Where does the gas go?

steve_19

I take care of about 150 seasonal houses in the Northeast. When I shut them down for the winter I drain the water piping, drain the heat, check the anti-freeze in the heat if applicable, and turn the gas off to the house at the gas meter. When I open the houses in the spring I reverse the process.

Why is it that you always have to bleed the air out of the gas distribution system before the burners on the stove will lite, or you can get the pilots on the boiler, furnaces, or water heaters to lite.

What happens to the gas that was in the pipe over the winter. No piping connections have been broken and no air has been allowed in the piping but come spring the gas is no longer combustible?

Why or How?

Steve

Ted_9

If you have standing pilots and you turn the gas off, wouldnt minimal amounts of gas escape from the pilot?

Constantin

Plus

Just because the pipe joints didn't bubble when whoever assembled them, there is no guarantee that minute (and I mean minute) amounts of gas aren't going to escape over time from joints.

Another good suggestion is the standing pilot light (though knowing you, you probably turned the appliances OFF, not to Pilot). However, the valves, etc. may also leak minute amounts of gas even when shut.

The next time (i.e. the next season) try this: Shut off individual circuits, as well as the whole (presumably you have individual valves?) Then see which circuits seem to require the most bleeding to come back to life. Cheers!

steve_19

Although there may be a lose of pressure in the gas lines, as soon as you turn the gas on at the meter the lines would be pressurized again, thereby, as soon as you go to lite the pilot, or burner on a stove for that matter, you would expect it to lite immediately(within a few seconds). You wouldn't think you would have to bleed air from the gas lines for up to a minute depending on the length of the gas piping from the meter to the appliance

chuck shaw

when I close a house

I shut of the gas cock on the appliance first, then the meter. In the spring I turn on the meter then the gas cock as I light each appliance. I never seem to have to wait more than one or two seconds for the pilots to light.

Chuck

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

lchmb

recommendation

Any time you shut a system down and remove the operating pressure from the system you are asking for a leak. If you are restarting these unit's without a gas check you are going against gas code.. I would suggest you either recieve training in how to pressure test the system or have your supplier come in and do it..Never hurt's to be safe..:)

Dale

Safe Way

The fuel gas code has wording (7.4.1.2)on reestablishing service. The safe way is to shut each fuel supply valve to the individual appliances ( fine to do this in the fall) or check that they are off in the spring, turn the meter on, watch the test dial for movement,at least 5 minutes, you can mark dial position with a grease pencil, then turn on each supply line and relight one at a time. This way is something broke during the winter you won't get a bad supprise. I always start at the stove since the fuel shutoff for it is often hard to reach and lighting the top burners establishes flow quickly. If you are paid start the equipment make sure it runs long enough to verify the vent works. Things that have been off for the winter have a habit of getting blocked flues.

steve_19

Not to long ago the LP gas suppliers use to swap an empty tank for a full tank when a customer ran out of gas. When the new tank(s) were installed the gas was turned on and the line was presurized and there was never a test or the need to bleed any air from the lines to lite the pilots.