Natural Gas leak in black pipe in attic

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Michael Thornley

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Please help with gas leak. A 3/4" pipe is leaking at tee. 3/4" line was originally pulled to less than 90 degree angle to make fit stressing connection as you can see in picture. In fact, pipe may be cracked at threads that will not be revealed until we try to unscrew it.

My question is since that angle is not straight (90 degrees from tee) would a "swing" connection with union be best? If the pipe breaks at threads, is there an easy way to get broken section out of tee? I don't know where t
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o find a L/R coupling which has been suggested. HD & Lowes don't carry them.
 

Terry

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I don't think you will have an issue unthreading that.
Does that drop down to the next floor to a furnace or water heater?
I would turn off the gas meter, and then work back from the fixture.
However that being said, it would be very nice if you brought in someone that was used to working with gas.
Gas can do bad things.
 

hj

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Steel pipes do NOT "bend" like that so it is probably cracked at a thread. Left and right couplings are NOT a DIY item, because they take a certain amount of practice to do them correctly, correctly meaning they do not leak.
 

Bill Shack

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first off the pipe is not black, It is galvanized. I would do a soap test to see if it is leaking. mix dish soap. (palmolive) one part with four parts water and apply with a brush.This will tell you which joints are leaking. If it is leaking call a plumber with a gas licence. He should remove the leaking pipe and install new then test the whole system with compressed air. It should hold the pressure for with no leaks for at least 1/2 hour.
 

Dj2

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If a plumber did this job - shame on him.

To correct it, get a qualified plumber only, don't mess with gas if you are new.
 

Gary Swart

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As others have already allude to, gas is not something a novice DIYer should be messing with. You can connect water lines and screw up and all that happens is a puddle of water. Screw with gas in thing go boom big time. What have shown is a total hack job and makes me suspect there may well be other problems in the installation. This is really a time to get a professional. BTW, there is an easy way to make the slight directional change in ridged pipe. You just use elbows and nipples, or street elbows to make the jog. Looks kind of like a crippled duck, but it will work.
 
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Tom Sawyer

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Galvanized is black iron with a zinc costing. Street elbows are illegal, nobody should be messing with gas piping except licensed gas technicians.
 

Terry

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Hey Michael,
What ever happened with that? It does look like someone contorted those pipes after the initial installation. No plumber would have been able to thread that up at that angle.
 

DonL

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Galvanized is black iron with a zinc costing. Street elbows are illegal, nobody should be messing with gas piping except licensed gas technicians.

I agree.

The only Natural Gas I play with is lighting Farts.

It can even be dangerous with no undies on.


Please do not ask how I know these things. But I will say, No need to shave.
 

Terry

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I agree.

The only Natural Gas I play with is lighting Farts.

It can even be dangerous with no undies on.


Please do not ask how I know these things. But I will say, No need to shave.

In Junior High I remember this as being an important topic. The only person I know that tried this went on to become a fireman. :)
He's still a pretty good skier too.
 

Tom Sawyer

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Exactly what it sounds like. You need left hand threading dies to make it work. Pretty rare these days.
 

hj

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quote; WTF is a left/right coupling?

IF you don't know, then you do NOT KNOW HOW TO INSTALL one so it is immaterial. You do NOT "make" a left hand thread, you buy a 4" left/right nipple to use with it.
 
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Asktom

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HJ, out of curiosity, can you point to where in the UPC it says st. elbows are not approved? It never came up in my plumbing days because they are a lousy fitting and we never used them, but poking around in my code book I don't see anything that says they can't be used.
 

hj

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quote; It's in the gas code

Which is also where it states that an FVIR gas heater does not have to be on an 18 stand in a garage, or elsewhere, as long as it is protected from vehicle impact.

Street elbows and bushings are cast and CAN snap off under stress, which is why they are not allowed. The only bushing that might be allowed would be a 1 1/2 x 1 1/4 because they are malleable and won't crack.
 

Asktom

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I understand bushings in concealed locations (UPC 1211.13), but in years of being around plumbing in the Los Angeles area I never heard of st elbows not being approved. I have seen cast bushings, but don't remember ever seeing a cast st ell. Plumbing codes and how they are enforced seems to vary a lot depending on locality. Anyway, it was idle curiosity and thanks for your answer.
 

SHR

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In Minnesota street elbows and bushings are not allowed on GAS pipes. As hj stated, the bushings can crack or break due to threads being cut in both sides of the metal thus making it weak. My instructor told us the reason street elbows are not allowed is because the reduced inside opening size of the male end restricts the gas flow.

My co-workers and I have had conversations about these restrictions and whether they are for valid reasons. Bottom line to us is no matter what a bunch of plumbers discuss over beers after work, the code and the inspectors who enforce it are what matters.
 
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