Residential Gas Delivery System

Installation & Sizing

2010 California Plumbing Code And PG&E Regulations

The information provided in this brochure answers a number of commonly asked questions. For additional information
please refer to the California Plumbing Code or speak with one of the City’s Building Inspectors.

☐ Plumbing permit must be obtained prior to the installation, alteration or repair of a gas piping system.
All pipe used for the installation, extension, alteration, or repair of any gas piping shall be standard weight
☐ Schedule 40 wrought iron or steel (galvanized or black) CPC 1209.5.2.2
Corrugated stainless steel tubing. Approved PE pipe may be used in exterior buried piping systems when
☐ installed by certified technicians. CPC 1209.5.3.4

☐ An exterior shutoff valve shall be installed before the line enters the building CPC 1211.11.3
Sediment traps must be installed on furnaces, wall heaters, boilers and water heaters downstream of shutoff
☐ valves. CPC1212.7
Corrugated stainless steel systems should be bonded to the electrical service grounding electrode system
☐ where it enters the building CPC 12.11.15.2

☐ Gas piping shall not be used as a grounding conductor or electrode but it may be bonded. CPC 1211.15.3
Steel pipe installed outside and underground shall have no less than 12 inches of cover (where no damage is
☐ likely). And no less than 18 inches of cover in other areas. CPC 1211.1.2
Where unions are necessary, right and left nipples and couplings shall be used. Ground joint unions may only
☐ be used at exposed fixtures, appliance, or equipment connections and in exposed exterior locations immedi-
ately on the discharge side of a building shutoff valve. OMC15.04.940 - CPC 1211.3.2
An accessible shutoff valve shall be installed in the fuel supply piping outside of each appliance and ahead
☐ of the union connection thereto, in addition to any valve on the appliance. Shutoff valves shall be in the same
room as the appliance and no further than 6 feet from the appliance. CPC1212.5
INSPECTION 1: Underground exterior gas piping requires one inspection which will occur after the pipe has
☐ been installed in a trench and pressurized but before it is covered.
INSPECTION 2: After the piping system has been installed but prior to it being covered or concealed, or any
☐ fixture or appliance has been attached thereto. This inspection will check for proper pipe size, material, and
installation. Although not required, it is recommended that the piping system be pressurized.
INSPECTION 3: consists of a pressure test and occurs after the building is completely enclosed but prior to
connecting any equipment or appliances.
☐ For projects in which the gas piping will remain exposed, both inspections would be combined into a single
inspection.
Gas piping systems will be pressure tested at least once during the inspection process. The permit holder
shall provide and install a temporary pressure gauge and to pressurize the piping system. All gas piping
systems shall be pressurized using air, CO2, or nitrogen. For residential installations the gas piping system
☐ shall be pressurized to no less than ten (10) psi. and shall hold that pressure for no less than 15 minutes. The
gauge used for the pressure test shall have a pressure range not greater than twice the test pressure applied
and shall have 1/10 psi increments. OMC 15.04.950 - CPC 1214.3.2, OMC15.04.955 - CPC 1214.3.3
Gas pipe needs to be sized correctly. You can size the gas pipe by following the example in this handout or
you may request assistance from a Building Inspector. For the Building Inspector to help, you must provide a
☐ piping layout (similar to Figure “C”) with the lengths of all piping and the input demand load of all appliances
shown on the drawing. Sizing the pipe will depend on the type of pipe being used. CPC 1216.0
 Residential Gas Delivery System
Installation & Sizing
2010 California Plumbing Code And PG&E Regulations

TABLE 12-1
APPLIANCE INPUT Bth/h
Furnace 100,000
Hydronic boiler 100,000
Water heater, storage 30-40gl 35,000
Water heater, storage 50gl 50,000
2 gl/min 142,800
Tankless 4 gl/min 285,000
6 gl/min 428,400
Free standing range 65,000
Built-in cooktop 40,000
Built-in oven or broiler 25,000
Clothes dryer domestic 35,000
Gas fireplace direct vent 40,000
Gas log lighter 80,000
Barbecue 40,000
Refrigerator 3,000
Note: The demand ratings of the appliances listed in this table are minimums.
Demand ratings of the actual installed appliances may be higher. Refer to name
plate rating on appliance - use the input Btu/Hr number. The tables used to size
gas piping are based on Cubic Feet per Hour (CF/H). To convert Btu/Hr to CF/H
divide the Btu/Hr by 1,000 (per PG&E delivery capacity), which is the number of
Btu/Hr in a single cubic foot of natural gas

Solution:
(1) Maximum gas demand of outlet A 35 cubic feet per hour (actual input/1000) (from Table 121)
Maximum gas demand of outlet B 80 cubic feet per hour (actual input/1000) (from Table 121)
Maximum gas demand of outlet C 65 cubic feet per hour (actual input/1000) (from Table 121)
Maximum gas demand of outlet D 100 cubic feet per hour (actual input/1000) (from Table 121)
(2) The length of pipe from the gas meter to the most remote outlet (outlet A) is 60 feet.
(3) Using the length in feet column row marked 60 feet in Table 128:
Outlet A, supplying 35 cubic feet per hour, requires onehalf (1/2) inch pipe.
Section 1, supplying outlets A and B, or 115 cubic feet per hour requires threequarter (3/4) inch pipe.
Section 2, supplying outlets A, B, and C, or 180 cubic feet per hour requires one (1) inch pipe.
Section 3, supplying outlets A, B, C, and D, or 280 cubic feet per hour, requires one & onequarter (11/4) inch pipe.
(4) Using the column marked 60 feet in Table 128 (no column for actual length of 55 feet).
Outlet B, supplying 80 cubic feet per hour, requires threequarter (3/4) inch pipe.
Outlet C, supplying 65 cubic feet per hour, requires threequarter (3/4) inch pipe.
(5) Using the column marked 60 feet in Table 128:
Outlet D, supplying 100 cubic feet per hour, requires three quarter (3/4) inch pipe.

LONGEST LENGTH METHOD

Demand CF/Hr
Outlet Appliance Length ft Demand BTU table 12-1 Pipe Size table 12-8
/1000 BTU/CUFT
A 30gl water heater 60 (use on 12-8) 35000 35 1/2
B Gas log lighter 55 80000 80 3/4
C Range 55 65000 65 1/2
D Furnace 50 100000 100 3/4
Section
1 A+B 115 3/4
2 A+B+C 180 1
3 A+B+C+D 280 1-1/4
 Residential Gas Delivery System
Installation & Sizing
2010 California Plumbing Code And PG&E Regulations

Table 12-8 Schedule 40 Metallic Pipe [NFPA Table 6.2 (b)]

Gas: Natural • Inlet Pressure: Less than 2 psi • Pressure Drop: 0.5 in. w.c. • Specific Gravity: 0.60
Pipe Size (in.)
Nominal: ½ ¾ 1 1¼ 1½ 2 2½ 3 4 5 6 8 10 12
Actual
0.622 0.824 1.049 1.380 1.610 2.067 2.469 3.068 4.026 5.047 6.065 7.981 10.020 11.938
ID:
Length
Capacity in Cubic Feet of Gas per Hour
(ft)
10 172 360 678 1,390 2,090 4,020 6,400 11,300 23,100 41,800 67,600 139,000 252,000 399,000
STEEL PIPE

20 118 247 466 957 1,430 2,760 4,400 7,780 15,900 28,700 46,500 95,500 173,000 275,000
30 95 199 374 768 1,150 2,220 3,530 6,250 12,700 23,000 37,300 76,700 139,000 220,000
40 81 170 320 657 985 1,900 3,020 5,350 10,900 19,700 31,900 65,600 119,000 189,000
50 72 151 284 583 873 1,680 2,680 4,740 9,660 17,500 28,300 58,200 106,000 167,000
60 65 137 257 528 791 1,520 2,430 4,290 8,760 15,800 25,600 52,700 95,700 152,000
70 60 126 237 486 728 1,400 2,230 3,950 8,050 14,600 23,600 48,500 88,100 139,000
80 56 117 220 452 677 1,300 2,080 3,670 7,490 13,600 22,000 45,100 81,900 130,000
90 52 110 207 424 635 1220 1,950 3,450 7,030 12,700 20,600 42,300 76,900 122,000
100 50 104 195 400 600 1,160 1,840 3,260 6,640 12,000 19,500 40,000 72,600 115,000
125 44 92 173 355 532 1,020 1,630 2,890 5,890 10,600 17,200 35,400 64,300 102,000
150 40 83 157 322 482 928 1,480 2,610 5,330 9,650 15,600 32,100 58,300 92,300
175 37 77 144 296 443 854 1,360 2,410 4,910 8,880 14,400 29,500 53,600 84,900
200 34 71 134 275 412 794 1,270 2,240 4,560 8,260 13,400 27,500 49,900 79,000
250 30 63 119 244 366 704 1,120 1,980 4,050 7,320 11,900 24,300 44,200 70,000

TABLE 12-8 • SCHEDULE 40 METALLIC PIPE [NFPA 54: TABLE 6.2(b)]

Gas: Natural • Inlet Pressure: Less than 2 psi • Pressure Drop: 0.5 in. w.c. • Specific Gravity: 0.60
TUBE SIZE (EHD)*
Flow
13 15 18 19 23 25 30 31 37 39 46 48 60 62
designation:
CORRUGATED STAINLESS STEEL (CSST)

Length (ft) Capacity in Cubic Feet of Gas per Hour

5 46 63 115 134 225 270 471 546 895 1,037 1,790 2,070 3,660 4,140
10 32 44 82 95 161 192 330 383 639 746 1,260 1,470 2,600 2,930
15 25 35 66 77 132 157 267 310 524 615 1,030 1,200 2,140 2,400
20 22 31 58 67 116 137 231 269 456 536 888 1,050 1,850 2,080
25 19 27 52 60 104 122 206 240 409 482 793 936 1,660 1,860
30 18 25 47 55 96 112 188 218 374 442 723 856 1,520 1,700
40 15 21 41 47 83 97 162 188 325 386 625 742 1,320 1,470
50 13 19 37 42 75 87 144 168 292 347 559 665 1,180 1,320
60 12 17 34 38 68 80 131 153 267 318 509 608 1,080 1,200
70 11 16 31 36 63 74 121 141 248 295 471 563 1,000 1,110
80 10 15 29 33 60 69 113 132 232 277 440 527 940 1,040
90 10 14 28 32 57 65 107 125 219 262 415 498 887 983
100 9 13 26 30 54 62 101 118 208 249 393 472 843 933
150 7 10 20 23 42 48 78 91 171 205 320 387 691 762
200 6 9 18 21 38 44 71 82 148 179 277 336 600 661
250 5 8 16 19 34 39 63 74 133 161 247 301 538 591
300 5 7 15 17 32 36 57 67 95 148 226 275 492 540
*EHD = Equivalent Hydraulic Diameter, which is a measure of the relative hydraulic efficiency between different tubing sizes. The greater the value of EHD, the greater the gas capacity of the tubing.

Notes: Table includes losses for four 90 degree bends and two end fittings. Tubing runs with larger numbers of bends and/or fittings shall be increased by an equivalent length of tubing to the follow-
ing equation: L = 1.3n, where L is additional length(ft) of tubing and n is the number of additional fittings and/or bends.
All table entries are rounded to 3 significant digits.