Running a gas line

[bdog]

We are have a pool with a hot tub built. We thought propane was out only option to heat it as our house does not have gas service and the gas company wanted 20k to bring it to us as it was a long way from their line. To get to us they would have had to go roughly a half mile.

We just bought, well we close on Friday, on five acres that adjoins our property and the far corner of this property is about 200 from an existing gas meter so I think I can get gas to this five acres fairly cheaply. From there it is about a 1,000 run to my house. I assume I can get the meter set and then just run a private line to my house. I think they make poly line in 500 rolls.

Anything special I need to know about doing this? I am planning on doing the trenching and installing the line myself, leaving the ends exposed, and having the guys doing the gas work for the pool make the actual connections. Is it as simple as it seems? I have never fooled with gas before.

 

[Roadworthy]

You may wish to consult with the gas company crew to see if they WILL connect to your private line and whether it meets their codes. At the very least they will probably have a specific required depth and may want to inspect the line before it's covered.

 

[4570Man]

You may wish to consult with the gas company crew to see if they WILL connect to your private line and whether it meets their codes. At the very least they will probably have a specific required depth and may want to inspect the line before it's covered.

They only burry the secondary house service line about a foot deep in my area.

 

[RNeumann]

The main issue is sizing the line. You will calc the BTUs needed and the distance and size from there. I’m guessing with a pool, house and bbq etc on the line you will be close to 1 1/2”. The size is so big because the meter reduces the pressure down to about 1/2psi. Code also requires a tracer wire and some require in ground marking.

The pipe size will make working with it tough for one person.

 

[tjkubota93]

You can buy stab in connectors for the poly pipe. Very easy.

Here, code requires an air pressure test on a gas line.

 

[bdog]

Thanks. I have a call into the gas company to see the costs of putting a meter there and will explain to them what I want to do and get their thoughts on it. The calculations I have done say I need a 2 line. I plan to rig up something to unspool it with my skid steer and I have four employees who can help. I have watched crews lay similar sized poly flow lines in the oilfield.

 

[D2Cat]

After you get all the facts in you may decide the propane tank set out of the way is the answer. Around here the propane company will often provide 35' of line and hookup for a set cost and if you need more length add a reasonable fee. You can purchase or lease a tank for $60-$75 a year, and propane is selling at $1.40, but had summer fill for .92 a gallon. Plant some shrubbery around it and call it good.

Digging 1200', material cost, meter hookup, possible maintenance over time?

 

[deserteagle71]

After you get all the facts in you may decide the propane tank set out of the way is the answer. Around here the propane company will often provide 35' of line and hookup for a set cost and if you need more length add a reasonable fee. You can purchase or lease a tank for $60-$75 a year, and propane is selling at $1.40, but had summer fill for .92 a gallon. Plant some shrubbery around it and call it good.

Digging 1200', material cost, meter hookup, possible maintenance over time?

Maybe in your location in Kansas. Around here propane tank rental runs $120 per year for a 320 gallon tank and the cheapest I've ever been able to get propane for is $2.55 a gallon. If they fill it in December or January it will be $4 a gallon.

Just tonight on the local news from Reno they reported that average gasoline prices in northern Nevada were running ~ $1 a gallon more than the average US price of $2.60 a gallon.

 

[bdog]

My main concern with the propane tank is running out when least expected. Our house is all electric so this is just for the backyard but the pool/hot tub have a 400k btu heater, we will have a gas fire pit, fire bowls, etc. I think we will empty the tank fairly quickly during peak times.


I may be mistaken but I think natural gas is a lot cheaper than propane too? The trenching I can do myself I have a skid steer mounted trencher and it is easy digging. No rocks here. Heck my neighbor has dug down a low spot on his property to increase runoff storage capacity and reduce flooding fifty feet deep and hasn稚 hit a rock yet. The pipe will cost me about $1000.

I have not crunched the numbers yet but my pool guy said he has installed a lot of both propane and natural gas and if we can get the gas setup for under 5k we would be money ahead doing so.

 

[Cat_Driver]

My main concern with the propane tank is running out when least expected. Our house is all electric so this is just for the backyard but the pool/hot tub have a 400k btu heater, we will have a gas fire pit, fire bowls, etc. I think we will empty the tank fairly quickly during peak times.


I may be mistaken but I think natural gas is a lot cheaper than propane too? The trenching I can do myself I have a skid steer mounted trencher and it is easy digging. No rocks here. Heck my neighbor has dug down a low spot on his property to increase runoff storage capacity and reduce flooding fifty feet deep and hasn稚 hit a rock yet. The pipe will cost me about $1000.

I have not crunched the numbers yet but my pool guy said he has installed a lot of both propane and natural gas and if we can get the gas setup for under 5k we would be money ahead doing so.

Yes it is that simple. get requirements from gas company, dig the trench, have them inspect, bury and have them connect

 

[sdquick]

So, I am in the middle of running a gas line (with a few neighbors) to our home. Here are some of my thoughts and numbers. Your numbers will, of course, be different. But for what it is worth...
I ran a bunch of calculations with the cost of propane per gallon and delivery over the last three years. Called the Gas company and got the charge (per therm). I had to convert BTU/Gal and Therm/gal to come up with equivalent energy cost. Gas company charges $10 per month for service and my total propane delivery charges averaged $9.60 per month over the last three years. So then I calculated energy cost. For me it is about a 4 to 5 year payback plus I think the value of the home increases to potential buyers down the road.
Access: You need to check to make sure if the line you are thinking of is a supply line or a transfer line. There is a line close to us that is a transfer line that can not be tapped into. We had to get to a supply line much further away.

Main Line Cost: They will charge you for the 200 foot main line, but for each of us that went into the line we got a $1968 credit toward the main line. There might be something similar with your gas company to cover or help with the main line cost.

Options: #1 - Our gas company gave three options for the residential line (from the main line). First: a lot set meter. They would set the meter ($150 for the meter & pressure valve in all cases) on the lot. Advantage is that you can dig and lay your own pipe as you said (in our case a licensed plumber needs to do the connections and pressure test). Disadvantage is that there is a significant pressure drop after the meter. That is why you are hearing about running huge (expensive) pipes (if it is even possible) to go the distance (1000') that you want. Another disadvantage is that if there is an issue after the meter with the line it is your problem to pay for the leak and the repair. The pressure valve is supposed to shut off if there is a major leak, but...

#2 - Run the meter to your house, you dig the ditch and cover it after the pipe is put in. Advantage: High pressure right to the house, Gas line owns the line and any future problems. Disadvantage: cost is $16.50 / ft ($16,500 for 1000') by the way our main line run was long and expensive, our residential run was only ~200 feet.

#3 - Same as #2 except the Gas company does everything (digs, pipe, fill). Advantage is the same as 2 plus no work. Disadvantage is cost. $32.50 per foot (32,500 for 1000')

Hope it helps.

 

[RalphVa]

Bet it would be A LOT cheaper to use a heat pump. Certainly, the operating cost will be lower. Capital cost may be competitive with putting in a gas line, heater, etc.

Ralph

 

[bdog]

We explored heat pumps and may get one in addition to the gas but the advice we were given is they heat too slowly. The pool builder said if you want to warm up the pool to swim on a Saturday you might need to turn it on on Wednesday. Same with the hot tub it could take hours to heat up.

We don't plan to continually heat the pool mainly when we want too use it but the hot tub is a different story. I can see us wanting to turn it on an use it on short notice.

 

[sodamo]

Be in Texas, sunny I suspect, have you looked at solar?

 

[joeu235]

My main concern with the propane tank is running out when least expected. Our house is all electric so this is just for the backyard but the pool/hot tub have a 400k btu heater, we will have a gas fire pit, fire bowls, etc. I think we will empty the tank fairly quickly during peak times.


I may be mistaken but I think natural gas is a lot cheaper than propane too? The trenching I can do myself I have a skid steer mounted trencher and it is easy digging. No rocks here. Heck my neighbor has dug down a low spot on his property to increase runoff storage capacity and reduce flooding fifty feet deep and hasn稚 hit a rock yet. The pipe will cost me about $1000.

I have not crunched the numbers yet but my pool guy said he has installed a lot of both propane and natural gas and if we can get the gas setup for under 5k we would be money ahead doing so.

I believe I live near you. I have solid black clay 40 feet deep without a rock around.

 

[bb770]

See if the gas company will supply 2psi. Then you can run a much smaller line. Use a regulator at the heater to knock the 2psi to inches.

 

[ultrarunner]

At work we have a medium pressure line... it was approved in the plans but was problem to get.

The advantage is much smaller pipes to the 18 package units and Built Up unit.

Without a "Medium" pressure service it would have been MUCH more expensive on the plumbing side... the regulators were cheap by comparison.

 

[grsthegreat]

man, at 1,000 ft i would definitely use propane instead. when i had a customer wanting a generator placed 300 feet from house, the gas needed to supply a 350,000 btu generator at 1/2psi pressure was requiring a 2" poly pipe. The gas company would not allow a second meter on his property. I'm not sure if he looked into switching out to a 2# supply or not. He went the rental propane tank method instead as the other options became very expensive. On top of the pipe, the required 24' burial and imported fill as the ground is nothing but rock, and the fact that utility company told him the meter was too small. things just kept adding up.

i dont know the btu from a pool heater

 

[Wilco]

Why not just buy a 500gal UG propane tank? If you buy your own (Here they're about $1250) you can shop propane companys to fill it. That pool heater will burn just over 4 gallons an hour alone. When I did propane hook-ups for pool heater it seemed after 2-3 yrs I'd be going back to pick-up the equipment once people realized the cost to run these things.