Your gas line, lightning, and what you need to know.

​Is your gas line protected against lightning?    Most homes along the Grand Strand built after 1990 that have gas service used a pipe called Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing  aka "CSST". The pipe was developed in Japan in the 1980s. It was developed as a safety improvement over rigid black iron gas pipes that often failed and started fires during earthquakes. The flexible nature of the CSST system allows it to handle seismic activity without leaking gas. It also was a great choice in new construction installations as it saved thousands of dollars in installation labor. 
   CSST features many benefits over the traditional method in its durability and practicality. CSST has a proven resistance to leaks due to far fewer connections made during installation. When black iron pipe is installed, every time the pipe changes direction, a joint needs to be fitted and checked for leaks. CSST offers flexibility and is able to be snaked through walls and around obstacles with fittings placed only at the ends of the run.
   With that being said we think it is of the utmost importance to let you know that your CSST gas pipe must be bonded to a ground rod to protect it against lighting strikes. A lightning strike to your home can cause a hole to form in the gas line. We have seen numerous holes in gas lines that were caused by lightning strikes. Thankfully none of these were catastrophic, but they very well could have been. 
WHY DIDN'T THEY BOND MY CSST PIPE DURING CONSTRUCTION? 
   Good question! It was not til years later that our local code enforcement authority required the bonding of CSST pipe. There are countless homes along the Grand Strand that remain unprotected. The bonding of CSST pipe is relatively easy but there are some precautions that should be taken: 

1) Call 811 before driving a ground rod into the ground as you could likely hit a power line or the existing gas line. 
2) The Bonding should be placed at the correct location to be effective. 
3) Be sure the wire size is correct.
4) Do not overtighten the bonding clamp. 

Here is a link to a guide that instructs you on the proper bonding of your gas line http://www.csstsafety.com/Images/CSST-Direct-Bonding-Tech-Bulletin.pdf

We sure hope that helps and you take action. If you are uncomfortable performing this yourself please don't hesitate to call us at (843) 999-0110