# New Underground Gas Line



## Tommy Plumb

You need to call your inspector and find out what is legal in your area. You probably aren't allowed to burry steal pipe at all for gas anymore. Even if you are where you live it isn't a good idea. Poly is what they are using now, the risers aren't cheap and you have to buy it in big rolls. You also need a certification to buy the stuff most of the time. 
For the above ground galvanized pipe is probably fine. Painting it isn't a bad idea though. 
For the connection it needs to be hard piped right into the heater, no flex lines.


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## sevver

I used the yellow plastic gas pipe, and two male adapters to iron pipe thread to mine when I did it. Much easier than shoveling out for iron pipe and room for the pipe wrench.


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## handymanwong

*flexible yellow gas line*

Can the yellow gas line be used outdoor? Can the black gas pipe be used outdoor? I am converting my propane gas grill to natural gas and am running a gas line outdoor above ground just under my deck. I am trying to get an assurance that one of these products can be used outdoor. thanks


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## sevver

The yellow one is what the gas company uses. It is used underground though, I came out of the ground with iron pipe. By rights you should also run a tracer wire with it, although I did not when I did it, but I know for a fact that it is 5' off my fence. And the Electric is 3' off the fence.


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## handyman78

Here is a site that might have some info for you...

http://www.omegaflex.com/trac/index.asp

I wanted to use it in my heater install but it only came in fixed lengths much longer than I needed. I decided to just pipe the heater directly from the house (keeping space from the house within specs) using a few feet of iron pipe exposed then use longer pvc water pipes to the pool. I only needed to go about 20' to the pool.


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## steve f

thanks, what size should I use? I like the idea of yellow poly U.G. and then use pipe adapter nipples and wrapped black pipe risers. The roll of 3/4" poly here is only $20/100' but the fancy risers are $275 each. That's why I was leaning toward all black, a bobcat is trenching so wrench clearance is no prob. No issues in MO with underground pipe and have an out of town pipefitter friend doing it but trying to assemble my pile before he gets here- he doesn't care which way I go and has all tools for poly or iron. AND, I have about 20ft of 3/4" black pipe on hand from an interior basement stove deal.


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## sevver

steve f said:


> thanks, what size should I use? I like the idea of yellow poly U.G. and then use pipe adapter nipples and wrapped black pipe risers. The roll of 3/4" poly here is only $20/100' but the fancy risers are $275 each. That's why I was leaning toward all black, a bobcat is trenching so wrench clearance is no prob. No issues in MO with underground pipe and have an out of town pipefitter friend doing it but trying to assemble my pile before he gets here- he doesn't care which way I go and has all tools for poly or iron. AND, I have about 20ft of 3/4" black pipe on hand from an interior basement stove deal.


I don't think my adapters were that much, like $35 each. From there you can put a 90 and some nipples on to get you out of the ground. Whatever a "riser" is you probably don't need it. And as for the size, what do the instructions for the heater call for according to your distance?


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## steve f

the riser is made by gastite for yellow pipe and has some sort of fancy no tool quick connect coupler at one end and a rigid section to pop out of the ground. Just checked, and book calls for 3/4 up to 40ft and 1" to 100' so basically my run is smack in the middle, was going to use 1" to be safe but thought I could save a buck and use up my leftover 3/4 stuff I have here.


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## sevver

steve f said:


> the riser is made by gastite for yellow pipe and has some sort of fancy no tool quick connect coupler at one end and a rigid section to pop out of the ground. Just checked, and book calls for 3/4 up to 40ft and 1" to 100' so basically my run is smack in the middle, was going to use 1" to be safe but thought I could save a buck and use up my leftover 3/4 stuff I have here.


Seems like if you aren't afraid of tools, you can save a buck by not using the risers and just using iron pipe.


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## steve f

thanks again for your help...

I will call around for the yellow to MPT adapters and a roll of underground wrap and make my own fancy risers.


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## steve1234

For what it's worth....I just had a discussion with my inspector about running a propane line. He said for iron pipe the stuff in the underground has to be _*factory*_ wrapped. 

I know rules are different depending on location, but I just thought I would toss that out. (location Nor Cal bay area)


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## Tommy Plumb

That's why I told him to speak to the local inspector. A job like this probably needs a permit and an inspection. Fail to get it and your homeowners may not cover you if something goes wrong expecially if you use a non-approved material. 
Iron pipe is no longer allowed under ground here. The poly is all you can use. For outdoor above ground pipe you have to use galvanized. Inside is black pipe or stainless flex line. There are many different brands of poly pipe, all have slightly different fittings and the costs vary. A riser for 3/4 pipe is about $175 for the stuff I use.

To the guy who asked about the yellow pipe outside. I take it this is above ground? If it is what kind of pipe are you using? Corregated stainless may or may not be approved depending on your local laws. Call the building department and ask. If you are using poly above ground it is defiantly not approved.


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## steve f

my protective inspection dept. said black pipe or poly is fine, any and all traces of underground black pipe need to be wrapped by us or factory, we would have to wrap the joints obviously on site. back county missouri may be a bit looser than some places with local codes.
thats why I stated above, the installer does not care what we use, both are approved, so is more a matter of cost.

called a different place and they have 150ft 1" poly for $122 and $85 each for the risers with built in quick connects. whole deal for $300, and my installer has a buyer for the rest of my poly!!


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## bigsky1926

steve f said:


> the riser is made by gastite for yellow pipe and has some sort of fancy no tool quick connect coupler at one end and a rigid section to pop out of the ground. Just checked, and book calls for 3/4 up to 40ft and 1" to 100' so basically my run is smack in the middle, was going to use 1" to be safe but thought I could save a buck and use up my leftover 3/4 stuff I have here.


Steve, Where do you get your information? I tried to get information out of the local dealers who sell products used for Propane gas piping and I get zilch. 

Is the yellow piping you used UG poly? Does that mean polyethylene pipe? I am not familiar with the abbreviations used in the Propane world.

What book did you find that 3/4 inch could be used only up to 40 feet? I had over 200 feet run with 3/4 inch UG poly. Is that out of code? I live in central New York State and can not find out what the regulations are for Propane Gas. 

What is a riser? The pipe coming out of the ground at both ends of the run the gas company installed is 5/8 coated copper pipe. Could this be a riser? 

I wasn't present when the pipe was laid and don't know how the copper pipe was connected to the UG poly flexible pipe. If you know I would appreciate the info.

I hope you do not mind me bothering you with my questions, but I need help. bigsky


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## steve f

no worries.
I cant find it now, but somehow I was searching online for poly UG pipe, yellow underground gas, and "they" make an o-ringed quick connect fitting. the size of the pipe is based on BTUs, my heater was 250K, and a 100ft run called for 1in. the risers are the things that connect to the underground pipe and make a 90* and come up out of the ground. they are coated black pipe for strength, mine is marked RWLYALL.com, that site may help.
if you want, call Riback supply in columbia MO and ask about the quick fitting gas couplers/risers and ask what brand they are.


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## Marvin Gardens

GasFlex cannot be used underground. Black pipe can be used underground and outdoors. Whenever I use it outdoors I always paint it. When it rusts it gets real ugly.

There is flex pipe that can be buried but it is real expensive and I don't know of anywhere that sells just a few feet of it. Mostly it comes in 100 foot rolls.

You will need 1 inch line to feed your heater. You could get by with 3/4" but that is pushing it and 90's would have to be at a minimum. The 1 inch line would have to come from your meter. Can't tap into another line that is smaller. You can tap into a 1 inch at the meter if that is all that you have.

Make sure you put in a trap in the line. Probably before it leaves the house and goes underground would work.


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## steve f

BIGSKY, better start your own thread, this is getting confusing...Marvin Gardens - help Bigsky, my project is done (this post is a few months old)


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## Marvin Gardens

steve f said:


> BIGSKY, better start your own thread, this is getting confusing...Marvin Gardens - help Bigsky, my project is done (this post is a few months old)


Doh!!! I just was cruzing the forums and say this was still active.....


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## michaeljc70

*Gas line in Chicago for grill/fire feature*

I am redoing my yard completely in Chicago and want to add a built in grill and a fire feature (like a natural gas fire ring with stones on top of it or something). 

I am in the planning stages. I am handy and may run the gas lines myself or hire it out. My questions are:

1) Is it legal to run such a line to a grill in Chicago? I know in some of the suburbs they don't allow this.

2) What is the depth an outside gas line (black pipe) must be buried?

3) If I am going to split off this line for the fire ring (probably an 18" ring, nothing big) and grill, what size would I need from the meter and can it be split without impacting performance? I know this question is pushing it not knowing the grill and fire ring specs.

Note: Sorry...I meant to create a new topic, but now I cannot seem to delete this post.


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## Tommy Plumb

michaeljc70 said:


> I am redoing my yard completely in Chicago and want to add a built in grill and a fire feature (like a natural gas fire ring with stones on top of it or something).
> 
> I am in the planning stages. I am handy and may run the gas lines myself or hire it out. My questions are:
> 
> 1) Is it legal to run such a line to a grill in Chicago? I know in some of the suburbs they don't allow this.
> 
> 2) What is the depth an outside gas line (black pipe) must be buried?
> 
> 3) If I am going to split off this line for the fire ring (probably an 18" ring, nothing big) and grill, what size would I need from the meter and can it be split without impacting performance? I know this question is pushing it not knowing the grill and fire ring specs.
> 
> Note: Sorry...I meant to create a new topic, but now I cannot seem to delete this post.


 After reading this I suggest hiring a plumber. Gas is not a joke and a leak can and has caused property damage, injury and death. 
#1. You will need permits for this job, when you go to pull them you will find out of it is legal in your locality. 
#2. Black pipe can not be buried or used outdoors. There are several different types of gas pipe specified for burial. Which one you need to use will depend on your local codes. Depth is usually 30”-36”.
#3. There is no way to tell what size you need to run. Your meter could be 5’ away or it could be 500’ away. We do not know what size meter you have, what size gas pipe your currently have or what is currently being run off gas and the sizes.


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