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Gas Pipe Touching Steam Pipe

Jeff_H
Jeff_H Member Posts: 37
I am in the process of converting from oil heat to steam heat. I noticed that the newly installed gas pipes that are running from my gas meter to my new boiler are touching the steam pipes leading from the boiler in two places (some of the contact is pipe on pipe and some is gas pipe on the insulation covering the steam pipe).

Should I be concerned from a safety standpoint? I realize that the steam pipes can get hot and the last thing I want is the gas pipes to be damaged.

Thanks for any advice!

Comments

  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Is it dangerous as far as heat transfer goes, no....Is is good workmanship, does not sound like it, post a pic or 2. Steam pipes expand and could apply stress on the gas pipe....that could be dangerous....Vibration is another issue....Standard practice, and sound mechanical work tells one pipes should not touch....jmo
    jonny88
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Post a pic of newly installed steamer....always nice to see steam work....
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,592
    I agree with j a.
    My biggest concern would be getting the steam pipe insulated. How is that going to happen where a gas pipe is touching it? Also it could cause expansion noises as the steam pipe heats and cools.

    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,571
    edited July 2015
    dont worry. melting point of black iron pipe is arounfd 1200'F. steam is around 215'F. And you need air for combustion.

    worried about a chafe point? cut a piece of paint stirring stick and wedge between two pipes.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    Is the gas pipe black threaded steel, or that flexible stuff with the yellow plastig jacket?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Getting some good info here....if you take some pics and post them you will get better info...I assumed steel pipe from your post...The flexable crap come in yellow coated or now black coated. While your at it take a pic. of the new steam boiler
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,571
    gas companies run plastic lines into houses? Water lines get nicked with nail guns often enough, Can these pipes/tubes take abuse? Do they have a high melting point? I am certain plastic gas lines have their benefits but from the meter into my house, I prefer black iron. I can be careless in the basement.
  • Bob Bona_4
    Bob Bona_4 Member Posts: 2,083
    No one said anything about plastic line inside the house.
    j a_2
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Rob did you go to the veterans yuku site
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,571
    Bob Bona said:

    No one said anything about plastic line inside the house.

    My mistake...I mistook "flexable crap come in yellow coated or now black coated. " for plastic.
  • Jeff_H
    Jeff_H Member Posts: 37
    Thank you all for your help! As it turns out, my plumber was able to move the new gas pipe away from the steam pipe. But I did notice that another gas pipe is touching two pipes (I think that they are copper) that are run from the top of my boiler. I've attached the pictures. Do you think I should be concerned?
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Can't they leave well enough alone. Black steel pipe is my choice...if you can't figure a way to run it with black
  • Abracadabra
    Abracadabra Member Posts: 1,948
    Jeff_H said:

    Thank you all for your help! As it turns out, my plumber was able to move the new gas pipe away from the steam pipe. But I did notice that another gas pipe is touching two pipes (I think that they are copper) that are run from the top of my boiler. I've attached the pictures. Do you think I should be concerned?

    Copper should not touch iron pipe. You'll get galvanic corrosion damaging the copper pipe.
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Step back and take a couple pics of the new boiler and recent work....possible red flag here, but pic will help...Post if you want
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,592
    j a said:

    Can't they leave well enough alone. Black steel pipe is my choice...if you can't figure a way to run it with black

    They used black, he's talking about copper water pipes.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    j a_2
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Great thanks for helping me understand
    ChrisJ
  • Jeff_H
    Jeff_H Member Posts: 37
    Attached are some pictures. The new gas pipe is the black pipe in the last photo (which is a similar picture to one of the ones I attached above). It runs perpendicular to two pipes (one above it and one below it). I think the top one is a gas pipe that runs to my clothes dryer and/or bar-b-que and the bottom one is a water pipe.
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,722
    Did a professional actually run the gas pipes on your boiler and water heater?
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • Jeff_H
    Jeff_H Member Posts: 37
    Hatterasguy -The pipes are touching.

    Kc_Jones - the piping on the water heater have been In place for some time. The ones on the boiler were just installed (I just replaced the boiler). Does something look wrong with the piping?
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,722
    Which pipe has been there for some time? There are 2 gas lines coming down from the ceiling to the water heater, one is connected one is not. The boiler appears to have a feed from the ceiling, but then they are both connected at the bottom with that yellow flex line. Where is the feed coming from? That yellow shouldn't be there. The bottom of those feeds is for a drip leg in case there is moisture or garbage in the gas it can settle out and not go into your appliance. I can't for the life of me figure out what they are trying to do here. Also if the feed is going from the water heater to the boiler through the yellow line, there is no way that line can handle that load. 1/2" line isn't enough to feed 2 appliances of that size. Generally speaking 1/2" line is enough to feed one appliance, maybe 2 if the BTU's are low enough on them. There are charts for figuring all this out. Basically those gas lines look like hack work, unless they are doing some kind of temporary work until everything is finished up? Was a permit pulled for this work?
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • Jeff_H
    Jeff_H Member Posts: 37
    KC - I omitted to mention something very relevant. The new boiler was put in a just few days ago but the we have not gotten sign off from the local utility (permits were pulled). I was told that when the local utility does the gas shut down and is ready to give the sign off (I am converting from oil to gas heat), the yellow line will be replaced and the unconnected gas line will be connected (the one that is currently connected has been in place for some time). I was so focused on my concern about the pipes touching that I forgot to mention the status of the installation when I took the picture. I have attached a wider angle picture. Given the above, does the layout look correct?
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,722
    edited July 2015
    Makes a lot more sense now. Also what size Burnham Independence is that?
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • Jeff_H
    Jeff_H Member Posts: 37
    Thanks! It is a Burnham IN6.
  • jonny88
    jonny88 Member Posts: 1,139
    Are my eyes playing tricks on me.Equalizer pipe minimum is 11/2 also at what height is the Hartford Loop.Not sure if I am seeing it clearly but it looks kinda high to me.
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    jonny88 said:

    Are my eyes playing tricks on me.Equalizer pipe minimum is 11/2 also at what height is the Hartford Loop.Not sure if I am seeing it clearly but it looks kinda high to me.

    Equalizer pipe looks like 1-1/2 to me. Hard to tell, from these pictures, if the Hartford loop is high.
    jonny88
  • Jeff_H
    Jeff_H Member Posts: 37
    I can take a measurement. What height should it be?
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    It should be below the normal water level of the boiler (when boiler is not running and water level is properly filled).
  • j a_2
    j a_2 Member Posts: 1,801
    It should be as the manufuure specs in th install manual...if ur installer does not understand that., I would be a bit concerned