big scare and powder in gas line

Long Beach Ed

I'm sure lots of us who have been around for awhile have dealt with the "massive gas leak" at least once. When I had a pipe break, the utility arrived and wasn't too concerned. They took measurements and apparently need a serious concentration to worry about.

I'd be interested in knowing what the yellow mung is all about.

john_181

I called the gas company to change out a leaky meter and when he put the wrench to the flange ..... it snapped and the basement started to fill FAST with gas. I asked him why he did not close the valve there. He said the valve would not turn. Well, I had to hold my hand over the broken line while he ran out to close the main. All is OK now But my question is, when the pipe was blowing full gas flow - there was a large puff of yellowish powder that blew out. The gas man told me it was a build up of some kind of by-product in the gas and it also tells him that there may be a leak in the line. He said in time it could build up and stop the gas flow. Anybody know what this powder is or where it comes from?

Thanks

fission2

Wow your lucky something didn't "kick" on in the basement before he got his tool outside and the cap off the hole to turn it off.

Unknown

John as someone who worked

for a gas company for 28 years, 18 of those in management. I have over 40 years total in the gas field. I can tell you that gas man is dangerous. There is a procedure to be followed when a gas shut off can't be turned. It is certainly not what he did. He should have first called for a pair of hands. No gas man should ever work on live gas alone. Most utilites have that as a protocol. Next even with a pair of hands he should have shut the valve in the sidewalk off before attempting any repairs.

The yellow dust or sometimes it is green depending on how old the system is. Years ago they mixed oil with the gas because with the old tin meters they had leather diaphragms and the oil was to keep them lubricated so they would not dry out. This oil when it dried up in the lines would break free if there was a full open line with high velocity flow what came out was green and very nasty stuff. Some of the yellow stuff is a build up of the sulfhur used in the odorant in the gas called ethyl mercaptan. It also accumulates and will blow out when a good flow of gas is created. Service techs will see it as a white powdery substance that sometimes accumulates on heat exchagers or pilot assemblys.

As for leaking service into the building I would hope that so called gas man was carrying a combustible gas detector which would be used to determine if any piping was leaking coming into your home. If not he should have called for a construction crew to drill some testholes and determine if everything was safe.

I hope everything is secure now!!!

nathan_7

brown dust powder

tim
have an install in pgw area ( philly)(low pressure )(also right across from utility garage and we have modulating boilers. we have a problem where we are getting brown fine dust in the gas valve inlet screen. have installed maxitrol inline gas filters and still find some dust making its way past the filter pad to the the inlet screen. you dont see it on the black pipe id or in the sediment traps. the utility has a 1/2"plug in their 6" elbow on their side of the meter. they took it out to show me that its clean. any advice? am confident its from the utility. also temporarily replaced one of the roots meter flange gaskets with one impregnated with a screen .brown on silver screen doesnt show the same way as on white filter pad but there was something there

john_181

Well my line is rather new (5 years). The lines in the street are real old. He did not check the combustible level in the building. I have a combustible gas system installed just for such a leak. It never even tripped off the lowest setting alarm. He did check for leaks after the install. ALL IS OK. He also placed an order to drill the street to check for outside leaks - just in case.

I was lucky nothing happened - it is a large basement - 5000 sq.ft. with 6 water heaters and 2 boilers. By the way...when the flange broke, and it was flowing full blow, ALL the pilot lights went out.

scrook_2

Wrong response...

Should have told *HIM* to block it, (he's the "expert" not you, and walking/running away -- leave him to block it) and that you'd call for someone to get what he needed from his truck. Then leave premises, call FIRE DEPT, tell them you have an open/broken major gas main leak, that gas co. has one man already on site, but he requires additional help ASAP, then call GAS UTILITY and repeat; let the gas man's chips fall where they may. Then file a formal complaining w/ state DPU, copying fire department, state fire marshal, and gas utility. He might think twice next time with that level of attention!
But then I'm a rigid, hard a**ed, mean spirited, crotchety old b*st*rd! Sounds like you need to get the utility to shut down however large a region necessicary and replace their shutoff valve and check their local infrastructure.

bruhl_2

It is not unusual

to get fine dust and rust from all gas lines in old areas. It is something the utulity should be responsible to take care of by placing filters in their system. It does not come from anywhere else so denial on their part as far as I am concerned is fruitless. A lot of it is due to very old mains and piping which as time goes on they are required to upgrade.

I would continue to monitor this situation to at least protect the gas burning equipment. Stay on the utilities backs about the problem.

fission2

Exactly...the homeowner should never be the guinne pig. As an earlier post stated, if the valve didn't work, **** would you wrench on a flange before getting the gas shut off, or at least have a 2nd person with you for gods sake. Sounds like a very dangerous gas company to me.

v

Where was Billy Mays with the \"Mighty Putty\" when you need him?

Chris Bunting

that was a good laugh!! you know I was going to say that, as I was typing the reply, I saw the commercial on court tv, and was tempted to say that... maybe it will fix cracks on boilers too????