Gas Piping Question

Posted by Tim on April 29, 2009, 1:45 pm

Really nothing I guess.

We are not plumbers. We are doing this as part of a huge remodel. We can't
use "unions" as such and we know we have to use a left/right connection.
Personally, I have had bad luck with right/lefts over the years. It always
seems like one side is too loose when the other is tight. I get tired of
fighting it. I always make sure both sides start at the same time and all
that, but it seems like it just never goes on cleanly. It was just me trying
to get something done easily and without a problem.

> Tim wrote:
> ...

>> I need to supply gas to a new hybrid water heater. According to the
>> manufacturer, it requires a 3/4" input line.
>> The gas line comes directly from the gas meter via a 1" line to the water
>> heater closet. There, it goes into a Tee. The Tee is a 1" (from the
>> meter), 3/4" that feeds the rest of the house (furnace and stove), and
>> 1/2" that feeds the existing water heater. Some say I have to remove the
>> Tee and go with one that gives me a 3/4" line to the rest of the house
>> and a 3/4" line to the water heater. Others say I can just put a bushing
>> on the 1/2" line, taking it up to 3/4" and I'll be fine.

> ...

>> Any thoughts? Go with a new tee or bush up the old one? Or any other
>> idea?

> ...
> What could possibly be so hard about simply putting in a 3/4" tee and
> going on?
> --

Posted by PeterD on April 29, 2009, 7:36 pm

wrote:

>Really nothing I guess.
>We are not plumbers.

Bottom line: if you are not qualified to do the work, get someone who
is.

>We are doing this as part of a huge remodel. We can't
>use "unions" as such and we know we have to use a left/right connection.

Posted by Tim on April 30, 2009, 1:01 am

I believe most general contractors are pretty much the same. We all came
into this doing something like electrical or tile or carpentry or something
else and we get licensed to be able to do it all so we don't have to bring
in someone who may or may not be more qualified. The fact that we do not
know EVERYTHING about a given topic doesn't necessarily mean we are not
qualified. We could debate the "is the general contractor REALLY qualified
to do everything?" question for 100 years.

> wrote:

>>Really nothing I guess.
>>We are not plumbers.

> Bottom line: if you are not qualified to do the work, get someone who
> is.

>>We are doing this as part of a huge remodel. We can't
>>use "unions" as such and we know we have to use a left/right connection.

Posted by George on April 30, 2009, 6:51 am

Tim wrote:

> I believe most general contractors are pretty much the same. We all came
> into this doing something like electrical or tile or carpentry or
> something else and we get licensed to be able to do it all so we don't
> have to bring in someone who may or may not be more qualified. The fact
> that we do not know EVERYTHING about a given topic doesn't necessarily
> mean we are not qualified. We could debate the "is the general
> contractor REALLY qualified to do everything?" question for 100 years.
>
>

A general contractor is not licensed to "do it all" in any jurisdiction
I know. And just because someone can build a perfect foundation or set
the most fabulous tile job doesn't mean they understand gas piping or
whatever else. That doesn't diminish them and there really is no debate.

Just consider your present situation. You say "someone said this" and
"someone said that" and then pose the question in a newsgroup where your
only hope is to get more "someone said this" and "someone said that"
responses. Will you decide by tallying up the responses?

My buddy had a log home built about five years ago and hired a gc who is
very skilled but thinks he can do everything. The foundation elevation
is perfect, the foundation is dead on square and level and the logs and
beams are installed perfectly. But my buddy is having constant issues
with the heating system, aerator pump and electrical system because the
job looks good but the guy didn't understand the fine points of what he
was doing.

Posted by Tim on April 30, 2009, 5:36 pm

Here in the left coast, as a GC, I can do everything except fire sprinklers
and well digging. The interesting thing for me is that I cannot sell myself
as a plumber, let's say, UNLESS I am also doing framing, electrical and
tile, for example. THEN I can be a plumber.

My original question about unions in gas lines was in some part to evoke a
debate. I also asked the inspectors in the city I am doing work in right
now. Even THEY had different answers. One guy only really has an interest in
life-safety issues and if something works, it works. He'll accept things not
in the code based on if there was really no other way to do it and it isn't
a life-safety issue. A union for him was, in some cases, potentially
acceptable. Another guy said no way, under no circumstances, impossible,
don't even think about it. You read the responses, some yes, some no. I
guess it is enough of a grey area that no one can give a good answer. Some
guys said "Look at a gas meter, there is a union there". Here in California,
the gas utilities also run plastic pipe from a gas main to a meter (wouldn't
I love that). But there is no way I can run plastic gas pipe inside a house.
Some cities won't even let me run corregated stainless steel gas lines (even
though it is in the code) becasuse it takes jobs away from union pipe
fitters.

Different strokes for different folks...

> Tim wrote:

>> I believe most general contractors are pretty much the same. We all came
>> into this doing something like electrical or tile or carpentry or
>> something else and we get licensed to be able to do it all so we don't
>> have to bring in someone who may or may not be more qualified. The fact
>> that we do not know EVERYTHING about a given topic doesn't necessarily
>> mean we are not qualified. We could debate the "is the general contractor
>> REALLY qualified to do everything?" question for 100 years.

> A general contractor is not licensed to "do it all" in any jurisdiction I
> know. And just because someone can build a perfect foundation or set the
> most fabulous tile job doesn't mean they understand gas piping or whatever
> else. That doesn't diminish them and there really is no debate.
> Just consider your present situation. You say "someone said this" and
> "someone said that" and then pose the question in a newsgroup where your
> only hope is to get more "someone said this" and "someone said that"
> responses. Will you decide by tallying up the responses?
> My buddy had a log home built about five years ago and hired a gc who is
> very skilled but thinks he can do everything. The foundation elevation is
> perfect, the foundation is dead on square and level and the logs and beams
> are installed perfectly. But my buddy is having constant issues with the
> heating system, aerator pump and electrical system because the job looks
> good but the guy didn't understand the fine points of what he was doing.
>

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Gas Piping Question - Page 2