LEAD gas piping

[Bob Mulloy]

Hi All,

I would appreciate some feedback. This 1903 New England colonial has LEAD gas piping attached to the meter. Never seen it done before, seems hazardous to me as lead is very soft. Opinions?

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[Chad Fabry]

Hey Bob,

That's cool as heck but you must reduce the size of your pic!

Around 75kb is good. I can hear Brian's computer wheezing from here.

[hausdok]

Hi Bob,

Don't worry about it; I've fixed it.

About the lead; I dunno, seems like if it was considered hazardous the gas company installer would have said, "Whoa Nelly; ain't no way I'm hooking up to that stuff, Dude!" Have you called the gas company and asked them what they think?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Kyle Kubs]

Very cool. That would be a first for me. I wouldn't worry too much, the wall on that pipe is likely a quarter inch thick or better. Anyway, it's still metal... not like it's as soft as silly putty of something. Like Mike said, the gas company recently hooked up what looks like a fairly new meter to it.

[Jim Morrison]

I'd argue the other side:

In Bob's market, the gas company abandoned lead pipes in favor of black iron what? -maybe 80 years ago? Anything that was obsolete 80 years ago is double-extra-super obsolete now.

I see it much like knob and tube wiring. I don't much care how well it performed over the last 80 years, I'm more concerned with how it will do over the next few.

[Bill Kibbel]

I tell folks that lead has not been an approved piping material for gas distribution for many, many decades. The joint methods are no longer acceptable either. There's good reasons it's not done that way anymore. I don't care if it's worked fine up to this moment - replace it.

Lead piping was used from the very first natural gas well to the street lights in Fredonia, NY in 1821. In 1870, Rochester, NY was supplied with NG through bored pine logs with iron bands.

[Kyle Kubs]

Originally posted by inspecthistoric

Lead piping was used from the very first natural gas well to the street lights in Fredonia, NY in 1821. In 1870, Rochester, NY was supplied with NG through bored pine logs with iron bands.

Bill, one of these day we're going to find out you know all this stuff because your immortal and you were there 150 years ago...

Maybe I wouldn't have been so cavalier about it if it was my inspection and my worried client looking at me like a my dog when I'm slicing meat. Still think its cool though.

[kurt]

Very cool.

I'd tell folks to get rid of them, but honestly, I see a couple swaged lead joints in water lines every day.

Seen thousands. Never a leak in any of them. Water is sitting +-40psi, gas around 3-4psi.

Kibbel's a freak. He knows more about less than anyone.

[Bob Mulloy]

Hi Jim,

Nice to know you are not all sunburned!

Yes, everyone, this lead piping at the gas meter was a first for me and apparently for most of you. We do learn new things each day as home inspectors, and only "dumb ass" home inspectors are afraid to admit when they don't know something.

I posted this concern about the lead gas piping on this forum and also to several other "old timers" for their opinion. One good friend said that "yes, he has seen this before. He called the gas company, who said it was OK and then 15-minutes later they arrived to change it." That should tell you something! Lead gas piping has NOT been an approved material for decades as it has little resistance to mechanical damage and the fittings from lead to steel are suspect for failure.

The bottom line is that I advised my Client to contact the gas company and to request an on-site inspection of the old meter installation. Furthermore, I advised that the old installation be retired and that the meter be relocated outside.

Like knob & tube wiring, it may once have been approved but I would not want it in my house!

I thank you all for your input, and remember this statement from an old guy, "the best teacher for a home inspector is another home inspector!"

Be well my friends,

Bob Mulloy

Originally posted by Jim Morrison

I'd argue the other side:

In Bob's market, the gas company abandoned lead pipes in favor of black iron what? -maybe 80 years ago? Anything that was obsolete 80 years ago is double-extra-super obsolete now.

I see it much like knob and tube wiring. I don't much care how well it performed over the last 80 years, I'm more concerned with how it will do over the next few.

[msteger]

Can't say I've ever seen lead gas piping... just about all black iron/steel or CSST and rarely rigid copper (for fireplaces) around here.