Black iron gas pipe next to supply duct - hot to touch

WScott84

The black iron gas pipe enters my laundry room next to the supply duct exiting the air handler. It rubs up against the supply duct for a couple of inches. When I run the furnace, the supply duct gets hot, and the iron pipe gets hot to the touch, but not too hot to touch. Should I be concerned that the iron pipe is getting hot? Will this heat affect the pipe tape or dope on that elbow where it gets hot?

Tim McElwain

It will not hurt anything but for your own piece of mind put a piece of insulation between the duct and the pipe.

JUGHNE

Gas lines are run in attics that approach 120 degrees. You should feel good that you have Black pipe in your house rather than CSST tubing.

JStar

The gas utility in my area pre-heats their gas for delivery. I suppose that the warmer the fuel is prior to ignition, the easier it ignites and subsequently releases its own energy. Yes, no?

JUGHNE

It would help raise/maintain pressure during cold weather? yes, no?

WScott84

Thanks for the reassurance. My thinking was hot gas equals higher pressure, meaning high risk of leaks being formed, or even explosion, but maybe it's not even getting close to hot enough if my hand can rest on it without getting burned. What is really hot and does burn your skin is the flue pipe coming out of the furnace, so I am glad the pipe doesn't touch that.

SWEI

You're heating a few inches of pipe in a system that contains dozens of feet of pipe. The starting pressure in the pipe is less than one PSI. The fluid is a gas. Don't worry.