Shallow Gas line?

[chufi]

I was starting to level out part of my very sloped yard with a cut and fill and discovered the gas line buried all of 6" underground. Didn't break it thankfully. This is between the street and the meter in California. If I just worked around it the pipe would be exposed for about a foot (which clearly is a no go, but just trying to give a sense of scale) Will PGE want me to bury it deeper? Will they be on the hook for it because it is before the meter and is clearly way to close to the surface? Should I just do a little addition to wall my wall and turn that section into a planter? Any thoughts?

photo.
https://imgur.com/a/sTxg8

 

[Dj2]

If you are not mistaken and the gas pipe is only 6" below grade, then it doesn't meet code in CA, which is 18". You also need to determine if this pipe is active or abandoned.
Contact PG&E to find out if you have to reroute the line or if they will do it and who must pay for it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Plumber69]

Your going to pay. I've seen gas lines less then 4 inches

 

[hj]

It should belong to the gas utility and if so, you are NOT allowed to work on it. Call them.

 

[JRC3]

I think dj2 hit the nail on the head.

Also expect a lecture for not calling before you dug.

 

[chufi]

Yeah, I'm not real excited about that conversation - but wow 6". Somewhat annoyingly the 811 number doesn't work for me (I guess some cell phone providers don't have it enabled) so I had use some online site to get my pipe location check scheduled. Would be nice if it were not active but I'm not holding my breath. A little annoyed at the city too, I talked to them to see if I would need a permit (I didn't because my walls were sub 4') but they didn't mention calling 811 before I started. And that was the inspector I was talking to. I've never done anything like this before so didn't know to call.

 

[Dj2]

Sempra (LA gas supplier) charges money to re-route a gas line. There are exceptions, and you can usually get answers from them.
I don't know about PG&E policy.

I did an addition once and the gas line was running under where the new slab was going to go. I called the Gas Co and they said $350 and sent a technician to see what we had. Friendly guy.

He said that the Gas Co was in the process of switching to CSST yellow flex lines, and that this house qualified for a free upgrade. Since the Gas co inserts the CSST line into the existing galvanized from the street to the house, he suggested I cut the galvanized where it enters to and exists from under the proposed new slab location, then dig a bypass trench (about 10 ft long, 18" deep).

They came after I dug the trench and went from the street inside the existing galvanized to the first cut, then exposed CSST thru the bypass, then into the rest of the pipe and to the meter.

Done in one hour. No charge.

I've had many dealings with LA utility suppliers (Gas, Water and Power), ALL of them positive. Never an argument.

 

[Jadnashua]

It surprises me somewhat that snaking a new pipe inside of your old supply line wouldn't end up with a lower capacity. Now, depending on the gas pressure in your area, it might not have any effect, but if the pressure is low, it certainly could. As long as the pressure is high enough, not a problem, that's what the pressure regulator at the meter is for - as long as it has enough supply, all is well.

 

[Dj2]

It surprises me somewhat that snaking a new pipe inside of your old supply line wouldn't end up with a lower capacity. Now, depending on the gas pressure in your area, it might not have any effect, but if the pressure is low, it certainly could. As long as the pressure is high enough, not a problem, that's what the pressure regulator at the meter is for - as long as it has enough supply, all is well.

- Our natural gas is delivered at a pressure of 1/3 PSIG.
- Street pressure is something the GasCo doesn't make public, but is estimated to be around 60 PSI.
- Average gas meter is rated at 230-250 cubic feet per hour, enough to power a furnace, range (oven and cook top), dryer, conventional water heater and a fireplace. Large homes pay for larger meters.
- Customers who wish to have tankless WH, pool heater and other big users pay for an upgraded meter.

As a result, inserting a CSST tube into existing galvanized lines doesn't affect gas supply to the house, and saves the GasCo the cost of digging trenches to millions of homes.