My Natural Gas Supplier is frequently pushing an insurance program to protect against costly replacement or repairs on the gas line that runs on the property grounds and inside the home.

My home is 26 years old.

Does anyone know how long Black Pipe lasts? Does the life expectancy differ from the pipe that is underground vs. painted pipe exposed to the elements outside, vs. pipe that runs inside the house?

I would appreciate anyone's input.

i've been performing plumbing since the 60's.
i honestly can't remember replacing a gas pipe indoors because it was rotted away...
underground is a different story.
any buried steel pipe will rot sooner or later. just how much moisture is present will be the determining factor in it's life expectancy..
any painted outside gas piping should really belong to the gas company as that would be the meter and associated piping. that belongs to them and you should not have to pay insurance for their pipes.
yeah, the discharge side of the meter belongs to you but it only involves a couple of nipples and a couple of elbows. why pay insurance for a job will cost 150-200 dollars if and when it EVER needed replacement??

Same here. The home I live in was built in 1960, no problems with the natural gas pipes and they were inspected and pressure checked just a few years ago. The gas pipe from the meter is black steel pipe, it runs above ground next to the home, doesn't touch the ground, has rust on the outside but that is normal. Then it comes inside the home under the main floor and goes to the various places, looks unchanged from the day it was installed.

A lot of places sell extended warranties on everything from new cars to tv's and other appliances. Even the phone company offers insurance on the phone wiring in your house. In the vast majority of cases it is just a money-maker for them, most people never have a failure that is covered by the insurance.

Not long ago I bought a new hammer and the store asked me if I wanted extended warranty on it. A hammer! That tells me all I need to know about the thinking on extended warranties.

PS> I thought the gas line on the property running TO the gas meter was the gas company responsibility, same as with the water service line from the city?? Are you sure the insurance coverage is for all of the gas piping outdoors? I think it will only be for the pipe from the meter to your home. But in some locations the meter is several feet from the home so there is a lengthy run of pipe from the meter to the home. I thought gas companies all over the country had been replacing all buried steel piping with non-rusting service lines. Too many leaks and lawsuits.



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They are replacing THEIR lines which feed the meters. The utilities NEVER do anything with the piping after the meter. They will not even locate your buried lines after the meter.

Around here you simply call Dig safe (It's the law before you dig) and they will come out and map all your utilities free of charge.

Thanks for your input packy. The meter is close to the house and then pipe runs through the garage to the utility closet. So were talking about a 12 -15 ft run if your include the branches to the furnace and HW heater. And like you said, any issue would likely be at the joints. I would have to check to see if the insurance includes the underground pipe from the street to the meter, what the material is and also check to see who is responsible for that underground run. I think in NJ, if it's on your property, it's yours. What a State!

Thanks for the follow-up stuckinlodi. The letter from the gas company states "the gas line that runs ON your property is your responsibility. So I assume they are including the underground line from the street to the meter, which is clearly on my property. Interesting in the small print on the acceptance form they say there are "limitations and exclusions" but there is no list or explanation of exactly what those "limitations and exclusions" are! When I have time (ha) I may call them on it. Probably a scam.

BTW - Warranty on the hammer....classic! Tell me, was the hammer mfg. in China???

yes, like most things these days it was made in China.

Double-check on the gas line from the street to the meter, that is usually the gas company's responsibility, up to and including the meter. From there to your house is your responsibility and that is probably what they mean in the letter. Afterall, they wouldn't want just anyone you happened to hire digging up and repairing the gas line coming to the meter, that's the main supply line in the neighborhood and would disrupt everyone on that line, dozens of houses or more. At the meter they can shut your line down for work to it and not affect anyone else. But maybe things are different in NJ.



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Your "on site" lines are NOT "utilities", and I have never heard of any "public locator" who would find ANY "user lines" after the meters.

Technically, the line to the meter is NOT "On your land", but rather in an implied easement. They are referring to buried lines to out buildings, pool heaters, barbeques, etc.



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IF that pipe were really your responsibility, and something happened to it, WHO WOULD YOU GET TO FIX IT? There is no plumber, in his right mind, who would even think about touching that pipe. In the first place you would have to shut down the whole area, then do a repair on a high pressure gas pipe, test it somehow, and then GUARANTEE that the repair was done properly. No, Thanks!

No, you would not have to shut down the whole area. There is a shut-off valve under the curb (just downstream of the tee from the main which is the beginning of my run to the meter under my property. The access is at ground level, inches from the street curb and on my property), dedicated to MY HOUSE only. Every house has one in my neighborhood ( 2 streets with a total of 60+ homes) and likely throughout the township and probably required by state regulators. The gas company has a special key to operate the shut off if necessary. I assume if there is a problem with the line under the property, the come out to shut the valve at the curb. Then either the gas company or certified contractor (with permit) makes the repair. I think without insurance you pay. With insurance is the big question on who pays.

Now I'm really curious about this. I will contact the gas company and ask questions and report back to this forum. I also may contact my home owners insurance company and see if I have any gas line coverage. (Probably not)

OK, I called the gas company and they informed me that the line from the street to the meter IS the gas company's responsibility. I was pleasantly surprised. So easy decision now. No need to get the insurance.

In the previous township I lived in, the sewer line from the street to the house is the owners responsibility, so I guess I was thinking along those lines for the gas line.

Thanks to all who gave me input.



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That setup, with individual shutoffs, is not the "common" one. In most places, any shutoff is at the main and buried.

Author: rsk (NJ)

In the previous township I lived in, the sewer line from the street to the house is the owners responsibility, so I guess I was thinking along those lines for the gas line.

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That's the way sewer lines work everywhere (pretty sure). The entire length of the sewer line is the homeowner's responsibility, from the house to the connection point at the city's sewer pipe. There are no meters or shutoff valves on your home's sewer line.

But gas lines and water lines have a meter and a utility company shutoff valve at the meter. The utility has the responsibility for the piping from the street up to the meter and shutoff. The homeowner responsibility is for the piping from the meter shutoff valve to the house.



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