Any plummers on board?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Looking to hook up a natural gas BBQ at my brother-in-laws new house.

Now there is a gas pipe that leads out of the house but no shut off for the pipe!  I can see in the basement where the pipe joins the main & goes out to the deck but there is no shut off in line anywhere.  The dryer, hot water heater & furnace all have their own shut offs.

Now my question is....can I just remove the cap on the pipe outside & swap in a shut off real quick (letting the gas vent to the atmosphere) or should I shut off the whole house, crack open the cap & let the gas vent?  
When shutting of the whole house is it smart to shut off each individual appliance as well (dryer, HW heater, furnace)

I would assume the "safer" & better way would be to shut off the house & then re-light all other appliances.....

[moparstuart]

 i'm not a plummer but i can play one on TV really good . I can bend over and have a huge crack showing .     sorry i had too .

[Todd Wilson]

It really depends on the end of your pipe. If it was me I would try and take the cap off and and be ready to lay down some teflon tape and screw the new valve on. The gas isnt gonna come out like a air compressor hose thats been cut. In fact it should be a very very lite breeze coming out the pipe.  I would be ready to shut the gas off if something breaks the whole time you are doing this.

My luck though would be the cap is stuck on and wont come off easy. Maybe even having to cut it off and rethread. Then you would want to shut the gas off!


Look at your gas meter ahead of time. ON ours in Kansas theres a fine clock meter that spins really slow. If this is spinning fast then you know you got a leak. Something to check after your work is done as well as doing the soap/water check.


I suppose there would be a slight chance your wrench could create a spark and light the gas but I would say its slight with it being completely outside in the air. Our gas company hooks meters up all the time here with gas exhausting out of their side of the pipe


Todd

[bakerhillpins]

Is there a main valve at the entry to the house (meter)? If so you can shut down the main valve, open the pipe end, let the gas exhaust, and hook up the valve on your own schedule. Then turn the house back on. You would need to relight all your pilots in the house though.

I personally wouldn't try stuff while gas is venting around me. Are we sure we are talking Natural Gas? Be warned that Propane is heaver than air and will collect in a depression and can suffocate you or little children that wonder into that depression.

Don't mess with this stuff as burns are nasty.. Internal burns are worse! (if you are inhaling the gas and then accidentally ignite it.)

Bryan

[69 OUR/TEA]

Jeez Chris,if I was you would have affended me spelling it that way!!!!! LOL
 
  Anyway as others said,there should def be a main shutoff in the basement right where it comes thru the foundation.I would NOT be doing it with it on even though it runs at very low pressure.And you are supposed to use a NON-hardening thread sealer on the threads,never any teflon tape!!!!!Don't even use the yellow which is for NG.The stuff I used to pipe NG with is called Blue Block.Home chepo or Lowes has it.

[PocketThunder]

Ummm yeahh....  I'd turn off the main and re-light the pilot lights when done..   


Is a bar-b-que really a bar-b-que if its cooked on anything other than charcoal.?  My spouse complains all the time about having to wait for our charcoal to get going when a gas grill would be ready right away.  I tell her there is a difference between the two but she doesnt care.   

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I kinda figured turning off the house would be the best bet.  It is natural gas and I plan on using plumbers putty which is a non-hardening putty safe for gas etc.

The other major PITA is the fact that they live in a semi attached house...4 houses attached.  They are on the end unit so the gas meters are outside in their side yard (all 4 of them)  They have no idea which is theirs so i left him to do some homework while I get the supplies....

thanks for the tips & my apologies to the "plumbers" on board for my misspelling 

[FLG]

Just talked to a plumber friend, and a good one at that. He said its outside, so you can change it on the fly if you want to just make sure its not hot out. You can prob just put your finger on the pipe to hold it from leaking. If you feel more comfortable with the gas off then of course do it that way.

[Todd Wilson]

 
  Anyway as others said,there should def be a main shutoff in the basement right where it comes thru the foundation.I would NOT be doing it with it on even though it runs at very low pressure.And you are supposed to use a NON-hardening thread sealer on the threads,never any teflon tape!!!!!Don't even use the yellow which is for NG.The stuff I used to pipe NG with is called Blue Block.Home chepo or Lowes has it.

Teflon tape has been used for years on gas pipe without any problems. The stuff that hardens is the problem.


Remember if you shut the gas off you will have to bleed the system when you are done or you will be holding a lot matches trying to get a pilot to light.


Todd

[FLG]

Todd i do agree with doing it on the fly but NEVER use teflon tape. The yellow stuff might be OK but best to use pipe compound.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Just talked to a plumber friend, and a good one at that. He said its outside, so you can change it on the fly if you want to just make sure its not hot out. You can prob just put your finger on the pipe to hold it from leaking. If you feel more comfortable with the gas off then of course do it that way.

Im gonna get the valve first & play it by ear from there.  Thanks