CSST Pipe Fried From Elec. Current

threaderman

Just goes to show that you have to follow codes to the tee.I don't have pics. yet but bid on a job yesterday where the csst wasn't grounded/bonded to the panel.A storm caused a branch to hit the incoming elec. service and sent a surge through the whole house elec. system. and consequently through the iron or csst pipe.
As I am not an electrician I don't know how the surge occured but I've seen first hand the jacket for the csst is completely fried,melted and singed from the surge [hundreds of feet].Luckily they smelled smoke and were smart enough enough to kill the breaker for the incoming service.
All the csst branch lines are completely melted.Incredible!They have had the home re-wired and new panels already and getting inspection today.These folks have no electricity and no gas,what a bummer.
I hope their insurance co. works quickly for them.If they don't give me the go ahead by tommorrow morning they will be waiting untill Monday for me to start [week-end work is not included in the bid].Just thought I would share.Make sure your CSST is bonded by a LICENSED ELECTRICIAN.

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Joe ---International Code Council Member

Your plumbing & gas specialist proudly serving Oklahoma City OK, Moore, Warr-acres, Norman, Midwest City, Edmond, Bethany, Forest Park

22rifle

Wow.

I hope you are replacing any steel pipe that may be in the system too.

But get us more details. SOMETHING is way screwed up with this picture.

Grumpyplumber

I'd be VERY interested in hearing who bears liability on this one....

threaderman

The owners just bought the house 3 years ago ,and it has a few room additions that were added.I don't think it was a licensed plumber because in my bid I propose to re-route a Blk. line which is UNDER a slab and no conduit.
The CSST was never bonded properly.The insurance company may have to go back a ways in order to discover who's at fault.My proposal is to replace everything.I've seen one other home which was similar.Lightening struck it in 2 places and the current threw hundreds of siding nails out of the structure and bounced the current from the copper supply to the water heater to the Blk. iron gas service for the heater.They had about 6 pinholes in the iron and copper lines.It also welded the pop-up strainer together on a lav. faucet.
They are getting another bid today but they like me so if my price is close I'll probably get the job.I wasn't shy about the price but I was fair.
Somehow a branch hit some wire and it hit the pipes and fried all the jacket off of the CSST runs.That's what I got out of it.The HO didn't truly understand either so she couldn't properly sum up the cause of the electrical problem to me.

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Joe ---International Code Council Member

Your plumbing & gas specialist proudly serving Oklahoma City OK, Moore, Warr-acres, Norman, Midwest City, Edmond, Bethany, Forest Park

Ron The Plumber

There was a Class Action lawsuit about it, I mentioned long time ago.

JamesNLA

hmmm, 3 years ago the settlement was not final. This IMO be on the HO insurance to fix. They had / have the oppurtunity to have the bonding done and or a lightning protection system installed at either a big discount or for free depending on where the home is located. That's what the class action covered. As far as how this happened, that makes no sense. If a surge came into the house from upstream OR a branch hit the power lines and caused a surge or short there was a big problem with the installation. Bonding / grounding lines are NOT current carring conductors. A massive power surge into the home should have no effect on the plumbing / gas lines. Now, if lightning strikes the csst or iron pipe or the meter make up out front.......that is a different story. There are elements of protection that should be inplace to prevent things like this from happening. I hope your clients realize how lucky they are to be alive.

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