Trace a plastic gas line...

[Robert Adams]

Have issues with roots in the 10 year old pvc sewer line due to the POs not doing it correctly and found an interesting gas line just over the sewer pipe. Its a nice orange line running to what looks like the center of the yard by its direction. There is a valve etc at the meter for it and its never been used"obviously".. There was another building in the back yard at one time and I suspected thats where it was run but I dunnow now.

       So anyone have any way to trace that line? It looks like the stuff used for an outdoor BBQ grill etc. Obviously no tracer wire and wasnt marked with tape... Right now my only thought is to dig a hole every foot or so and see if I can follow it. If its in a usable spot and passes a pressure test I would like to reuse it.

            Course not right now as the sewer is a little more important... As for that Ill have to post pics of that later as its been interesting. Still not 100% but its much better and I have a couple gobs of roots to show for it.

[daddo]

If they didn't cap it right, it might be full of water. How deep is it?

Might also be easier to just run another line.

[Roly]

Have issues with roots in the 10 year old pvc sewer line due to the POs not doing it correctly and found an interesting gas line just over the sewer pipe. Its a nice orange line running to what looks like the center of the yard by its direction. There is a valve etc at the meter for it and its never been used"obviously".. There was another building in the back yard at one time and I suspected thats where it was run but I dunnow now.

       So anyone have any way to trace that line? It looks like the stuff used for an outdoor BBQ grill etc. Obviously no tracer wire and wasnt marked with tape... Right now my only thought is to dig a hole every foot or so and see if I can follow it. If its in a usable spot and passes a pressure test I would like to reuse it.

            Course not right now as the sewer is a little more important... As for that Ill have to post pics of that later as its been interesting. Still not 100% but its much better and I have a couple gobs of roots to show for it.

 Can you disconnect the end and shove a fish tape in it and hook tracer to the tape.    When digging for it turn shovel so the width of the shovel is going the same direction as the line, less chance of damage.   Roly

[Robert Adams]

 Can you disconnect the end and shove a fish tape in it and hook tracer to the tape.    When digging for it turn shovel so the width of the shovel is going the same direction as the line, less chance of damage.   Roly

         Doh. Dunnow why i didnt think of that... Cause i have done that for other pipe... 

              Its buried about 6" down where i found it and its sand down to around 80' deep so digging is easy...  But yeah its a future thing to look at when I have time to. Im used to construction sites where there is always some brilliant guy using the mini ex and digging through the water lines or pole light lines etc... Im not that guy....

[mike4244]

Have issues with roots in the 10 year old pvc sewer line due to the POs not doing it correctly and found an interesting gas line just over the sewer pipe. Its a nice orange line running to what looks like the center of the yard by its direction. There is a valve etc at the meter for it and its never been used"obviously".. There was another building in the back yard at one time and I suspected thats where it was run but I dunnow now.

       So anyone have any way to trace that line? It looks like the stuff used for an outdoor BBQ grill etc. Obviously no tracer wire and wasnt marked with tape... Right now my only thought is to dig a hole every foot or so and see if I can follow it. If its in a usable spot and passes a pressure test I would like to reuse it.

            Course not right now as the sewer is a little more important... As for that Ill have to post pics of that later as its been interesting. Still not 100% but its much better and I have a couple gobs of roots to show for it.

I would remove the valve , cap it off and leave the pipe buried. If you need a gas line ,install a new one properly.
6" depth of the line is not to code, pretty sure of that. I installed a gas line with the yellow plastic pipe and dug down 2-0". Tracer wire wrapped around the pipe before burying. This was to code and inspected by the building department.

mike

[fixtureman]

Orange = Telecom.

Yellow = Gas

I put my own gas line in and I bought it through the gas company it is Orange they just ran a new line down our road and it also was Orange so that is not always the norm

[daddo]

From what I have observed, we have yellow for nat gas lines here.

They should really standardize that nationally.

[Robert Adams]

Orange = Telecom.

Yellow = Gas

Orange was used for outdoor gas grill hookups. 


 I put the locations of everything i found in my drawing of the house in chief architect and calling it done. Not going to mess with the line and calling it dead unless it gets in the way when I run trenches for gutter drains.. That will be fun as the sewer line is in the way now... I do wonder if it ran to the old well house looking at its direction. May never know...


   On the upside Im done messing with the sewer for now. Redid the incorrectly done fittings from before and the area in the hole will get a good coating of copper sulfate to inhibit root growth in the future. 

     I added another cleanout there as its a good spot for one. Unfortunatly its right inside the gate and Im having a hard time finding a ground box that you can drive over. I dont drive back there much but... I pull the trailer out to the front with the mower and the trailer wont hurt a sprinkler box. But there are times when I do drive back with the trailer and it would be nice not to worry about the box. Running that cleanout cap above ground is not a possibility as it will be destroyed there.

[fixtureman]

Orange was used for outdoor gas grill hookups. 


 I put the locations of everything i found in my drawing of the house in chief architect and calling it done. Not going to mess with the line and calling it dead unless it gets in the way when I run trenches for gutter drains.. That will be fun as the sewer line is in the way now... I do wonder if it ran to the old well house looking at its direction. May never know...


   On the upside Im done messing with the sewer for now. Redid the incorrectly done fittings from before and the area in the hole will get a good coating of copper sulfate to inhibit root growth in the future. 

     I added another cleanout there as its a good spot for one. Unfortunatly its right inside the gate and Im having a hard time finding a ground box that you can drive over. I dont drive back there much but... I pull the trailer out to the front with the mower and the trailer wont hurt a sprinkler box. But there are times when I do drive back with the trailer and it would be nice not to worry about the box. Running that cleanout cap above ground is not a possibility as it will be destroyed there.

Maybe where you live but I think the 500 ft of 2 inch and then 300 of 1 1/2 inch that I put in is a little big for a gas grill.  The 6 inch that they just ran down the road 2 months ago was a nice bright orange