Can You Run Gas Pipes Under Floorboards? (Explained)

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Running gas pipes under floorboards is a risky proposition. But can it be done?

A gas pipe can be run under a floor, as long as it is identified as such and is properly supported and tested by a licensed gas engineer. So, first, ask a gas engineer whether you should run gas pipes under your floorboards or not.

Yellow gas pipe viewed on the outer brick wall of residential building.

Where Do Gas Pipes Run in the House?

Gas-side valves can be found near the entry point of the gas pipe and farther down the line. If your house is newer, an expansion joint in the copper pipe will run from your gas meter to the room.

Locating the Gas Shutoff Valve

Located outside your home, you’ll find the shutoff valve for your natural gas meter. In most cases, the street-side valve looks like a rectangular nub. It needs a wrench to be opened or closed.

Homeowners, however, should not mess with this valve because gas companies do not want them to do so. Their preferred method is for homeowners to shut off the main valve on the house’s side after the meter.

The valve on the house-side is typically located where the gas pipe enters the house but is sometimes located further down the pipe.

You probably already have a flexible copper pipe from your gas meter outside your home to your utility room if you have a newer home.

The gas shutoff valve for your furnace or water heater is most likely located near your high-pressure gas system, which means your home has a gas system.

Can You Run Gas Pipes Under Floorboards?

Gas lines can run under a floor as long as the pipes are identified, adequately supported, and tested by an engineer licensed to work on gas systems. It is therefore essential to discuss this with a gas engineer before running pipes under your floorboards.

Types of Gas Valves

An oil and gas company’s piping systems depend on valves, which play a crucial role. Oil refinery equipment can be controlled and protected by them and guided and directed in the refining process of crude oil.

Control Valves

Flow, pressure, and temperature are controlled using control valves in the oil and gas industry. Controlled by a hydraulic or electrical signal, they vary the size of the flow passageway according to the flow rate.

By using automated valves, operators can operate them remotely rather than manually monitoring and adjusting them.

Butterfly Valves

Butterfly valves reduce pressure loss when isolating and modulating a variety of media. Normally, valves come with actuators. In addition to their small thickness, their large diameter makes them suitable for use in large pipes due to their availability.

They operate quickly and are highly reliable, requiring little maintenance when operated. Ball valves allow rapid shutoff, similar to those that operate in the same manner.

Most people prefer butterfly valves because of their lower cost and lighter weight, so they don’t require much support. Centered in the pipe is the disc.

Discs connect to actuators on the outside of valves via a rod. Actuators rotate the disc parallel or perpendicular to the flow, depending on the direction. There is still a pressure drop even without the disc due to the disc always being in the flow.

Ball Valves

The flow of gases and liquids is controlled by ball valves which have a minimal pressure drop. Having a tight seal and requiring little torque, they have quick openings and closings.

Their flexibility makes them useful in various locations due to their ease of operation, repair, and versatility. This type of check valve has a ball for the closing member, which is the movable part that blocks the fluid flow.

Some check valves are spring-loaded so that the ball tends to maintain its position to help keep the ball shut. It is necessary to reverse the flow for designs without springs to move the ball towards the seat and create a seal.

When the ball is seated in the primary seat of a ball check valve, the interior surface is conically tapered to guide it into the seat and secure it in place.

Check Valves

Using check valves, you can keep pipes from flowing in reverse. Using their service reduces maintenance and downtime of the system by preventing backflow damage to pumps and equipment.

With these valves, there is minimal pressure drop, allowing for increased energy savings. In addition, they prevent pipe chatter.

Globe Valves

In isolation and throttling services, globe valves are commonly used. Because their valve seats can be machined easily, installation is quick and easy. These valves offer a tight shutoff, and their linear motion allows for quick open and close.

Many of the globe valves in use today do not have the spherical shape of the past. Even so, globe valves have an internal mechanism that is often referred to as globe valves.

The valves with this mechanism are also often called stop valves because they lack the spherical housing, although the term might apply to other valves that stop flow regardless of the mechanism used.

Where Is the Best Place to Run Gas Pipes?

One of the best places to run gas pipes is under the floorboard. Doing a gas line installation as a first DIY project probably isn’t wise. Choosing a professional outweighs the risks of making an error.

However, the installation of gas lines can be done by experienced DIYers as safely as professional installers. It does not take much expertise to complete the individual steps, although there is a small margin for error.

Depending on local regulations, modifications to gas installations could be illegal without the proper certification, and, as such, you could be prosecuted, fined, or even imprisoned.

Installed Gas Meter with Pipes

Installing Gas Pipes

The valve is near your gas meter, usually at the side of a building, and should stop the gas completely with a quarter-turn. The meter should not be moving when the appliance is using gas, but the valve is not closed if it is moving.

You should choose the gas pipes and fittings according to their intended purpose. The most common gas pipe used for domestic gas lines is 1.27 cm until 3.81 cm, while larger projects use pipe up to 8 inches.

In between 1/2 and 1 1/2 inches, you add 3/4 inches to the face of the fitting, and from 1 1/2 to 2 inches, you add 2 inches. Adding a gas line to connect your new appliance to your existing gas line is as easy as installing the valves and pipe lengths.

To ensure an airtight fit, you must do this. Not to use Teflon tape at all costs; it can get tangled inside the pipe, clogging it. The task will be easier for you if you assemble the gas lines in your garage or workshop, then move them from there to the wall where the gas lines run.

It’s important not to bend the pipe at 90 degrees since it makes tightening it more difficult. Your new gas line should be connected to your appliance with a flexible pipe.

Connect flex connectors according to the instructions provided with them. You should test your line for airtightness. Mix 1:1 water and dish liquid and apply to the seams of your gas line.

There is a leak if bubbles appear. Once you can no longer tighten the joint, do not tighten it. Reapply pipe dope and tighten again if the leak persists. If it still leaks, checks threads and applies pipe dope again.

Changing the fitting and pipe will fix the leak if it still occurs. Return the valve to parallel with the incoming pipe to rerun the gas. Ensure that your appliance is working properly by testing the gas flow.

Conclusion

You should first consult a professional whether you want to run gas pipes under floorboards or above them. Some experts recommend not using the gas pipe under floorboards, while a few say it is fine.

However, you first want to install gas pipes under floorboards, make sure to test them with a certified gas engineer to prevent any damage. Besides, this article will also help you know more about running gas pipes.