Painting / protecting out door gas pipe

[Smarty]

A recently installed outdoor backup power generator has 3/4 inch pipe exposed to the local climate, which is snow and ice for about 6 months of the year, and rain for another 2 months or so. The fittings have already begun to show rusting even though they have only been installed for a few weeks.

I am asking whether a protective coating of paint or something else makes sense, and if so, what to use. I am also concerned that some of the "obvious" choices like Rustoleum paint will seep into the fittings and compromise the pipe dope / joint sealing. It seems that Rustoleum's primary ingredient is "petroleum distillates" and this may act as a solvent on pipe dope.

I appreciate any suggestions as to how to proceed.

Many thanks,

Smarty

[Lawrence]

I think it's OK to paint it. Any oil based paint has "petroleum distillates" as the base. If you are worried then use an exterior latex.

[ds549]

we use rustoleum on gas lines outside and in, 2 cotes lasts real well. lucas

[Tom The Great]

This what I was told by a Home Inspector. Anything down stream of the meter [gas] is the home owner's responsibility. So I used an oil based paint to match my house. As for solvents in the paint, I had to work with common sense, or my version of it. :) Pipe dough exposed is not doing anything, and any solvents in the paint will evaporate before they had a chance to work on the dough sealing the threads.

Now I'm not a paint expert, just telling you what I did.

later,

tom @

[EXT]

Painting is done all the time, in fact it is a legal requirement in commercial/industrial installations to paint the gas pipes with bright yellow paint to identify them. They normally use oil base Tremclad or Rustoleum paint for this job. You can choose a colour to your liking.

[Smarty]

Thanks all for replies. I got Rustoleum and will paint tomorrow!!