CSST and Lightning

Specific Inspection Topics Plumbing Inspections
1

While picking up a Radon test I had the opportunity to see something interesting.

When I inspected the vacant house the gas could not be turned on because the gas company said the piping system would not hold pressure.

When returning to pick up the Radon test I found that the HVAC technician had been to the home and was doing troubleshooting of the gas piping.

The tech said the entire piping system had to be replace because of lightning.

Whether it was lightning or not it was a lesson to pay attention to the bonding of CSST.

edit: arrow added to #5

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2

Mike, What should we be seeing in those photos?

3

Sorry I should have included some arrows.

If you look carefully in photo 5 you will see a pin hole in the CSST( I changed the pic)

The rest are access holes cut into bedroom ceiling, the pressure gauge on the line near the meter and the termination point of the CSST 25 ft away from the gas meter.

4

Very interesting, thanks

5

Odd, my guess as to the need for replacement would be the Hole. :smiley:

6

Not sure how the hole got there but his claim was lightning.

7

Google lightning strike, flex gas lines, lot of information available…

Corragulated Stainless Steel Piping simply don’t match good old black iron piping!

8

Is it probable that if lightning strikes the home, there may be extensive damage to many systems. Lightning will travel through all conductive systems seeking a path to ground. If CSST has not been properly bonded to the structure’s electrical system, the lightning may jump or arc to another metal conductor. The arcing may burn a pinhole in the CSST causing a gas leak. If bonded properly, the likelihood of CSST arcing and causing a gas leak will be significantly reduced.:slight_smile:

9

Note the CSST…


Let the Client decide what he / she wants to do when proceeding…

10

Recent litigation suggests that grounding / bonding is of no consequence…

The product was never properly tested…

11

We have seen numerous instances where lightning has arced over to the CSST and created holes much larger than the ones observed in your example. Below are a couple of photos from some of our fire cases that involved lightning induced CSST failures.

Imgur

12

It’s important to note that lightning does not have to directly strike a home for this issue to occur.
Inductive electicty from a nearby strike can energize metallic objects a half mile distant.

13

Source please.

14

It was probably before the bulletin ( look at the date of his posts )

15

Thanks Wayne, I didn’t notice this was from long ago!