what is the difference between the yellow polythylene pipe designed for gas, and garden variety black polythylene pipe? I am not planning on using the black stuff, but just curious, as the gas pipe seems more expensive.
Just check the wall thickness, it is a different product entirely. If I am correct, it is not just polyethylene but a different type or mix of plastic. Finally, it is color coded to identify it as gas pipe. Connections are made with special fittings and/or are plastic welded.
I dont know the difference, but i wont allow plastic gas pipe anywhere near my home. In fact the neighborhood I used to live, they were running gas pipes along the street using that yellow plastic pipe. They were running it on the opposite side of the street. My neighbor across the street filed a legal suit against the city or gas company or some such thing. This was about 25 to 30 years ago. He said that he refused to have a gas line in his yard, claiming he would not be using it and said it was dangerous. The whole project had to be put on hold while the legal case was in progress. He won the case, which would have forced them to run the pipe across the street to my side of the street, then run it back to the other side again. Well, I was not really too afraid of the gas pipes underground, but at the same time I felt it should not be on my side either. So, I contacted the city and complained. I was told that they had decided to run it right down the middle of the road. That sounded good to me. When I saw them using that plastic pipe, I was REAL glad I spoke with them. Natural gas is relatively safe, but I dont trust plastic pipe for something flammable. Under the street is a good place for it.
Do you have any reason to not allow the plastic gas piping? Your friend sounds like a nut, delaying a whole public works project out of fear of plastic gas pipe in his front yard
Why is plastic pipe better? We had a backhoe operator hit a plastic gas pipe once. (yes we called for a locate, no they didn't mark it)
It wouldn't have mattered much to the backhoe whether it was gas or metal but the operator shut the gas off by bending over the plastic pipe, like you do a garden hose. A few turns of duct tape to hold it over and the leak was stopped. Do that with a metal pipe and you are dialing 911 for an evacuation of the neighborhood.
The chance of a leak without a "hit" from a machine? about even with either type.
The plastic pipe used for gas is much thicker and the formulation would be a little different although can not remember specifics.
At one time started using orange color in many places, switched to yellow as telco uses orange for fiber burial.
Metal can rust which over time poses more of a leak hazard.
I was doing some irrigation work in my yard once, called to have all the utility lines marked. Hit an older metal gas line that was not longer used and did not hurt the pipe at all, thought that was the gas and they failed to mark correctly. Kept digging a few feet and hit a plastic gas line, the one in use, did not take much to cut the sucker, and was not marked either. I called the gas company and they sent someone out and they dug up the line and put a clamp on the plastic line leaving about a foot exposed. put about a foot slice in and released the clamp.
What surprised me is how no one with the gas company there was even concerned about all the gas leaking out before they got it clamped and while digging it up.
Not much concern really. Once in open atmosphere, it is less harmless than most people think. Danger comes from the right concentration in an enclosed space. Ever watch them weld on a gas line that has gas in it?
You mean "less harmful" or "more harmless"? Cheers, Wayne
With no ignition source, the concentration of gas from an open residential gas line is not a health problem. Yes, It stinks. The real risk is ignition, and the ignition source will need to be CLOSE to the open gas line to ignite it.
Plastic gas line was brand new 25 years ago, most leaks are from rusting in metal lines, that go unnoticed till something bad happens or the stink is noticed which is why the odorant is there.
the big thing about gas leaks is they follow the lines so in the mddle of the street gains little.
myself I would rather have plastic perhaps encased in a heavy outer cover like 4 inch PVC sewer line for mecanical protection
Hi, The smell is intentional so we can detect the presence of gas. The smell is added for that. In open space the amount of gas should be a lot for ignition.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.