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:
Sallysue (AL)
Jow long does black iron pipe gas lines last? My house is almost 65 years old and i dont know what to look for in regards to whether the gas lines need replacing. Any help is appreciated.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
NoHub (MA)
They can lasts hundreds of years. I've found old steel Gas light lines (from the 1800's) still active in Boston. It's a good thing to have a Gas/carbon monoxide alarm ( $50 at home depot) on every floor. It's the joints that will leak not the pipe, when they do leak it's usually (99.99% of the time) a very faint smell of gas you might smell.
Edited 1 times.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
The only positive way is to do a pressure test on the system. "looking" does nothing to determine its condition.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
Sallysue (AL)
Do the joints loosen or more likely to leak with age? The connections on my pipe look to have a hardened sealent on them instead of wet pipe dope you would see on a new connection.
Also should they be soap/ leak tested frequently?
Edited 1 times.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
It does NOT "stay wet" forever. In fact it become hard in just a few days.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
packy (MA)
"Do the joints loosen or more likely to leak with age?"..
quite the opposite.
it is much easier to take a newly tightened joint apart than it is to take apart a joint that is decades old.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
srloren (CA)
Back i.n 1954 Pipe dope was made by mixing cutting oil with Plumbers Putty. It eventually dried out and was difficult to unscrew with a wrench.
srloren
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
NoHub (MA)
I wonder if they purchased it premade or made batches onsite.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
packy (MA)
yeah, and they wrapped candle wicking into the threads to help make the seal. BUT wicking is/was forbidden on gas threads.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
Back in 1954, we bought cans of pipe dope and only mixed in cutting i=oil when it started to dry out. NEVER used plumber's putty for that, it was too "stiff".
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
sum (FL)
why didn't they use peanut butter?
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
NP16 (OR)
I would suggest calling your natural gas provider.
They have Star Trek like tools that can detect methane.
I believe they will do a free safety check up all your gas burning appliances too.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
greggie (IL)
thats probably a can of worms you dont want to open when its -0 degrees outside.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
bruceb3 (MI)
The pipe will last hundreds of years in a dry area, but the thread sealant will dry out after a number of years, causing leaks.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
packy (MA)
i started in this trade in the late 60's. i don't believe i have ever seen a threaded pipe joint dry out and leak.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
bernabeu (SC)
in theory
and in good practice
the 'pipe dope' merely acts as a lubricant for assembly - the seal is made by the tapered/wedge mechanical 'mating' of the male-female threads
as an industrial pipefitter i can not count the number of joints i have completed using ONLY neva-seez as a lubricant
HOWEVER
said first class work can only be accomplished with PROPER threading and GOOD QUALITY fittings AND proper 'make-up' to the PROPER dimensions and number of turns
for 1/8 thru 2" NPT that would be 7 TOTAL to exactly match the 7 threads in a 1/8 - 2" fitting with the 2-3 imperfect male 'starter' threads on the pipe left EXPOSED
assuming a good male thread: if less than 7 total, too little contact for seal - if more than 7, the fitting has been 'wedged open' by the starting threads again resulting in poor contact
in either above case the copious application of dope or tape will usually provide a seal and/or 'insurance'
++++ if you find a female fitting ( 1/8 - 2" ) with more or less threads than 7 it is defective and should be tossed ++++
conclusion: consumer grade piping is seldom best practice installed, but usually code compliant
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
hj (AZ)
It sometimes does happen with gas lines.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
bernabeu (SC)
only if it was an improperly made joint to start with
which was sealed by the 'dope' and not by the threads themselves
ps. permatex # 12 is our best friend ALBEIT very very VERY messy and almost impossible to wash off
pps. after #12 'sets' get either a 60" wrench or a torch to disassemble - wrench recommended if gas pipe
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
steve_g (CA)
If you want to feel secure about your gas piping, get a plumber to pressure test it. It shouldn't be too outrageously expensive.
But this thread brought to mind a job I was on many years ago. A two story house (each floor a condo) and we had gutted the first floor. I found every joint in the gas piping to be bad. There was red pipe dope on all of them, which was unusual. Every fitting leaked, and I ran all new gas as part of the remodel.
The odd thing was that the condo upstairs had the same gas piping (and the same red dope) and I thought I should bring it to the owner's attention (the road to hell is paved with good intentions). I was finally able to run into the guy and tried to explain the situation in a clear and concise way w/o sounding like I was trying to sell more work (which I wasn't). He listened, his eyes glazed over, and he said, "I'm glad to hear that everything is OK".
I just didn't know what more to do at that point. That's the one and only time I've seen totally failed gas piping. And the pipe itself was fine, just the joints with the red dope were bad.
|
Post Reply
|
Author:
bernabeu (SC)
whatever the 'dope' was it was inadequate to 'hide' the improperly threaded joints
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
|
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:
|