Gas Supply Piping: Commonly Asked Questions about Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing
Natural gas and propane are important sources of heat energy in your home. For you to get a reliable and safe supply in your home, you must have properly laid pipework for the job. This is where corrugated stainless steel comes in handy. It is a flexible, stainless steel pipe coated with a plastic material to minimise physical damage. In most cases, corrugated stainless steel is installed through floor joists, attic spaces and the interior of wall cavities. If you are looking for gas supply tubing for your home, here are some commonly asked questions about corrugated stainless steel tubing to help you gain some insight:
How Does Lightning affect Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing?
Lightning is a high-voltage electric force that can cause a lot of physical damage to the corrugated stainless steel tubing. The tubing is at a much higher risk considering that lighting striking nearby objects can energise the metal electrically. This can puncture the tubing, elevating the risk of a fire outbreak. Thankfully, corrugated stainless steel tubing can be protected against lighting through bonding and grounding. Here, metal clamps are used to clamp electrical conductor against the tubing. When lighting occurs, any charges generated by the tubing are safely conducted into the ground. For proper bonding and grounding, call in a professional who understands the electrical dynamics of your tubing.
Do Building Codes affect the Installation of Your Tubing?
Building codes are there to ensure safe and sustainable construction of buildings alongside the installation of building utilities. Before you install the corrugated stainless steel tubing, find out any specific requirements by local government authorities or homeowner associations. These regulations will determine installation procedures such as the location of the grounding clamps, the recommended distance between the clams, the gauge of the electrical conductor and its insulation. It is important to adhere to these regulations to avoid unprecedented fines and liabilities after installation.
Why Choose Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing Over Galvanised Steel?
Even though both corrugated stainless steel tubing and galvanised steel tubing are designed to withstand corrosion, there is a slight difference in their capabilities. Galvanised steel has a protective coating meant to shield the metal against rusting. When used for gas conduit applications, the sustained pressure, friction and heat will wear down the galvanic coating, forcing you to replace the tubing regularly. On the other hand, corrugated stainless steel tubing is specifically designed to handle the high-pressure applications that come with supplying gas to your house.