Gas Piping in New Utah Homes: What Builders Should Plan For
Gas piping is easy to treat as an afterthought, but it depends on decisions that are made early: which appliances go in the house, where the meter goes, and how the pipe gets from one to the other.
Decide the appliance list early
Pipe size is based on the total connected load and the length of the run, so every gas appliance needs to be known before rough-in.
Furnace or boiler and water heater.
Range or cooktop, dryer and fireplace.
Options such as an outdoor kitchen, fire pit, pool heater or garage heater.
Adding an appliance after rough-in can mean upsizing pipe that is already behind drywall.
Coordinate the meter location
Confirm the meter location with the gas utility and keep it on the plans.
Keep clearances from windows, doors, vents and electrical equipment as the utility and code require.
Plan the route from the meter to the manifold or first branch to keep runs short.
Installation and testing
Pipe supported and protected where it passes through framing.
Sediment traps and shutoff valves where the code and the appliance manufacturer require them.
Bonding of flexible gas piping per the manufacturer's instructions and the adopted code.
A pressure test at the value and duration the inspector expects, before the walls are closed.
Why it matters to the schedule
A failed gas test or an undersized line holds up the rough-in inspection and every trade behind it. Getting the appliance list and meter location right at the start is the cheapest fix there is.
Planning a project?
DML Mechanical LLC is a Utah-licensed HVAC contractor (DOPL B100 · S350) for builders and general contractors on residential and commercial new construction across the Wasatch Front. Send us your plan set for a line-item bid, or call (385) 307-8871.
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