Gas line through a flue

[Petzold]

I have a chimney with 2 flues for 2 fireboxes. The previous owner installed gas logs in both fireboxes. The gas lines were run outside the house then drilled through the chimney into the fire boxes. On the upper fire box the gas line actually runs through the flue for the lower firebox so that the hot gases pass the gas line. The chimney sweep said they never saw that before and didn't know if that was ok or not. I don't use the fire places a lot but I'm wondering if this is ok or if this is dangerous.

 

[SacCity]

Sounds like a bad idea to me.
One issue is that as the pipe heats and cools the joints are going to expand and contract,
And with enough movement over time the joints are going to leak resulting in a posible buildup of natural gas in the flew.
Sounds like a bad idea to me....

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

A picture would be interesting, since the gas lines are typically at the "floor" of the firebox, well below the chimney/flue.

 

[Petzold]

It is a flexible line so I believe there are no joints going through the flue. Here is what the pipe looks like.

 

[Petzold]

I have a fire place on the first and second floor. The gas lines do enter the bottom of both fireboxes however to get to the second floor fire box they ran the gas line through the flue for the first floor fireplace. Attached is a picture up the flue from the first floor fireplace.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Very illegal, very dangerous, do not use it until someone that knows what they are doing changes it.

 

[hj]

That could be CSST tubing, but I do not see corrugations under the yellow sheath. IF it is plastic it is polyethylene and should not have been used indoors. NEITHER material should pass through the fireplace flue.

 

[Petzold]

That could be CSST tubing, but I do not see corrugations under the yellow sheath. IF it is plastic it is polyethylene and should not have been used indoors. NEITHER material should pass through the fireplace flue.

It's copper tubing and it's not corrugated.

 

[hj]

Interesting. I have NEVER seen "yellow" copper tubing for use in gas lines, and it would normally NOT be labeled for a 2 psi system, unless it was done in the field. Copper for natural gas is not a common item in this area, but no matter where it is used there are specific restrictions on it, one of them being how connections are made. They CANNOT be "soldered".

 

[Tom Sawyer]

We use clad copper here for LP high pressure lines from the tank to the house but not inside and certainly not through a flue.