Protection of CSST in walls

[steveray]

The gas suppliers are overstepping IMO....ours here will not hook up or energize unless it has an additional bond (black or yellow) I hear....And then I tell the customer that they really have no authority inside the dwelling if they want to pursue that...

 

[fatboy]

"Is that just your municipality or a state prohibition?
Any other areas you know of?"

Just our municipality.

Multiple instances of leaks in exterior walls due to penetrations. Several from siding installers, missing studs altogether, wildly.

Hasn't been a problem, in place for years.

 

[Beniah Naylor]

# ~ # ~ #

Beniah,

How are you going to force the use of black iron pipe ?
CSST is an approved type of piping that can be used.
Also, ...in this neck `o the woods, having someone
competent to actually know how to install black iron
pipe & pass a pressure test would be a miracle !.....It
may be the same way in your area as well.........The
art of pipe fitting is a lost skill set for the masses.
Nowadays, ...everything is geared towards fast
installations, which includes CSST piping and protection
plates.

# ~ # ~ #

North Star, I do not want to try to force the use of black pipe, for most of the reasons you stated. We do have plumbers who can pass air tests with black pipe, thankfully, but there are inherent disadvantages (like with any material).

However, if we were to enforce the protection of of CSST for it's entire length like 404.7.2 says, any time it is within 3" of a membrane, like Gastite says, that would basically mean that any time CSST drops down in a wall to the gas meter, it would have to be protected from both sides for it's entire length. Cursory investigation online seems to show that it is about twice as expensive (at least in materials) to run CSST and protect it from both sides in a wall with either shield plates or a protective sleeve, than it would be to run black pipe up through the wall until you get above ceiling where you can transition to un-protected CSST, since the CSST would probably be more than 3" from any nailing surface.

I don't mind if contractors want to use CSST in walls if they are willing to protect it from both sides and they can make it sturdy enough to mount a meter on. There are plenty of proprietary CSST meter install kits to make that work if the plumber wants to go that route. In my opinion, it will just be more expensive and difficult for the plumber to do it that way, but if they want to it doesn't bother me.