If your answer is next to nothing, you aren't alone. When my husband suggested this topic for a blog post, I looked at him like he had three eyes. Come to find out, it's a pretty important part of a home, if you have natural gas or propane in your home.
CSST, Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing, is the flexible steel piping used in structures that transports gas or propane into a home. The tubing is NOT what you see running from the floor to your appliances.
Japan introduced CSST in the 1980s and since the 1990s, CSST has become an industry standard for gas lines in the US. Unlike the rigid pipework used in homes as late as 2005, CSST is flexible and it can be gently bent to go around or through structures. This means fewer joints, and fewer potential gas leaks. You can find CSST in the crawl space, basement and walls of the home.
CSST will have either a yellow or black polymer jacket. The yellow coating
signifies a gas line. A black coating signifies a lightning strike protection, or an 'arc-resistant CSST'.
What are inspectors looking for when inspecting CSST? The most common issue is proper bonding. If a CSST line is not properly bonded, a nearby lightning strike can damage the line. When damaged, a leak could occur. Or worse yet, an explosion or fire. Bonding requirements have been in effect since 2007. Bonding can be inside or outside of the structure.
If you would like to ensure you have the correct bonding (for CSST, water or lead gas lines), contact one of these local experts.
Stay safe!!
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