# Exterior gas piping



## Downriver Tackle (Dec 24, 2004)

I have a cabin and want to change the flexible copper tubing over to pipes. I have propane now, but will be changing to natural gas next year. Question is: I have no local codes, so can I run black or galvanized pipes on the exterior where the tank connection is and branches off until I remodel the interior in that area and can run them in the wall? I was going to go black pipe and paint them. Any certain height they have to be from the ground if I can do it? Minimum diameter pipe?


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

Natural gas is corrosive and will pit and flake galvanized pipe.
Black for gas.

Any certain height they have to be from the ground if I can do it? 

Not sure what your asking there. You can't bury malable iron pipe in the dirt, but anything above ground is good.

Minimum diameter pipe? 

General rule of thumb, if you only have a furnace and oven, 1/2 " will be more than adequate. 

Here's a chart.

www.engineeringtoolbox.com/natural-gas-pipe-calculator-d_1042.html


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## mcfish (Jan 24, 2010)

I work with gas but am off with a back injury. I dont have my books to reference unfortunately. I dont remember the specifics of sizing but nat gas piping is always larger than propane because the pressure is so much lower. The lower the pressure, the larger the piping size. You may want to contact the nat gas supplier to find out what all they require so that they dont show up to hook up and tell you what all needs fixed before they will hook up. Keep the pipes painted and you should never have a problem. Good luck.


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## Michihunter (Jan 8, 2003)

If you are coming directly from the supply into the house you want to go a minimum of 1" on the black pipe. From there(inside the house) most will reduce to 3/4" (depending on minimum fuel requirements)and branch off individual appliances to 1/2"(once again determined by minimum fuel requirements). For the specifics, heres the International Fuel Gas Code for pipe sizing requirements: http://www2.iccsafe.org/states/Seattle/seattle_fuelgas/PDFs_fuelgas/Appendix A.pdf (the pdf's from Seattle but it is indeed the International Code which is used everywhere).


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

Do your self a favor and use flex no cutting and threading hard pipe.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mcfish (Jan 24, 2010)

N M Mechanical said:


> Do your self a favor and use flex no cutting and threading hard pipe.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


NM I have had a lot of do it yourselfers go with flex and they just dont know enough to be safe. They dont bond it, they dont terminate it correctly and they dont get a good seal because the cut has a burr on it. It works wonders in the right hands for cost and time savings but I sure do wish the big box stores would quit selling it to folks who dont know about it. I have at least 25 horror stories I could tell about that stuff.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

mcfish said:


> NM I have had a lot of do it yourselfers go with flex and they just dont know enough to be safe. They dont bond it, they dont terminate it correctly and they dont get a good seal because the cut has a burr on it. It works wonders in the right hands for cost and time savings but I sure do wish the big box stores would quit selling it to folks who dont know about it. I have at least 25 horror stories I could tell about that stuff.


Each is there own been using "gas tight" for 5 years no leaks and train a newbe within five minutes and have them pipe a whole house with no problems.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mcfish (Jan 24, 2010)

I here you. I wish home depot would give a 5 minute tutorial before they sell it to people that just dont know about it. I am sure you have your stuff together. The old do it yourselfer that blew up his home and was killed this week lived just on the other side of town from me. I see that stuff all the time with people that just dont no any better. Poor old guy was trying to save a buck.


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