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Buyers complaining about CSST gas lines in kitchen

3,178 Views | 11 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by Absolute
exp
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AG
"CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) is located in the island and connects the gas cooktop. This product is susceptible to rupturing during lighting storms and can cause fires. The repair costs can be a few hundred dollars to bond the existing tubing to a few thousand to replace the CSST lines."

Is this a legit inspection complaint? Our home is 6 years old. If they put it in our home they probably put it in many homes in our neighborhood and I doubt lightning concerns were discovered in the last 6 years.
Martin Q. Blank
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That's a hell of a lightning strike to hit a pipe inside a kitchen island.
AggiePlaya
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AG
You risk dying in a plane crash every time you fly and we still do it because it is an acceptable risk. This is no different, it is a risk but an acceptable risk...

I would not do anything to remedy that for the buyers, if it is that important to them they can change on their own and at their own expense
histag10
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AG
are they willing to back out of the sale for a few hundred bucks?

Sounds like they are either just trying to get more money or trying to find a reason to get out.
Lone Stranger
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A few of the DFW metroplex TV stations have been harping on CSST hit by lighting as a major problem. Lots of arguments whether or not the lighting caused the pinholes/leak and ignited the fire and that is what burned the house down or wether the lighting causut ed a fire in the house that happened to melt the CSST. Regardless the fire inspectors and marshalls are pretty good at just identifying CSST as the culprit and going home regardless of whether it was the problem or not.

To put it in perspective based on a couple of experts I know that testify in these types of cases, 30 people a year die in "black pipe" gas problems and about the same number in fires after lighting strikes on a house that might have been CSST hit by lighting......but no tests or testing exists to verify if the lighting caused the CSST to leak and start the fire or the lighting caused a fire and the CSST got holes in it after the file started.

A number of years ago the folks advocating that this was a problem said "you need to ground and bond the CSST". Even when people did that it still seems that it is the scapegoat because you aren't sure which came first, the CSST holes or the fire.
jmazz
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AG
We've had a few listings recently where the same 'issue' was brought up in the buyer's inspections. The seller corrected (or had the bonding done) both times. In the most recent one, the inspector told the seller: "It is fine to bond it from the gas meter to the ground rod on the side of the house." I guess that 'bonds' the entire gas system and any gas line/appliance on the system. I think the cost to the seller might've been the electrician's basic trip charge plus a little extra. It wasn't much at all in the scheme of things.

*I'm no expert. This is just FYI and not a recommendation. I'd consult a licensed electrician.
oldvalleyrat
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AG
exp said:

"CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) is located in the island and connects the gas cooktop. This product is susceptible to rupturing during lighting storms and can cause fires. The repair costs can be a few hundred dollars to bond the existing tubing to a few thousand to replace the CSST lines."

Is this a legit inspection complaint? Our home is 6 years old. If they put it in our home they probably put it in many homes in our neighborhood and I doubt lightning concerns were discovered in the last 6 years.
Tell the buyers that they will have the ability to make any improvements they like after they buy the house. You do not have to agree to make any changes.
Deats99
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AG
As a fireman I have seen it. Heavy storm, smoke but no flames. Start sweeping the house with TICs. find wall on back of fire place that is 500 degrees.start cutting in below and discover flexline was pin holed and blowing a torch on back of wall. Then discovered chimney cap and roof scorched. So yes it does happen.
Do I have flex in my house yes I do.
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.
-George S Patton
p_bubel
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oldvalleyrat said:

exp said:

"CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) is located in the island and connects the gas cooktop. This product is susceptible to rupturing during lighting storms and can cause fires. The repair costs can be a few hundred dollars to bond the existing tubing to a few thousand to replace the CSST lines."

Is this a legit inspection complaint? Our home is 6 years old. If they put it in our home they probably put it in many homes in our neighborhood and I doubt lightning concerns were discovered in the last 6 years.
Tell the buyers that they will have the ability to make any improvements they like after they buy the house. You do not have to agree to make any changes.
It's a 6 year old house, built to code. Thank you, have a nice day.
AgEngineer72
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AG
This caught my attention since I'm nearing the point I will put my house on the market. I wasn't up to speed on this CSST bonding requirement but a few days after I read this thread a colleague's home inspection dinged him on it; told him CSST gas lines have to be replaced with hard pipe. So I researched the code requirement and the general topic discussion online. Seems that homes that met code prior to 2009 are grandfathered in but inspectors make an issue about it as a safety problem. Since code allows you to bond the gas supply line, downstream of the meter/regulator, to your electrical service entrance ground stake, service panel enclosure, etc this would seem to be the cheapest and easiest solution. Gotta use a #6, or larger, bonding conductor. A grounding pipe clamp and a few feet of copper wire isn't very expensive and shouldn't be hard to install. I'll probably do mine in the next couple of weeks. Maybe can head off a 'finding'.
Pepper Brooks
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AG
This showed up on our inspection report when we bought last year. Seller gave us $1000 off in the end for this and about 5 other things(water heater overflow tank, a few fuses, etc).

We would have taken the house regardless.
Build It
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AG
built to code and not leaking. If they walk on the deal over this they are looking for a reason. Tell them to pound sand this is a sellers market.
Absolute
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AG
Bond it and move on if you want to, give some cash if you want to, do nothing if you are in a sellers market and want to.

It is a required callout In the TREC inspection standards and became a political hot topic with bureaucrats looking for scapegoats. So inspector's have been warned to make sure they call it. Recommending switching to hard pipe is absurd and that guy's personal opinion. There is some research out there about the pinholes.

I have it at my house. Not particularly worried about it. But I did add a bond.
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