The local gas company decided to relocate my natural gas meter off of my patio and into the front of the house.
This is the picture my wife sent to me, I haven't had a chance to actually see the whole thing yet. However, I am not sure I want too.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think it is proper to use galvanized piping for a gas line. The piping in the house is all black pipe and I believe this section should also be black pipe.
I have to question the location of the shut off valve, though I am sure it may be functional, just looks like shoddy workmanship here.
I tried to look in the codes to verify black pipe should have been used. I can't find anything, code wise, that says galvanized piping can't be used.... didn't find anything that said it could either.
My concern is this is on the customer side of the meter, so if I don't address it now, it will become my problem later.
I will be going by city hall to check with their code guy, but wanted to see what you all thought here. Would like to sound half way knowledgeable when I talk to them.
Thanks.

 

Galvanized is allowed but your local codes will dictate. I would assume if they installed it it's probably allowed.

Yea that valve should have been spaced out more, it's cosmetic.

 

Galvanized is not usually recommended for gas lines because internal pieces of the galvanized coating can get into gas valves and orifices. If it remains.... there needs to be drip legs or sediment trap at the appliances.

Very tacky with the valve.
The part sticking out of the ground is a trip hazard now too.

 

@PJmax, that is all the same things I was thinking and will have to address with them. At the very least, they could have rotated the tee at the inlet pipe and installed a sediment trap there.

@Marq1 If they don't take enough pride in they work to make it "cosmetically" good (i.e. valve), why would I assume they used proper materials for the relocation?

Was hoping someone would be able to identify the code which approves or disapproves of the use of galvanized pipe. I just know, in my experience, you use black pipe for gas.

 

I have had this question on several occasions. Galvanized is perfectly fine for gas service. I have made several inquiries with the gas company, and they always say it's fine (cost and availability is the determining factor). The possibility of the galvanizing flaking off is minimal. And the drop leg if used (and it should be even with black pipe) will do very little to stop a flake from being heavy enough to drop from the flow and velocity of the gas. I have never heard of local codes banning galvanized from being used, but it could be as such.
I agree that valve placement is poor. I would insist they change it, siting safety reasons as the problem.

EDit...FWIW: The flaking off of galvanizing was caused by other gases such as coal tar gas which was “manufactured gas” not natural.

 

 

To follow up: Indeed galvanized piping CAN be used, see photo, if standards are met and they were. I think the older standards of galvanizing techniques prevented it from being used before. Plus, back in the day, water lines were galvanized piping, therefore using black pipe made it easier to identify gas pipes from water pipes.

I will address the shut off valve issue, but not looking for a positive outcome. Not even sure of why it is there, as there is a shut off on the meter six feet away.

In the future I see myself redoing this to make it right.