Gas supply lines

Specific Inspection Topics Plumbing Inspections
21

I thought I would share an experience at my own home pertaining to a copper water line buried in the basement concrete floor.

My main water line developed a leak and it was from being buried in the concrete.

The plumber that repaired the line stated that the concrete will accelerate the deterioration of the copper.

The new line is at the inside of the outside wall instead of in the middle of the basement.

The pipe was about 40 years old.

Fortunetly I enrolled in the Ohio water line program & saved about 3K.

22

It seems copper.org is missing something. As stated before I have seen oil lines leaking from being buried in concrete, I don’t care what the web site says, I have seen it first hand.

23

I would imagine.

Maybe your Masons’ should get together with the Masons’ in Massachusetts and ask what the secret is to keeping copper lines free of corrosion (inside mortar).

I’ve yet to see one copper line leaking from encasing it in mortar.

24

Anecdotal evidence is not proof of causation jason1. Many other factors may have contributed to what you have seen first hand.

25

Well, like I said, we can’t bury them up here anymore because of that problem so it is a moot point.

Interesting how different regions can be, sometimes regions only miles apart are completely different in building practices. shrug

26

It onlys takes a few insurance claims in one area to change the code :slight_smile:

27

Let us not forget here that a copper line is not a problem in concrete unless it is a gas line which was the original topic.

Copper and brass pipe shall not be used if the gas contains more than average of 0.3 grains of hydrogen sulfides 100SCF of gas.

Copper tubing shall be of type K or L of ASTM B88.

Underground piping where installed through the outer foundation, basement wall of a building shall be encased in a protective pipe.
The space between the gas piping and the building shall be sealed to prevent entry of gases and/or water.

Piping underground beneath buildings where unavoidable, the piping shall be encased in an appproved conduit designed to withstand the superimposed loads.

Copper, tubing in general should not be installed in concrete containing quickset additives or cinder aggregates.

There are a few of the shall not that cannot be visually inspected here without proper identification of the matrix of the concrete mixes used when originally done and the composition of the gas chemical composition.

I would note in a report that the Local Gas Company should further evaluate this installation.

Reference Material; NFPA 54

Oil Copper lines in a concrete slab. That is a no no. But that is page two. ha. ha.

Your Local AHJ might shed some light on all of this, so that is where I would start.

Hope this helps.

Marcel :slight_smile: :slight_smile:
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28

It would be nice to get it straight once and for all.
I have a set of copper water lines buried for a wet bar in my basement since 1957 which have never leaked,yet I have alway’s heard that the chemicals in gas deteriorate copper after some time.Think of all the recalled brass flex recalled 15 years ago.

29

Bob,
check with your local gas provider for the suitability of copper gas line in your area. Natural gas is not the same everywhere.