# Grease For Gas Valve and Where to Buy It



## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

H-m-m-m-m, that's a curious topic. I was always told to NEVER NEVER NEVER use any kind of a lubricant when it comes to gas fittings. But that goes way back to my old welding school days. Welding gasses and home-use gasses may be two different things.

I wouldn't be greasing anything until you can get the facts.


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## Jacques (Jul 9, 2008)

Yeah, there is a grease for that. back in the 'day' when stuff was repaired, rather than replaced, it was a common repair. you have to buy the stuff rated for gas [restaurant or plumbing supply?]. unless your valve is nla or too pricey it's probably safer and less hassel to just replace the valve-o rings ok?


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

This valve does not have O-rings. The valve works like a ball valve except that the rotating part is a "barrel" that is cone shaped (with a hole going through that aligns with the valve inlet and outlet). When installed the barrel is pressed into place and the cone shape (together with grease) allows spring pressure holding the barrel in place to seal it.


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## hvac benny (Dec 29, 2009)

Sounds like a plug valve, which means it's probably pretty old and you'd be better off just replacing it. Graphite grease is what's used on gas valves, but since the grease has hardened you may just end up wrecking the valve by pumping grease into it. There are solvents that will dissolve the old grease, but that's more of a fix for larger, buried valves, such as on gas mains, that aren't easily replaced.


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## hvac benny (Dec 29, 2009)

Bud Cline said:


> H-m-m-m-m, that's a curious topic. I was always told to NEVER NEVER NEVER use any kind of a lubricant when it comes to gas fittings. But that goes way back to my old welding school days. Welding gasses and home-use gasses may be two different things.
> 
> I wouldn't be greasing anything until you can get the facts.


What you are somewhat remembering is one of the golden rules of oxy-acetaline welding: never use oil or grease on welding equipment as they may ignite spontaneously on contact with oxygen.

All sorts of lubricants are used in the natural gas industry.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> What you are somewhat remembering is one of the golden rules of oxy-acetaline welding: never use oil or grease on welding equipment as they may ignite spontaneously on contact with oxygen.


Sounds about right, haven't been around any of that stuff for decades.


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## brisalta (27 d ago)

hvac benny said:


> Sounds like a plug valve, which means it's probably pretty old and you'd be better off just replacing it. Graphite grease is what's used on gas valves, but since the grease has hardened you may just end up wrecking the valve by pumping grease into it. There are solvents that will dissolve the old grease, but that's more of a fix for larger, buried valves, such as on gas mains, that aren't easily replaced.


Natural gas valves used in stoves/ranges use graphite grease for the seal. When you take the valve apart you can clean it with some isopropol alcohol on a soft cotton cloth.


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