“A Perfect Fit” Plumbing & Gas - Gas Pressure Tests In The Oklahoma City Metro

My name is Joe Bessett and I own “A Perfect Fit” Plumbing & Gas Co. in Oklahoma City. Gas pressure tests, repairs, and gas line extensions are just one of many services we offer, and is often one of the most misunderstood procedures.

This blog is meant to explain in detail the testing procedure for natural gas lines in the Oklahoma City area. The testing procedures are the same for residential structures as they are for commercial properties.

In the Oklahoma City metro area there are usually three occasions when a gas system pressure test may be required:

1) If a building or residence is unoccupied for a period of 6 months or longer, a gas pressure test will be required by law, and is to be tested by an Oklahoma state licensed plumbing and gas contractor or a licensed gas-fitter and installer. These tests must be verified by the city, in which the building is located, which means a city inspection is necessary. Gas permits can be as low as $15.00 or as high as $75.00 depending on the individual city permitting and inspection fees. Some municipalities require testing after being unoccupied for one year or more.

2) The second occasion where a gas pressure test must be performed by an Oklahoma state contractor is if the gas company or gas supplier determines there is a leak somewhere downstream of the meter towards the building. ONG, for instance, performs tests for leaks periodically in order to prevent a potentially disastrous situation. They will not hesitate to shut-off your gas immediately and with-out warning in order to protect life and property, and rightly so.

3) The third occasion in which a gas pressure test may be required is if the gas is shut-off due to non-payment or a delinquent account.

The testing procedure is the same, regardless of the reason the gas was shut-off. Here is a step-by-step description of the testing process, required inspection procedures, and how we get your gas turned back on. First and foremost, a permit must be pulled by the contractor. The process begins when one of the three scenarios we mentioned above occurs. The gas is shut-off or the gas meter has been pulled. It is then the property owner or person(s) responsible for the utility payment to call a licensed plumbing or gas contractor to begin the testing procedure. It is ultimately the person who hires the contractor’s responsibility to make certain the contractor is state licensed, registered in the city the work is performed in and insured and bonded.

The process continues as the plumbing contractor begins to isolate all gas appliances on the system and chooses an area to install the test gauge and testing apparatus. The amount of time it takes for this depends on the size of the system, the location and accessibility to the gas appliance and stub-outs, the availability of electricity, etc. The gas system is then subjected to a testing pressure in excess of seven (7) times the normal gas pressure supplied by the gas company. If the system holds this pressure for 15 minutes or longer, it is deemed a tight system. If the gauge needle moves even slightly, it will not pass the city inspection. If this is the case, then the search for the leak(s) begins, it is a process of elimination starting at the most accessible portions of the gas system, and gradually including pipes and fittings in walls, ceiling and attic areas, crawl spaces and piping which is buried underground. On older structures or structures with many leaks, it is often less expensive and labor intensive to run a new gas system and by-pass the old one. We will cover this in a future blog.

Let us assume our building has successfully passed the gas pressure test. Are we now ready for final inspection? As a matter of fact, we are not. Another crucial aspect in the gas system pressure testing process is the condition and code conformance of all the venting to natural gas appliances in the structure. This includes water heaters and tankless units, furnaces and air handlers, chimneys, and wall, floor, and hanging furnaces and space heaters. There are many requirements for venting, venting material, vent location, and vent integrity. Your state licensed contractor knows precisely what those requirements are. Once the pressure test and venting requirements are satisfied, we now move on to the actual appliance connections. The inspector will scrutinize the connector rating, the connector material, the location or absence of shut-off valves, and other connection regulations.

The inspector is legally allowed to address any unsafe conditions or code violations. Though many consider inspectors to be power hungry, this is usually not the case. Their livelihood is to keep us all safe. It is a system of cross checking. The contractor installs or repairs or alters a system and the inspector helps to make sure nothing is over-looked. It is a good system which helps keep illegal work from being performed by laymen, property owners, and illegals. Testing and inspecting gas systems is a far cry from gluing 2 pieces of PVC pipe together.

Now we are getting close. Let’s say we have satisfied all the requirements to pass the inspection. Here’s the rest of the story. The contractor calls the city and asks for an inspection for the permit that we pulled at the beginning of the job/test. The earliest the city will be out is the day after being called-in. Depending on the amount of inspections called in, an inspector may do his inspection the next day or the next week. A call to the inspector from the contractor can usually get the time frame narrowed down considerably. In the case of gas inspections, usually the city will do these within one or two days.

Now we have passed inspection, can we get our gas turned on? No, but soon. By law, once the system has passed inspection, the contractor must return to drop the pressure test and reconnect the gas meter area and all appliances being served by gas. The gas company will not make these connections. Once the inspector has passed the gas pressure test, commonly called a gas meter reset, they will notify their office, who will then enter the information in the data banks so that within a few hours time, the gas company will have been notified that all requirements have been met, and that it is safe to resume supplying the structure with gas. When the gas company comes out they will purge the system of air, light all appliances, and do the final connection leak test.

Many people call and want to know how much an Oklahoma City area gas pressure test costs. As you can see there are many variables and the fair way for everyone involved is by the hour at this point. If your contractor is slow and burning time, fire them. It’s that easy. So your decision should not be based on who has the lowest bid, but rather who is knowledgeable, personable, guarantees their work, and are concerned about protecting your family and property.

I hope this article helps to educate people on the process of gas pressure testing in the Oklahoma City metro area. If you are in the Oklahoma City area, “A Perfect Fit” Plumbing & Gas, my company, would be proud to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Joseph Bessett / Owner

(405)802-7769

www.apfplumbing.com

“A Perfect Fit” Plumbing & Gas Co. LLC

Serving Oklahoma City, Bethany, Edmond, Forest Park, Midwest City, Moore, Norman, The Village, Warr Acres, Yukon.