Gas Light Installation - Running Vertical Gas line in Outside Wall

We are contemplating replacing the electric outside wall mounted lights on either side of the door with gas lights. There is no way to run the gas lines from the inside as one side has kitchen cabinets behind it and the other is bathroom tile. However, we are on a peir and beam foundation and have a nice crawl space. We can access the frame directly below the lights on the outside wall from under the house. Is it possible to drill up from this point to run the small gas lines? What happens if there are horizontal studs between the the crawl space and the lights which are about 8' up.

Is this something that is routinely done or am I out of luck?

Appreciate your comments.

Regards,

Drew Altemara

The biggest problem may be trying to get a single piece in there vertically unless the house is up quite high - then, insulation might foil fishing something through it. It is possible that there is fire blocking or bracing in there - no way to tell until you try. They do make really long drill bits with a flexible shaft (mostly designed for wiring, but I think you might get one big enough to run a gas line). The alternative would be to have a gas fitter use a flexible gas line. Normally, only a trained, licensed person can buy that material, but it would simplify the installation quite a bit and you'd have a single, continuous piece of pipe from the supply to where you connected to the lamp - little chance of any leaks. While a gas light doesn't use much gas, it is on 24/7, which an electric lamp wouldn't normally be. Plus, they generally don't put out a lot of light.

gas light

You might want to run this by the building department or the fire marshall, since there are probably some VERY stringent requirements for using a gas light on the wall of a residence. Gas lights on posts in the yard are less restricted.

Thanks gentlemen,

I'm going to remove the outside electric light this weekend and see if I can fish some hard wire down to the bottom of the crawl spave to see if I get any blockage.

If I meet with success I would have the local gas company install it who would be aware of the codes.

They did the install some years ago on a gas range when we converted over from electric and we were very pleased with their work.

Agree with the comments on the gas lights always being on and not throwing off much light but this on is for astethics.

Regards,

Drew Altemara

I would NOT be too sure that the gas company knows the code requirements, other than as it applies to their gas mains, (which have regulations, but few "code requirements). Here, they CANNOT do anything on the interior gas lines after the gas meter. AND we cannot do anything with the gas lines BEFORE the meter. IF while doing something else, or if someone calls about a leak, the gas company comes out, shuts off the gas, and LOCKS the meter so it cannot be turned back on until the plumber gets a permit, finds and repairs the leak, then calls for an inspection. THEN the city inspector calls the gas company and gives them permission to unlock the meter and turn the gas back on.

Aesthetics of a gas light in the yard? I have to do 40 pages of energy calcs for a house, then you can put in the eternal flame of wasted gas in the yard.

The brilliance of government at work!

There is a good chance the city would not allow it if there is a roof overhang or ceiling above it. These lights do not have safety shutoff or pilots so if the flame goes out, the gas will continue to flow and rise, possibly accumulating at the ceiling or inside the attic if there are any holes it could get through.