Any licensed plumbers on this site? Gas question

[4011]

Can you get a saddle to tap into a natural gas black pipe? If so is it legal and safe? Son gave me a weber grill that use natural gas and I need to tap a pipe in the attic. Wanted to convert to Lg but seems Weber will not sell jets to do that. Thanks in advance as always.

[Retired LTC, USAR]

Years ago when I purchased my Ducane I had it converted to run on natural gas. Plumber hooked it up to gas line that came out of the meter on the side of the house.

FWIW.

[kudzu3]

Talk to your local gas company. Someone there will have an answer for you. Plumbers don't work from the same codes. I believe the code you would refer to is NFPA standard #54. I don't believe that what you want to do is legal (?).

[Comrad]

I wouldn't use a saddle and wonder if they even make one for gas, unless you have a copper tube for a gas line. Where I live it's black pipe and we use a union, black pipe is cheap and plentiful at the big box stores. Use pipe dope and check for leaks.

I'm not a plumber but I did sleep in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn Express this weekend, long story.

[pownal55]

I worked for a contractor installing main and residential natural gas lines for 27 years. DO NOT attempt to do this yourself or with a plumber. Contact the gas company or you could end up with serious liability issues that might land you in jail. Just because the feed pipe is on your property does not mean it's yours.

[4011]

Ok guys. Here the gas company only
maintains the line to the meter and the meter. From there on its the homeowners. I'm only asking for info on the easiest way to get gas from the line in the attic to outside by the garage door. I'm not planing to do anything illegal.

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Originally Posted by 4011

Ok guys. Here the gas company only
maintains the line to the meter and the meter. From there on its the homeowners. I'm only asking for info on the easiest way to get gas from the line in the attic to outside by the garage door. I'm not planing to do anything illegal.

With gas-I'll bite the sausage and call in a plumber. Watter-I'll take my chances-electrisical depends on what it is but I feel pretty comfortable changing out a switch or fixture. As far as concrete, I'm calling in the mexicans

[ditrina]

Call a plumber...

He will ( after turning off the gas and bleeding the line) cut the pipe in the attic, remove a section then install a union. a coupling and a " TEE" that will run to your BBQ..

I had the same problem in an old house getting gas up from the basement to the new kitchen stove...

It's really simple.. IF you have the tools.. and are a licensed plumber.... qualified for gas installations

Good luck ad let us know how you made out

[arjay]

Hire the guy who's qualified for the job and has liability insurance.Gas lines aren't for amateurs or the handyman.

[pownal55]

Regulations vary from state to state on these issues. After-meter piping can be done by plumbers with the proper certifications where allowed by law. I am quite certain all gas pipe on the outside of your house must be underground.

[scooter123]

I would recommend you spend the money to have a professional do the work. It won't be more that 2 hours of work so I would expect it to run you 150 bucks or less. If that sounds like too much consider trying to get to sleep and wondering if you have natural gas leaking into your attic and building to explosive levels. I think you conclude it a very fair price when you factor in the peace of mind knowing the job was done properly and all joints were checked with very sensitive detectors.

[DeathGrip]

I'm a specialty plummer. Water filtration.

I don't mess with gas.

Be careful who you hire.

[dmar]

Originally Posted by ditrina

Call a plumber...

He will ( after turning off the gas and bleeding the line) cut the pipe in the attic, remove a section then install a union. a coupling and a " TEE" that will run to your BBQ..

I had the same problem in an old house getting gas up from the basement to the new kitchen stove...

It's really simple.. IF you have the tools.. and are a licensed plumber.... qualified for gas installations

Good luck ad let us know how you made out

Good advice here. Call a licensed plumber, and have it done the right/safe way. Simple operation for a qualified plumber.

[rwsmith]

Originally Posted by scooter123

I would recommend you spend the money to have a professional do the work. It won't be more that 2 hours of work so I would expect it to run you 150 bucks or less. If that sounds like too much consider trying to get to sleep and wondering if you have natural gas leaking into your attic and building to explosive levels. I think you conclude it a very fair price when you factor in the peace of mind knowing the job was done properly and all joints were checked with very sensitive detectors.

The last two times I had a plumber out to the house they worked for 1/2 hour and charged me $300.

[DeathGrip]

Originally Posted by rwsmith

The last two times I had a plumber out to the house they worked for 1/2 hour and charged me $300.

Heh Heh Heh.

Only labor? Not this guy. Parts and equipment are another ball game and I don't mark them up to retail. It cost money to make money.

[NOTREDAME]

Just because you have a gas line near by, does not make that
the one to tap. You need to know the BTU rating of the burner on your new grill. Then you need to know the BTU ratings of all gas appliances that the gas line feeds. The BTU's are added up, figure out the pipe size you have, and find out how many BTU's that line is good for. You may have to run a dedicated line from the main. Otherwise you may be starving some other appliance.

[MORSNO]

I have natural gas lines ran to both my front and back deck (by a licensed plumber). After shutting off the gas and bleeding the line, he replaced a 90 in the black iron feeding my gas stove in the kitchen with a T and ran out to another T so a line could run out to both sides of my house. I have shut of valves at both outlets and quick connects for the grill to plug and play. About 2 hours of work and my Vermont Castings natural gas grill was never happier.

Any plumbing shop that works with gas should be able to change out the gas orifice on your grill to work on natural gas. Appliances are retro fitted for gas and propane every day up here in Alaska due to all the remote locations. It's stupid easy.

[YogiBear]

Aloha,

When the plumber first came to the house, I asked him how he wanted to

be paid. He said Cash was fine with him.

I found out while chatting that he also likes S & W M-57 and 58s.

I think what he charges me is very reasonable.......

[25elk]

I agree with MORSNO. Among the many hats I have worn in this journey is the one with Master Plumber written on it. The laws vary from state to state as to who can work on gas lines. Many states allow plumbers to do the work and many more require gas company employees to do the same work. I personally have never seen a gas appliance where one cannot change out the jets to accommodate a different fuel gas. That is not to say they don't exist, just that I have never seen one. Also, the BTU issue brought up previously is often a more critical issue with LP gas systems and not natural gas and if it did become a problem the gas company can easily adjust the pressure regulator at the meter.

[4011]

Got an email back from weber and they will not sell the jet/orfice that I need to convert to LG. so next step is to plumb the gas down to the patio. But if I ever buy a grill it will not be a Weber. The other grill companies offer the conversions. Local LPG companies don't offer any help either. Google has not turned up any sources either. So well do something else. Unit is to nice to discard for another. Only five years old. Thanks again for ideas and opinions.

[ditrina]

Originally Posted by 4011

Got an email back from weber and they will not sell the jet/orfice that I need to convert to LG. so next step is to plumb the gas down to the patio. But if I ever buy a grill it will not be a Weber. The other grill companies offer the conversions. Local LPG companies don't offer any help either. Google has not turned up any sources either. So well do something else. Unit is to nice to discard for another. Only five years old. Thanks again for ideas and opinions.

Try these folks.. they claim to have the kits available to go from NG to LPG.. good luck.. ( they are an after market company) Also try Lowes..

GENUINE WEBER GRILL CONVERSION KITS - LP and NG

For immediate pricing and availability, please call

our Toll Free Number ~
877.731.8081
Have your Model
Number Ready

[Mickey D]

Originally Posted by NOTREDAME

Just because you have a gas line near by, does not make that
the one to tap. You need to know the BTU rating of the burner on your new grill. Then you need to know the BTU ratings of all gas appliances that the gas line feeds. The BTU's are added up, figure out the pipe size you have, and find out how many BTU's that line is good for. You may have to run a dedicated line from the main. Otherwise you may be starving some other appliance.

Your point is good, but I doubt that all the gas appliances will be operating while grilling.

[THE PILGRIM]

Originally Posted by ditrina

Call a plumber...

He will ( after turning off the gas and bleeding the line) cut the pipe in the attic, remove a section then install a union. a coupling and a " TEE" that will run to your BBQ..

I had the same problem in an old house getting gas up from the basement to the new kitchen stove...

It's really simple.. IF you have the tools.. and are a licensed plumber.... qualified for gas installations

Good luck ad let us know how you made out

This is is how you do it. Gas lines especially in the attic are not something to be messed around with.

[Lost Lake]

Why the huge fear about doing this yourself?

Who loves your life and your house more than you do?

I wouldn't let some snot-nosed kid come in my house to run a gas line!

I ran all the gas lines in my house. Just put a new addition on and ran the lines to that which included another furnace. The BTU capacity of pipes (black and copper) are easily found on line.

Tools for working with gas are basic. Leaks are checked using soap. My gas supplier double checks all connections before they put the LP tank back in (had to move that 50 feet further away).

Gas isn't that scary!

.

[bgrone]

If you decide to pursue this on your own please have a neighbor or friend video it from a safe distance.

[BobC357]

I have a Char Broil gas grill that was converted to NG. I bought the conversion kit at Home Depot, changed out the burner, venturi and such per the instructions. I had a licensed/bonded/insured contractor tie into the gas line that fed the gas log fireplace That ran about $35 -- about the same as the building permit. Regional building approved it and I have never swapped out a LP bottle in the middle of a BarBQ since!

If I ever move, you can bet my next grill will be NG. It's as easy and reliable as the kitchen stove!

[gdnagle]

It would probably be cheaper and safer to buy a new grill, problem solved. HD has some really nice ones for what you would pay to have the line run probably. I have done gas lines but unless you know what you are doing you could blow you house up, especially in the attic where you don't visit often and a leak could accumulate gas and then the big kaboom. They do sell gas detectors which is nice to have.

OBTW I had a LP line run from the tank by a outbuilding to the house by a licensed plumber the gas co sent out. About a year latter the county had all the lines installed by them rerun seems they forgot to burry them deep enough by about 20".

[mtgianni]

Depending on the distance from the meter this is an easy job. As previously stated a licenced fitter can connect into the line and plumb it to the bbq. In our area you cannot install a union but need a left-right coupler, another reason to use a licensed pro.
I have nat gas to my bbq and love never having to fill a tank, let alone nat gas @ 78 cents per 100,000 btu's and propane at $3 per 92,000 btu's.

[4011]

Ditrina gave me the correct phone number. The folks there were very nice to explain all the parts needed. Price would be $230.00 plus shipping. All valves have to be changed. Replacement grill is $1500. I can do the work myself I think after the weather cools down. Looks like parts will run just over a $100. More labor to install the gas line. Thanks for Your thoughts.

4011

[4011]

Sometimes we never tell the final outcome. I blew the back off the house! No, not really. I ordered the propane parts to do the conversion. End of story.

[slickracer]

If you do that yourself and the house blows your insurance company will likely not pay...Code violations are an easy out.

[Hack]

I'm not a plumber. But I REALLY don't think the saddle clamp idea is code in any state or municipality. It's not even code for water in my 'hood. But it's still sold and used by homeowners.

I don't like working in attics. I wired my entire house with Cat 5e for phone/internet, and RG-6 cable for the TV. In order to get the outlets where I wanted, I needed to do a whole lot of fishing from the attic down. Not fun on a hot day.

When I had my gas log fireplace installed, I had a plumber do it. it took him two evenings to run the pipes (a combination of 3/4" and 1/2" black iron) the way I wanted. I also had a number of tee's put in and capped off for future expansion. Something you might want done. Have all the BTU requirements 'in hand', as appliances requiring 3/4", don't work well on 1/2" pipe.

To be honest, I've got a NG grill, and it's not real hot, temp wise. Granted it's over 30 years old, and I've rebuilt it too many times to count. Propane is way, way, hotter. Even though it can be a pita to remember to have a full tank.