Over 698,000 strictly plumbing related posts
Plumbing education, information, advice, help and suggestions are provided by some of the most experienced plumbers who wish to "give back" to society. Since 1996 we have been the best online (strictly) PLUMBING advice site. If you have questions about plumbing, toilets, sinks, faucets, drains, sewers, water filters, venting, water heating, showers, pumps, and other strictly PLUMBING related issues then you've come to the right place. Please refrain from asking or discussing legal questions, or pricing, or where to purchase products, or any business issues, or for contractor referrals, or any other questions or issues not specifically related to plumbing. Keep all posts positive and absolutely no advertising. Our site is completely free, without ads or pop-ups and we don't tract you. We absolutely do not sell your personal information. We are made possible by:
Author:
waukeshaplumbing (WI)
I am looking at a basement remodel in a few days and was told the inspector wants the gas regulators vented to the outside.
I assume the house is 2lb gas with regulators at every appliance.
i think ive seen a small copper line running off of them once of twice in the past...
has anyone else vented them?....do i put a 1 1/2 pvc pipe chase in the outside wall and run 4 copper lines out of the house?....what size is the copper lines?
I want to dump this onto the heating contractor, but they arent using one for this project.
any help would be appreciated
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
e-plumber (NY)
Around here there is one single pressure regulator installed at the meter when there is medium or high gas pressure and the (single) pressure regulator is hard piped with steel to the atmosphere, with one pipe.
The only times that I saw what you have described, (separate regulator vent pipes) were on commercial jobs. Normally, residential appliance regulators are not designed to be vented, at the ones that I've seen or installed.
e-plumber
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The society which scorns excellence in Plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an
exalted activity will have neither good Plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water." -
John William Gardner 10/8/1912 - 2/16/2002
Repair your leaking Plumbing fixtures ASAP [www.theplumber.com]
This slow drip will waste 7+ gallons of water per day.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
plumb-bobII (VA)
The only time I've had to run a vent was on a 5# system. Regulators were spec'd that did not have OPD protection. Maxitrol makes a regulator with this device made up on a 2 part regulator. Make sure about the pressure before you do anything else.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
dlh (TX)
they do make regulators designed for indoor use but as you can imagine they cost a bit more. sounds like someone didnt know what they were doing when designing the gas system or they would have tried to use as few regulators as possible unless it was retrofitted with another appliance that needs a large amount of gas. all you need is a 3/8" line so it isnt that big a deal but you should be able to tie them together just like any other vent.
this is a plumbers job and is dealing with gas. why would you want to make someone else do something that has such liability?
- - - - - - -
PLUMBERS "Protecting The Health Of The Nation"
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
Many CSST systems are being installed at 2 psi medium pressure. Whether the regulators are vented or not depends on the local codes. Since they only have a small tapping, copper tubing is usually adequate as long as it vents to the exterior.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
If you tie them together how would you isolate the bad one if the regulator failed and started venting continually?
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
Edward429451 (CO)
Why would you want to dump it on the heat guy? It's just like running an icemaker line. Sounds like a cake job to me.
Medium pressure would require a reg at each appliance in our locale, but we're not required to vent them. Make sure the have a vent tap before quoting them, might need new regs if they don't.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
PBwrencher (WI)
Was this inspector a city inspector or other?
Im sure this inspector was talking about a line gas pressure regulator, not the gas appliance pressure regulators.
The line gas pressure regulator needs to be vented in accordance with the manufacture's instructions.
Also, get yourself a copy of the "National Fuel Gas Code"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3 years before Google started PlumbingSupply.com has been THE best plumbing supplier on the web. Please visit our sponsor [www.PlumbingSupply.com]
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
waukeshaplumbing (WI)
This job is in Greenfield, WI.....I wanted to dump it on the heating guys because I have no experience at it. I dont know what size tubing or how to vent it outside...do i just drill a 1" hole outside and have 5 1/4" pieces of tubing sticking out? i have no idea how to make it look good. I havent looked at the job yet and am just going by what the contractor has told me. It sounded like its 2lb gas with a regulators on each appliance.....
If I cant figure it out when I go look at it I will be calling the inspector and asking exactly what he wants done. It sounds strange to me.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
PBwrencher (WI)
It's not strange, it is just somthing new to you.
Talk to the inspector, hopefully he is an X-licensed plumber/heating guy and not a old bricklayer who just got this job when the small towns had to adapt the UDC code a few years ago.
New Berlin years ago had a good plumbing inspector.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3 years before Google started PlumbingSupply.com has been THE best plumbing supplier on the web. Please visit our sponsor [www.PlumbingSupply.com]
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
e-plumber (NY)
Here, each gas regulator vent is piped to the exterior wall individually with an approved device, (peck vent cap or a screened 90) to an approved location.
The inspector will (or should) know the details, your Plumbing code book fuel/gas section may have info on venting gas regulators as well.
e-plumber
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The society which scorns excellence in Plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an
exalted activity will have neither good Plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water." -
John William Gardner 10/8/1912 - 2/16/2002
Repair your leaking Plumbing fixtures ASAP [www.theplumber.com]
This slow drip will waste 7+ gallons of water per day.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
Masterplumb (NY)
On some commercial boilers (with powerflame burners) we service, there are several (relief) vents going out to one main peck vent. Before each solenoid valve there are gas cocks to isolate for testing.
Chris
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
Sr. Plbg Designer (IN)
Relief vent openings on gas regulators are required to be vented to atmosphere and should not be tied together for various reasons. The regulator has an internal diaphragm which must be able to move freely and unrestricted in order to properly regulate the gas pressure. The regulator has to breath if you will.
A regulator may have a 3/8" vent connection, but the vent should immediately be increased to a minimum of 3/4" to 1" and piped directly to the exterior of the building and terminated with a 90 degree elbow looking down with an insect screen. If the run of vent pipe has is longer than 15' it should be increased one full pipe size (to 1-1/4", and then to 1-1/2" at 30' of run and so on). A person can breath through a 5' long 3/4" garden hose, but would not be able to breath through a 50' length of 3/4" garden hose due to the additional friction loss. Also never use the stainless steel corrugated gas piping to vent a regulator even for a short distance for the same reason.
The main reason regulator vents should NEVER be tied together is because if there's ever an obstruction in the vent line and a regulator fails it can impose sufficient back pressure on the diaphragm of another regulator, potentially resulting in over pressurized gas being delivered into an appliance or piece of equipment, possibly resulting in a gas explosion.
|
Post Reply
|
Please note:
- Inappropriate messages or blatant advertising will be deleted. We cannot be held responsible for bad or inadequate advice.
- Plbg.com has no control over external content that may be linked to from messages posted here. Please follow external links with caution.
- Plbg.com is strictly for the exchange of plumbing related advice and NOT to ask about pricing/costs, nor where to find a product (try Google), nor how to operate or promote a business, nor for ethics (law) and the like questions.
- Plbg.com is also not a place to ask radiant heating (try HeatingHelp.com), electrical or even general construction type questions. We are exclusively for plumbing questions.
Search for plumbing parts on our sponsor's site:
Special thanks to our sponsor:
|