nailing into gas or freon lines

8383 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by tccoggs, Oct 11, 2009

Javelin350

Discussion Starter · Oct 10, 2009

I know my fellow siders out there have done this once. One guy on my crew hit a freon line and a gas line hours apart. I keep telling these guys make sure u find the center of the stud. A lot of times some of these old houses the studs are not 16 on center. Would u dare to repair the line yourself of have a company fix it for you. When it comes to freon lines I can't service the system so yea have someone else do it. On the gas lines all the tech does is flare the lines and put a coulper in. Sounds and looks easy enough but would you do it?

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kbsparky

· #2 · Oct 10, 2009

Nope. Too much liability in either case.

Would you consider doing such repairs if someone else hit those lines? I didn't think so ... :furious:

BACKWOODS

· #3 · Oct 10, 2009

If you have to ask, DO NOT DO IT.

Javelin350

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 10, 2009

You are right thats why i call the Hvac guy when that happens. Last time it was 380$ to flare a freakin line in 15 minutes glad i did't pay for it the installer did. But your right I'm not paying if the house blows up from a gas leak.

Also power wires we have ran into hitting. Whats the deal with guys running wire right through the studs, i know u got to sometimes but were supposed to be nailing into the stud, right? is it my fault when my 2 1/2 inch nail shoots into a wire going right through the stud. Now i have to tear off the siding guessing where i hit the wire tear of the osb or what ever and fix the problem. Then with hardie say I know where the wires are and do not hit the studs in thoes areas, now the siding is all lose and looks like junk. I can pin nail any loose spots but no HO wants pin nail heads all over there brand new siding. Oh well just one of my headachs in the business. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Would like to hear from others about this situation

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bwalley

· #5 · Oct 10, 2009

If it was a refrigerant line it should have been brazed and then a vacuum pulled on it and then the system recharged, it takes more than 15 minutes to do it properly.

Javelin350

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 10, 2009

natural gas line i was speaking of haven't seen the freon done

Celtic

· #7 · Oct 10, 2009

Javelin350 said:
Also power wires we have ran into hitting. Whats the deal with guys running wire right through the studs, i know u got to sometimes but were supposed to be nailing into the stud, right? is it my fault when my 2 1/2 inch nail shoots into a wire going right through the stud. Now i have to tear off the siding guessing where i hit the wire tear of the osb or what ever and fix the problem.

The electric lines need only be 1 1/4" from the face of the stud.

Do you need 2.5" nails?
[I have no idea, I don't side]

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Javelin350

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 10, 2009

thats what my contractor supplies and says thats what hardie recommends

Mike Finley

· #9 · Oct 10, 2009 (Edited)

Javelin350 said:
You are right thats why i call the Hvac guy when that happens. Last time it was 380$ to flare a freakin line in 15 minutes glad i did't pay for it the installer did. But your right I'm not paying if the house blows up from a gas leak.

Also power wires we have ran into hitting. Whats the deal with guys running wire right through the studs, i know u got to sometimes but were supposed to be nailing into the stud, right? is it my fault when my 2 1/2 inch nail shoots into a wire going right through the stud. Now i have to tear off the siding guessing where i hit the wire tear of the osb or what ever and fix the problem. Then with hardie say I know where the wires are and do not hit the studs in those areas, now the siding is all lose and looks like junk. I can pin nail any loose spots but no HO wants pin nail heads all over there brand new siding. Oh well just one of my headachs in the business. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Would like to hear from others about this situation

I think there is some scary sh*t contained between the lines of all this.

I'm scared to guess how you are 'repairing' electrical lines, plumbing and HVAC.

Code puts electrical lines through the center of a stud to avoid being hit by drywallers on the inside and siders on the exterior doesn't it? Are you hitting lines that are through the center of studs or are you hitting stuff that is off center and toward the exterior?

If it was me I'd look to have something in my contract to recoup those expenses for hidden damages caused by mis-installed lines that aren't installed where they should be and be out of harms way.

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Mike Finley

· #10 · Oct 10, 2009

Javelin350 said:
thats what my contractor supplies and says thats what hardie recommends

Hardie recommends 1 1/2" - 2" nails.

Javelin350

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 10, 2009

I'm not the one fixing the damages I've been lucky enough in my 6 years of siding not to hit anything. But my crew members have and we always have to have it done my a trades men in that field. I would love to fix it myself but don't need the problems down the road if my fix fails. I think i need to talk to my contractor if u say they recommend 1 1/2 --2 inch nails. even are pin nails are 2 1/2 inch. Thats why I really like this fourm to speak to differant people and hear there reviews.

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AustinDB

· #12 · Oct 10, 2009

If I recall, the recommended length of nail for vinyl installation is 3/4" protrusion. I've used 2 1/2" on resides through 1/2" foam, 1/2" sheathing and 1/2" wood siding...that leaves the recommended 3/4" nail through the sheathing. maybe it's time to check into the proper fastener size.

regarding fixing something yourself, how do you know if you've hit an electric line? for gas lines, again, how do you know it was pierced? I'm sure you know better regarding fixing it yourself. I have some friends who lived a few houses down from someone whose house blew up in the middle of the night due to a gas leak. http://www.pgslegal.com/CM/Custom/SearsRuledNegligent.asp it's not the same situation as what you're describing, but to even take a chance with something as dangerous as gas is ludicrous. in addition to looking into the proper fastener length maybe the addition of a damage clause due to hitting buried lines is in order.

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Mike Finley

· #13 · Oct 10, 2009

Well, I don't know what a 'crew member' is. Must be a sub pretending to be an employee? Or is it a real sub? Either way, no matter what I was or was being called, if I was the actual guy who paid the guys directly who were installing the siding, I'd look into it pretty hard to not be paying for hidden defects of a homeowner's house.

Instead of talking to your 'contractor' whatever that means, how about just downloading Hardi's installation instructions?

Everything always defaults to the manufacturers recommendations for installation, you shouldn't ever be at fault if you read the directions on how to do something.

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AustinDB

· #14 · Oct 10, 2009

Javelin350 said:
1 1/2 --2 inch nails. even are pin nails are 2 1/2 inch.

only options to me are 1 3/4" and 2 1/2" nails by the 50lb box.

reveivl

· #15 · Oct 11, 2009

72chevy4x4 said:
only options to me are 1 3/4" and 2 1/2" nails by the 50lb box.

And if they are not the right length for the application, would you use them anyway, and suffer the consequences?

tccoggs

· #16 · Oct 11, 2009

2 x 6 framing sure is nice, you don't have to worry much about this situation.

For hardie over 1/2 ply 2x4 wall, I would use 1 3/4 SS siding nails. I would only use a 2 1/2 over foam. 1 inch penetration into the stud is plenty.

If you can't get them locally, there are plenty of online suppliers, I have purchased from fastenerusa.com when I can't find something locally. I only use stainless on exterior work, when siding my own house, the difference between HDG and Stainless was only $75.

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