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Here we discuss LP or Natural Gas Pressure Regulators - How to Inspect & Test LP or Natural Gas Gas Valves Regulators, or Gas Controls and we provide descriptions and photographs of unsafe gas piping, regulators, or controls on heating systems, indications of unsafe or improperly operating gas appliances, gas meters, and other gas installation defects. This document also provides free sample draft home inspection report language for reporting defects in oil and gas piping at residential properties.

Gas Appliance Regulators: Readers concerned with installing, inspecting, or testing LP or Natural Gas regulators which are found on appliances such as LP or Natural Gas fired boilers, furnaces, water heaters or appliances should also see How to Inspect & Test LP or Natural Gas Regulators & Controls on Appliances. Readers concerned with changing the fuel type between LP gas and natural gas for a gas fired appliance should see our safety warnings at Gas Conversion LP Natural Gas.

General safety warning: improper installation and even improper inspection and testing methods involving natural or "LP" gas can involve dangerous conditions and risk fire or explosion.

If you smell gas you should leave the building immediately and should do so without doing anything that could create a spark such as operating a light switch or telephone. From a safe location, call your gas company's emergency line and/or your fire department. The text provided here is a working draft and may be incomplete or inaccurate.

Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution. Also see How to Report Defects in Oil Piping. NOTICE: while example report language is provided here, reproduction of this or any of our web pages or their contents at other websites or in printed documents for sale is prohibited. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Un-Biased Reporting are Assured for this website - see pledge link at below-left.

Gas Regulator or Control Inspection, Testing, & Defect Guide

Location of the LP Gas Cylinder or Tank regulator

Position of the LP Gas Tank Regulator

An LP gas cylinder regulator should be mounted so that any moisture or condensate inside the regulator can drain out. Any drain openings should be facing downwards. Otherwise water or in freezing climates ice can accumulate and damage the regulator, forming an unsafe condition. This photograph of an LP gas cylinder regulator shows the regulator's vent opening.

In this photo the red LP gas regulator can be seen installed in a tipped position in upper center of the photo. The installer felt that the regulator would drain in this position, and that when the plastic cover was installed on the control well (this is a buried LP gas tank) the regulator would be protected from the weather.

How & Why to Protect an LP Gas Tank Regulator from Rain, Snow, Ice

An LP gas tank or cylinder regulator should be protected from the weather. Water, particularly in freezing climates, can enter and block the safety vent on the gas regulator or ice can form preventing the regulator from properly controlling gas pressure. An iced or water-damaged gas regulator is unsafe. Our photo at left shows how an existing LP gas tank regulator was protected from rain and weather by a simple rubber cover affixed to the building. The protective cover was secured to the building wall and draped over the regulator. This option was elected when a new LP gas tank (shown in this photo) was installed and connected to an existing regulator difficult to relocate. It is important that any cover protecting an LP gas regulator does not block fresh air flow around the regulator. Otherwise leaking LP gas can accumulate and form an explosion or fire hazard.

How to Locate the Gas Cylinder On-Off Valve on an LP Gas Tank

This photo shows at right the silver-colored LP gas tank on-off valve. An arrow on the valve will indicate the direction to turn the valve to close it or open it. Normally you close the LP tank gas valve by turning it "clockwise" or as my daughter Mara says, "rightie-tightie, leftie-loosie" to help remember this important information. The yellow cover on top of the valve is the connector for filling the LP gas tank. The small-diameter copper tube leaving at the left side of the valve is the "high pressure" LP gas line carrying LP gas in vapor form from the top of the gas cylinder over to the LP gas regulator whose body you can just see in the upper left hand corner of this photo.)

What goes wrong with gas regulators on LP Gas Tanks?

Gas pressure too high:

Adjustment of a gas regulator might also be necessary if the gas piping from source (meter or tank) to the appliance is long or is too small in diameter.

If the gas regulator delivers gas at too high a pressure the gas flame may be also too big (and too hot), which can accelerate rusting and can warp the heat exchanger at its lower joints causing a "crack" to appear. A cracked heat exchanger on a gas appliance is unsafe. Our correspondent, Charles commented that:
After loosing three heat exchangers in two different homes that had routine maintenance inspections, I decided to look into it and check the gas regulator pressure myself. The same problem can occur with gas water heaters.

Gas pressure too low: if the gas regulator is not properly adjusted or if there are other problems in the gas piping or supply system the gas pressure may be too low, providing an inadequate and possibly unsafe flame. Depending on the cause of the problem, it may be possible to correct this at the regulator, but don't try boosting pressure at a gas regulator unless the pressure has always been too low. Otherwise when the underlying cause for low gas pressure is corrected elsewhere, the flame will be too big and pressure too high at the burner - an unsafe condition.

Immediate LP or natural gas safety hazards: if there is evidence of an LP or natural gas leak at a building, gas odors, for example, you should:

• Do not do anything that is likely to cause a gas explosion, such as lighting a match, operating an electrical switch, or even using a telephone in the building
• Leave the building immediately
• Notify other building occupants of the safety concern
• Contact the local gas company and/or fire department

How are LP Tank Gas Regulator Valves Inspected and Tested?

SAFETY WARNING: If you lack the training and equipment, do not attempt to disassemble or mess with a gas regulator as you could create a very dangerous or even fatal problem.

See Gas Regulators for Appliances for details.

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS
  Gas BTUH & Cubic Feet
  Gas Conversion LP Natural Gas
  Gas Flame & Noise Defects
  Gas Leak Detection
  Gas Lighting Pipes & Fixtures
  Gas Meters
  Gas Piping Defects
  Gas Regulators for Appliances
  Gas Regulators for Tanks
  Gas Shutoff Valves
  LP Gas Tanks
  LP & Natural Gas Safety Hazards
  Natural Gas Combustion Products
  Types of Fuel Gas Source

LP and Natural Piping, Control, Appliance References

• National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1-yyyy - American Gas Association / National Fire Protection Association
• LP-Gas Serviceman's Handbook,Fisher-Rosemount, Fisher Controls
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Pamphlets No. 54 and 58.
• Specifications for Gas Installations, Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation
• "Gaslight", Gary Quilliam, The Old House Journal, March/April 1989 article describes fixtures, modern fixtures, and sources of supply.
• Residential Gas Hot Water Heater Pocket Partner - Testing and Trouble Shooting, 19. State Corp., Ashland City, TN 37015

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
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