Last year I investigated getting rid of the unsightly and in the way gas pipes. I had a guy come out who said the current gas feed was woefully undersized. I questioned his expertise thinking that the pipe measured at 1.25 instead of 1 inch. I was wrong.
These were the black iron hanging pipes that had to get out of the way to finish the ceiling insulation and allow us to move the washer and dryer into the utility room area.
Old gas pipes
Gas line to old boiler in the middle of the room.
Old hanging pipes
I researched folks who worked on gas lines and came up with a company in Broomfield that does only gas (The Gas Connection) and they came out to investigate. Their guy said the pipe was definitely one inch but that it was sufficient to feed the appliances I had on it and intended to have. But they cautioned me that the old pipe could be difficult to pass inspection. Moving the pipe was not the issue, having the old pipe hold air at the required pressure to pass was the issue. If the company had to come out multiple times to fix any issues, the cost would quickly escalate to the same or more than just running a new line.
Of course being a skeptic, I called the Arvada building department and asked how hard it was to have old pipe pass inspection. The answer? It depends. The guy asked me if I had talked to the Gas Connection folks and I said yes, that was the company making the recommendation. He said they are about the best around and they may be seeing something that would require the new line. So that helped us decide to go ahead.
The quote for the new line was less than half of the quote I got before so we thought that sounded reasonable. The company proposed running a line from the meter outside underground into the rear utility room where the appliances are located and next to the kitchen wall where the gas cooktop will be. We had their trenching guys come over and dig for the new line. They only cut the cable line since it had not been marked when the power and phone lines were.
Gas Trenching
Gas Trench at House
The gas connection installer came and laid a 1.25 yellow line to the back of the house and put in 1″ black pipe into the house. He capped it and put on an air pressure gauge but left us connected to the old pipe so we would have our appliances over the weekend.
New Gas Entry
The inspector came out late on a Friday evening. So late that we worried he was not coming at all. But he took some time evaluating the installation and then said he needed to see that the old pipe would be removed and the line drawing for the installation; but it was partially passed and we could have the trench refilled. The next week the gas installer returned to removed the old pipe which was short work for him. He capped all the existing pipes that would remain in the ceiling and hooked up the boiler and the dryer.
Old Gas Piping
Looked really good after the gas pipes were removed!
Gas Pipes Removed
We were able to move the washer and dryer into the utility room corner and then there was room for the oven cabinet in the kitchen.
Washer/Dryer Moved
Today an inspector returned to do the final HVAC. He passed the boiler install as well as the gas pipe install and we just have to have the duct install for the Energy Recovery Ventilator system inspected when that goes in. Feels good to have gotten this job done.
And the cable guys came out the next day to fix the line–laid a new cable from the pole and later a crew came out to bury it from the pole to the house. They only bury it about 6″ down but they put a casing on it this time. That seemed like VERY fast service from the cable company!