient.
What is PEX pipe?
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), a type of flexible plastic, is currently replacing traditional copper and galvanized steel as water supply lines in both new construction and remodeling projects. You’ve probably seen rolls of blue and red PEX pipe in the plumbing aisle of your local home improvement store, but might not know that this colorful tubing now makes it possible for enthusiastic DIYers to replace their own leaky water lines instead of calling a pro. Read on to learn more about PEX—what it is, where it can be used, and all the pros and cons of this popular plumbing material.
What type of PEX pipe is used for hot water?
Blue PEX pipe carries cold water. White PEX pipe can be used for either hot or cold water. Gray PEX pipe, like white, can be used for either hot or cold water (although not all DIY centers carry gray).
What type of fittings are used for PEX?
Hundreds of types of fittings, usually brass, are available for connecting PEX to existing copper or steel pipes, and for making connections to fixtures. Fittings are also available for connecting pipes of different sizes. The following five methods are used for making the connections watertight. Photo: amazon.com.
What is PEX tubing?
Choose the tubing best suited to your needs: PEX-A is manufactured using peroxide. This type of PEX is the most flexible of the three types and is suitable for use in all home water-supply plumbing needs.
What color is PEX?
Water flows silently through PEX, eliminating the “water hammer” noise associated with metal piping. Color-coding (red and blue) make it simple to distinguish hot and cold supply lines. PEX can be connected to existing metal supply lines with the correct fittings.
What is the advantage of PEX pipe?
PEX has a distinct advantage over these materials because of its flexibility, which allows one end of PEX pipe to connect to a PEX manifold (the main water control system) and then wind through walls and floors—uninterrupted—all the way to an individual fixture.
How long is a PEX pipe?
PEX is available in a variety of lengths, from short 10-foot pieces (for small repairs) to rolls over 500 feet long, which are used to install a home’s entire water supply system. PEX pipe ranges from 3/8- to 1-inch in diameter and its color-coding makes it a snap to identify what a specific pipe is used for. Although there are three types of PEX (see Label Lingo, below), the different colors don’t connote the distinctions; they simply make it easy for the installer to identify which lines carry hot water and which carry cold.
How deep should I drill PEX?
Do Know How Deep to Drill or Notch. With PEX tubing installation, drill to a maximum depth of 40 percent the depth of the wood on load bearing wood- and i-joists. Notches can go to a 25 percent depth. A non load bearing wood- or i-joist can be drilled to a maximum depth of 60 percent of the depth of the wood. Notches can go to 40 percent deep.
How to mark a run in a manifold?
Do mark each run at the manifold with a piece of thick paper and a plastic fastener around the pipe. Write on the paper with a black marker to identify where the water from the run goes, such as the bathroom sink, hot or cold water, or the basement toilet.
Is PEX tubing corroded?
PEX tubing is chemically treated high-density polyethylene that's flexible, heat resistant, and doesn't develop pinholes or corrode. Many do-it-yourselfers are transitioning to PEX from copper pipes since installation doesn't require welding or chemicals to join the tubing together. Also, fewer fittings or connections are required making these types of plumbing pipes much faster to install than metal or traditional rigid plastic. To make the installation process go as smoothly as possible, it's important to remember these dos and don'ts.
Can you cut PEX tubing to exact size?
Don't Cut Tubing to Exact Size. Doing this doesn't allow for mistakes and could make the PEX tubing installation take longer than it should or cost you money because you'll need to buy new tubing.
Can you install PEX tubing on outside walls?
When positioning the piping during PEX tubing installation, make sure you keep it away from areas where it could be exposed to extreme temperatures. Do not install on outside walls, crawl spaces, or attics. Only install the tubing in these areas if the pipes are insulated according to local plumbing codes.
Can you bend PEX tubing?
Don't Bend PEX Tube Too Tightly. PEX tubing can be bent slightly to accommodate curves. But do not bend the tubing tighter than a radius that's six times the size of the tube. For example, a 1/2-inch tube can have a three inch bend radius. All 90-degree turns should have bend supports.
Can you use PEX tubing instead of copper?
Using PEX tubing instead of traditional copper will save you time and headaches. Just remember these dos and don'ts!
What are the signs of a PEX water line?
For homeowners who have PEX water-supply lines, signs of rodents, such as droppings, chewed paper or wood, or other shredded items, signal a need to take action before damage to the water supply system can occur.
How much does PEX save?
Installing PEX can save as much as 60 percent on project costs, and, unlike copper, PEX tubing is flexible and can be fished through existing wall spaces, reducing the scope of a retrofit project.
Can mice chew PEX?
Mice and rats will chew through anything they can, including plastic, so PEX tubing is at just as much risk as the plastic-coated wiring in a car or an HVAC unit. While all rodent damage can be expensive, if rodents chew through a home’s PEX water pipes, the result can be disastrous.
Is PEX tubing a water supply?
For both new construction and remodeling projects, installing a cross-linked polyethylene ( PEX) water-supply system is attractive to builders and homeowners a like. Deciding factors for choosing between the two most common water-supply materials, PEX and copper, include ease of installation and cost. Installing PEX can save as much as 60 percent on project costs, and, unlike copper, PEX tubing is flexible and can be fished through existing wall spaces, reducing the scope of a retrofit project.
Can rodents chew through PEX?
While pest experts don’t know whether rodents chew through PEX to get to the water inside or simply because it’s there, PEX and rodents can be a dangerous combination. Local building codes in some communities may not permit the installation of PEX if rodent infestations are common.
What is PEX pipe?
PEX pipes are plastic which means they are weaker than other metal pipe materials. The mice or any other animal can target the tube and continuous scratching or chew in the same spot can leak the pipe, which can lead to gas leakage.
What is PEX tubing?
PEX tubing offers easy and adaptable plumbing for the gas line. In contrast, it is also affordable at the same time. PEX pipes are flexible to turn 90 degrees as compared to other lines. Its lightweight nature and unbelievable flexibility have a significant impact in making it one of the most popular plumbing pipes used in the world.
Why is PEX tubing frozen?
The pipe is safe as the holes do not develop pinholes, and there will be no leakage of gas. Due to the flexibility , it avoids bursting while it is frozen. So, the rigid tubing of PEX offers safety.
How long does PEX pipe last?
For the gas tubing, plumbers suggest working with the pipe with a great life span and, PEX pipe has a great life span of about 40-50 years. As a fact, PEX cannot bear extreme cold or hot temperature; this is why it is ideal to use PEX pipe only in the household setup as the temperature is controlled here.
Can you use PEX pipes for outdoor gas lines?
PEX pipes do not save themselves from UV rays that define you should not use the PEX pipes for the outdoor gas line. Direct interaction with UV rays leads the line to premature degradation, which is dangerous for gas fittings.
Can you use PEX pipe in rain?
So, it is best if you use PEX pipes only for indoor purposes. In fact, PEX is only allowed to use in specific areas. Now let’s look at some pros and cons of using PEX pipe for the gas line.
Is PEX pipe safe for outdoor use?
Overall, PEX pipes are best, reliable, and durable for indoor, especially when using the PEX for natural gas. Do not use PEX pipe in outdoor installation as it is not safe and is hazardous. The outdoor faces the difference in hot and cold weather, and the PEX pipes cannot bear the extreme weather conditions. At the same time, the semi-permeable ...
