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  • » Permit Center » Do You Need a Permit? » Gas Pressure Tests

Gas Pressure Tests

Permit Requirements

• A permit is required when installing new gas piping or when altering an existing gas line.
• Permits are issued to either the owner or to a State-licensed contractor.
• Permits are obtained at the City of Concord Building Division Permit Center. The Permit Center is located at 1950 Parkside Dr., Bldg. D, Concord, CA
• Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Plans are usually not required. However, gas-sizing calculations may be required to verify that the gas piping is sized per the minimum code requirements.
• The calculations, if required, shall be made available at the time of inspection.

Installation Requirements

It shall not be permissible to repair defects in gas piping or fittings. Upon having been located, the defective pipe or fitting shall be removed and replaced with sound materials. CPC Section 1214.3

Leaks in gas piping shall be located by applying soapy water to the exterior of the piping . CPC 1214.1

• Unions are not permitted in a gas piping system except as follows:
  • Unions are allowed downstream of appliance shutoff valves, meter locations and immediately downstream of building shutoff valves.
  • The use of right/left couplings and nipples are required in lieu of unions in all other locations.
• Metallic gas piping is not allowed outdoors in the ground or within six inches of the ground. Exception: Only piping which has been factory coated with approved materials is acceptable for burial in the ground. Damage to factory wrap or necessarily stripped for threading or welding (including fitting) , shall be tightly wrapped with 10 mil tape with minimum 40 mil thickness. (CPC 1211.10 - See Appendix I, IS-13)

• Gas-operated appliances shall be installed per applicable codes and the manufacturer's specifications.

• Flexible gas connectors , from the gas pipe to the appliances, shall be sized and installed in accordance with code requirements and manufacturer's specifications.
• The gas pipe must be firecaulked where the pipe penetrates the exterior surface of the fire chamber in a factory-built fireplace. Also, the interior void shall be filled with fiberglass insulation or mineral wool.

Shutoff valve requirements are as follows:

• Required in the gas piping system ahead of all gas appliances,
• Must be accessible and in the same room as the appliance,
• Shall be within three feet of the appliance, except as follows:
• Shutoff valves for gas dryers and freestanding ovens may be within six feet of the dryer or oven,
• Shutoff valves for fireplace log lighters and shall be within four feet of the fireplace opening.

Note: Fireplace shutoff valves must be installed outside the firebox.

Inspection Requirements

• All new piping shall be inspected prior to covering any portion of new piping.
• A gas test must be performed by the applicant and witnessed by the inspector for all portions of new gas piping.
• The person doing the work is responsible for performing the gas test and calling for inspection.

Gas Test Requirements

Gauges with samll dials with large pressure ranges, or gauges that indicate pressure by means of an extended graduated rod used to check tire pressures are not sensitive enough to detect small leaks and should not be used.

The entire gas piping system shall be tested.

• The inspection shall include an air, CO₂ or nitrogen pressure test. The gas piping shall stand a pressure of not less than (10) pounds per square inch gauge pressure. The test must hold for at least 15 minutes with no perceptible drop in pressure.
• For 1 1/2" gas piping & larger, the inspection shall include a mercury manometer test, using a (6") column of mercury. The piping must hold a test for at least 15 minutes with no perceptible drop in pressure.
• Test gauges used in conduting test shall compy with Section 319.0, Test Gauges
• Test gauge requirements per CPC 319.0
  • Section 319.1
    Required pressure test of ten (10) psi or less shall be performed with gauges of 1/10 pound incrementation or less
  • Section 319.2
    Required pressure test exceeding ten (10) pounds but less than one hundred (100) psi shall be performed with gauges of one (1) psi incrementation or less
  • Section 319.3
    Required pressure test exceeding one hundred (100) psi shall be performed with gauges incremented for two (2) percent or less of the required test pressure
  • Section 319.4
    Test gauges shall have a pressure range not greater than twice the test pressure applied.