BEST Florida Building Code Approved Natural Gas Pipe To Use Underground?

[John Ross]

I live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I have a lot for experience with PEX, PVC, CPVC, galvanized, and black pipe.

In 1993 I had natural gas run to my home. The installing company used ¾ “ galvanized pipe 18“ underground and then coated it with a black tar like substance. The gas has not been on for about 20 years. While examining the old buried galvanized pipe I found a ¼” hole in it. I defiantly DO NOT want to use galvanized pipe underground again as it does not hold up in Florida.

I now want to put in a Natural Gas Rinnai Tankless Water Heater, and also reconnect the gas log fireplace.

I will be applying for my own gas permit. I want to dig my own trench 18” down, place my own pipe in the trench along with a tracer wire beside it, and have it inspected by the County. After inspection put 6” of soil over the pipe, then place a yellow Caution Buried Gas Line Below Tape at 12”.

The final connections/fittings to the existing above ground GOOD galvanized pipe to the fireplace and connections to the Rinnai Tankless Water Heater will be done by a licensed gas plumber.

I see several types of gas lines I can purchase online, ¾ “ IPS Yellow Medium Density PE 2708 Gas Pipe
(SDR-11), GAS-TEC, Tracpipe, and others. I would like to know from professionals which product you think is the BEST that's Florida Building Code Approved For Natural Gas?

Again, all I will be doing is digging the trench and putting in the NEW pipe, tracer wire, and caution tape in the trench.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[luv2uallday]

Well i know you have already got your answer and i know you have everything installed already. And i know the yellow PE pipe is the best option. Cause if i saw your post in time i would of told you the yellow PE pipe is the best way to go. It doesn't corrode, it's cheaper, it's easier to install, it's seismic resistant, Compared to the alternative it's perfect.

I am installing a gas line from the meter to the patio in the back 67 feet a 1" 100 foot roll of PE pipe costs me only $66 the fittings i used were con stab couplers and they were $70. There is compression fittings for half the price but they are prone to fail in the ground and cause leaks and if you don't cut the line just right they will leak. The other option is use hot fusion and melt the fittings to the pipe that is a leak proof fail proof solution but the equipment is hard to find to rent and run hundreds to over 1k to buy and you have to know how long to heat the joints or got leaks.

I used the same marking bury tape for mine as well. now your trench at 18" that is tricky cause lot of cities say bury at 18" but what they don't explain very well is it's 18" from the top of the pipe to grade. NOT from bottom of trench to grade. So it's best to dig deeper than what the requirement is' so for safety sake if u r required to dig 18" dig 20" and that will ensure you meet the 18" to grade required by code.

That installer company sux why would anyone run galvanized pipe underground like that. it's more money and as you know it corrodes. if they were so dead set on installing metal pipe they should of gone with green pipe it's black pipe with an expoxy coating to prevent corrosion. it's far more expensive and harder to install vs PE yellow pipe. But you wouldn't be redoing their botched job.

PE yellow pipe has an average life in the ground based on conditions of 50 to 100 years so i think you will most likely be dead by the time it fails. if that's what you went with.