Nat Gas AND Propane at same property????? (Mass)

GW

Hello heat people, I have a job I'm looking at- existing 1000 gal underground LP tank about 20 feet from the home. A new Natural gas service was installed this fall, the HO wants to convert to nat gas.



That's the easy part. The hard part is there is a pool about 50' away from the tank, with a 300,000 BTU pool heater, and there is some significant landscape work IF the lp gas line can't stay and a new larger nat gas line goes in.



The ho is asking if he can have lp for the pool and nat gas for the home. I said I will inquire with the local inspector



I don't know the precise rules on this from a state code standpoint, and I was hoping to gather some info before chatting with the insp.



Thanks for any comments and happy New Year to all people making a living keeping people warm and toasty.



Gary

billtwocase

gas

You can check, but if they both enter the same building, they will say no. It comes down to fire response. They shut the supply off to what they can see. They have no idea that there is another gas supply entering, and don't know to turn it off also. Could be a very dangerous situation. I don't see an issue with a permitted tank supplying a pool heater, if it is not in the house, and the supply line does not either. Is the pool heater housed away from the house, or is it in the basement?

furnacefigher15

Tank abandonment

I'm not a 100 percent sure, on the rules in Mass, but if I were to convert to natural gas, I would want the abandoned LP tank removed. If it is underground, then you are going to have to do some landscaping to remove the tank anyway.



In the mid west, any propane I see has the tank above ground, so removal is a no brainer.

GW

-

The pool heater is in a small out building/shed next to the pool, about 50' away (back yard and sloping down, some terrace work) from the house .lp tank. The tank is about 20 feet from the side of the home.



The plastic lp line leaves the tank and enters the ground, and tees off underground (??) serving the house and the pool heater



I explained the fire dept thing to the ho. I understand your thoughts about a fire dept call and shutting of fuel sources. This property is sort of on the fringe of the normal logic though.



Thanks, Gary

nicholas bonham-carter

convert lp line to new fuel line?

there must be a pipe running from the lp tank to both the house and the pool shed, so could nat gas back feed this line going from the house back to the pool?

of course the tank will probably have to be removed, or filled.--nbc

icesailor

LP Tank & Nat. Gas.

I would suggest that you look into keeping the LP tank as a dedicated source for the pool heater. Disconnect it in whatever way you must but pool heaters require a lot of "nuts" that would probably require a larger gas line. It might be cheaper to keep the LP pool heater and switch the house to Nat. Gas.

I think that the issues of dual gas types in a building is overcome by removing the LP from the house. And the pool house is another structure. But the AHJ or State may have a say. Others might have better info than I.

SWEI

separate regulators?

Not sure if the layout would allow for it, but can you have the utility run distribution pressure through the line to the pool heater and install another regulator out there?  Might require a separate meter, but it could allow the existing line to supply enough CFMs.

EBEBRATT-Ed

MA. Dual Fuel Gas

Called dual fuel in MA. There is an application on line has to be approved by the board but if both lines don't enter the building they may let it go. Talk with inspector. I think the fire dept also has to approve dual fuel