# Rusty Gas Pipes



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Depending on the depth of the rust penetration, you can use a HAND wire brush, and repaint it.

Or Get it replaced pronto.

ED


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

I have the same issue with our crawlspace gas lines, so I am very interested in keeping up with this thread.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Greg: if'n that were mine, it would have been replaced and coated with a coat of roofing tar, years ago.

A gas leak is nothing to have happen, it destroys homes. 

There was a home last week in the nearby city, that had a gas explosion, and it damaged the homes around it.

4 of them. 


ED


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## Mystriss (Dec 26, 2018)

The gas pipe between the main house and the detached garage shed rusted through at our place. REALLY scary because we have no idea how long it was leaking for, we'd used a blow torch on the weeds in the driveway /right/ there for years  Our gas bill went down /a lot/ since we fixed it. We changed it to CSST outside where it goes underground (also put it down an extra 20" because it was only buried 2" deep - code up here is 18")

Anyway, I wouldn't take the chance myself, I'd replace it.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

If I understand correct these pipes are inside the house. Wire brush and paint with yellow tremclad. No primer needed.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

I try to always use the Rustoleum paint products on my metal projects as they are good. I just did the underside of my rusty mower deck with the Rusty Metal primer and then topped it with their finish coat.

But not having to prime pipes in my CS surely got my attention, one coat is good. I am having a hard time finding the Tremclad in my local BB stores while searching on line.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Gregsoldtruck79 said:


> I try to always use the Rustoleum paint products on my metal projects as they are good. I just did the underside of my rusty mower deck with the Rusty Metal primer and then topped it with their finish coat.
> 
> But not having to prime pipes in my CS surely got my attention, one coat is good. I am having a hard time finding the Tremclad in my local BB stores while searching on line.



E-bay, can be a good friend, for things such as you ask.



ED


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Tremclad I believe is a Canadian brand. The OP is from 
Alberta Canada and should have no issues finding it. 
The US equivalent is Rustoleum.


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## prairiewind (Jan 26, 2019)

I'll probably try a wire brush and Tremclad. 



These are inside, and just have some surface rust that got a bit worse when the pipes got wet with water that had bleach in it when I was cleaning the basement.


I would think that there is no safety risk from the rust, but it is ugly, and should not stay like that long term.


I think that replacing the gas lines would be an unnecessary expense.


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## Msradell (Sep 1, 2011)

de-nagorg said:


> Greg: if'n that were mine, it would have been replaced and coated with a coat of roofing tar, years ago.


Roofing Tar is a bad product to choose for an application like this, it may be working for you but the problem is it can collect moisture underneath it and rust could develop without you knowing anything about it until became very severe. The buildup tar would hide the rust. You're much better off using a paint of some type so that you see the rust very soon after it starts to develop. Lighter colors are best for situations like this.


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## That Guy (Aug 19, 2017)

a wire brush is a giant pita and a waste of time...

take a piece of sand paper and roll it over the pipe.... you can also.... 'stroke' the pipe (not trying to be inappropriate here... seriously)

that will be WAY faster, and do a much better job than the wire brush, plus, no worries of getting stuck with a piece of wire...

use 80 grit, dust off with a crappy paint brush, coat with rust oleum rusty metal primer, and then top coat with whatever you want.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Msradell said:


> Roofing Tar is a bad product to choose for an application like this, it may be working for you but the problem is it can collect moisture underneath it and rust could develop without you knowing anything about it until became very severe. The buildup tar would hide the rust. You're much better off using a paint of some type so that you see the rust very soon after it starts to develop. Lighter colors are best for situations like this.


If moisture can build up under it, how can it protect a roof application?

Not logical to use it as a roofing sealant either then.


ED


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## ktownskier (Aug 22, 2018)

That Guy said:


> a wire brush is a giant pita and a waste of time...
> 
> take a piece of sand paper and roll it over the pipe.... you can also.... 'stroke' the pipe (not trying to be inappropriate here... seriously)
> 
> ...


Or you can use plumbers abrasive cloth. It comes in a roll. I use it to prep the end of the pipe when I want to sweat a fitting on or to make a PTC connection. (Sharkbite type). 

I cut off a length and wrap it around the pipe and pull it back and forth and swivel it around so that I get all sides and move it along the length of pipe. 

In your case. to degrease the pipe, I would take a rag and use VMP Naptha, Paint Thinner Laquer Thinner and wipe it all down to remove the dust and anything on the pipes. 

And spray it down with light coats of spray paint. 

Of course, you have been wearing an N95 mask, haven't you? And you have it well ventilated?

As someone mentioned earlier, I would just replace it with CSST pipe. (It is corrugated stainless steel pipe with a yellow plastic coating. (I believe there are other types out there now in other colors) You cut it to length using a pipe cutter being careful not to crush the pipe, and make your own pipe fittings. Using the fittings recommended by the pipe manufacturer. You need to make sure the cut end is clean and not rough at all. (I thought I had a cut end that was clean but it wasn't and it would occasionally leak, took 5 months to nail it down.) 

I would still use black pipe for main runs and CSST for runs where flexibility was essential. And, I like to put valves in so that I can shut off a run if I need to work on it, or something on that length. And unions so that it makes it easier to take things apart. But with CSST, you don't need unions, just new gaskets.


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## prairiewind (Jan 26, 2019)

Thank you everyone!



I think I will be on the right path now. I will likely use a combo of sandpaper, plumbers abrasive cloth, and a wire brush for the threaded areas.


Clean the pipe off afterwards, prime, then paint.


Mainly I was worried that rust paints would do something to the gas line, or let rust fester underneath, or something of the sort, and I wanted to calm my fears by discussing this in a thread. In DIY, I find there are so many unforeseen problems that can arise when I make assumptions, and a gas line is not the best item to discover an error on.


:thumbup1:


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Yellow tremclad. No primer needed.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Just my opinion.

"" Unlike ferrous metals – metals containing Iron – which will generate sparks upon impact, brass does not spark on impact. ... Brass does not become brittle at low temperatures, unlike mild steel.""










Then wipe the pipe down good and use.










Then paint with your favorite paint.

If really bad maybe very lightly with.


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## Msradell (Sep 1, 2011)

de-nagorg said:


> If moisture can build up under it, how can it protect a roof application?
> 
> Not logical to use it as a roofing sealant either then.
> 
> ...


You know as well as I do that sometimes a roof leaks, at least when it does you will see evidence of it eventually. If a gas line starts leaking you won't know it until you spell yes and by then it's quite possibly too late.

I've actually never seen it happen to a gas line I have seen it happen to a water line.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

So will a heavy coat of paint possibly mask a gas leak, while the hole in the pipe is rusting out larger under the paint ….while not being able to see it ?

So now I am leaning towards using something like Picklex 20 or Osphos. It converts the rust to iron oxide and actually prevents more rust. As IMO, there is NO paint that will stop rust totally, just hides it. Ask any body shop/auto painter.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Gregsoldtruck79 said:


> So will a heavy coat of paint possibly mask a gas leak, while the hole in the pipe is rusting out larger under the paint ….while not being able to see it ?
> 
> So now I am leaning towards using something like Picklex 20 or Osphos. It converts the rust to iron oxide and actually prevents more rust. As IMO, there is NO paint that will stop rust totally, just hides it. Ask any body shop/auto painter.


My BIL, a retired Body Shop Painter, swears that if you de-rust a body panel, and properly prime the outer skin, and paint it, then coat the underside with that RHINO-LINER, material, it will never rust. 

unless you get a rock chip, or scratch from road debris. 


I've seen his work last for years, so have no basis to dispute him. 

Might be worth looking at for your gas line, after replacing it.

I don't trust rusty gas lines, too many examples of places exploding, due to poorly maintained gas lines.

How many roads and city streets in New England have ruptured over the years, from this?


ED


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

We are talking about some lightly rusted pipes INSIDE a house, not a car running outside in salty winter weather.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

joed said:


> We are talking about some lightly rusted pipes INSIDE a house, not a car running outside in salty winter weather.


Greg asked the question, right above my answer.

Rust is rust, and preventing it is the topic.


ED


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## Druidia (Oct 9, 2011)

Gregsoldtruck79 said:


> So will a heavy coat of paint possibly mask a gas leak, while the hole in the pipe is rusting out larger under the paint ….while not being able to see it ?
> 
> So now I am leaning towards using something like Picklex 20 or Osphos. It converts the rust to iron oxide and actually prevents more rust. As IMO, there is NO paint that will stop rust totally, just hides it. Ask any body shop/auto painter.




Rust is iron oxide. 

Rust converters usually contain an acid (phosphoric acid, tannic acid) that reacts with iron oxide resulting in a different iron compound (iron phosphate, iron tannate). Another ingredient forms a polymer coating.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Wow. Lot's of interesting stuff here for some light surface rust.



OP: any wire brush will work fine. Spark away while cleaning the rust from your non leaking pipes inside your house. Primer or not, inside doesn't matter. Gas fitters around here brush on Tremclad/Rustoleum outside with no primer. The pipes will rust and I will end up wire wheeling them soon.



FYI: rust converters do convert rust. The top surface turns black. This black layer is microscopic with nice fresh rust just below it, percolating away. I use this product as a rust "locator" and use a wire brush that's worn out to about 1/4" nubs. They are really stiff and knock off the rust nicely. Then apply the locator several times and brush again. OP doesn't need this of course.



I do not run away from the wire brush in fear of getting stuck by a wire.....ha...


Sandpaper will not remove rust from pits and is a waste of time in the OP's project.


Brass wire wheels are mostly plated steel and will spark the same as most others. 



These are just my opinions of course, but I have dealt with a lot of rust restoring cars. There's a ton of rust up here in Canada....lain:


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

Ed, I am a firm believer in the rust convertors being used for automotive painting. Back in the early 2000's I spent MANY days on a top auto body/paint website, while trying to teach myself how to paint my old truck.

At that time I learned that using picklex 20 rust convertor ($$$$$ !!) was the product being used by many of the top auto paint shops.


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## That Guy (Aug 19, 2017)

I vote spending $10,000 and have a professional sandblasting company come in and do it right.


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## Hidyi (Sep 26, 2014)

After removing the rust, test for pinhole leaks by spraying a soapy solution. If you see bubbles/foam, shut off the gas and have a lic. plumber replace the pipe asap.


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