Anyone ever had a nat. gas line installed in existing construction?

[NetWareHead]

Looking at a home, oil heat. I hate oil heat because it is so expensive. I'm considering alternatives such as coal (cheaper and more BTUs than oil) to replace the oil burner but another option that exists is natural gas which the utility company provides to other houses on the street. This sounds expensive, the permits, trenching the line, restoring the land, landscaping etc... to normal conditions. Not to mention the boring of a hole through the foundation of the house for the gas line. I like gas and eventually we would convert the water heater, stove and dryer to gas as well, but adding the service to an existing construction seems expensive. If gas is not an option, then coal for heat and hot water, while keeping the dryer and stove electric seems like a cost effective solution. Anybody ever had this done.? I'll be calling the utility company soon to get a price but wondering if anybody can comment...

 

[bignateyk]

I had a propane line run. The tank sits behind my garage, and the line was run in through the foundation. It took about 2 hours and cost $300. Probably much more involved with running a natural gas line though.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

The natural gas line in my house actually runs up through my attic. So boring a hole through the foundation isn't necessarily a requirement, but may be. I have a slab foundation, so that may be a difference.

 

[NetWareHead]

I had a propane line run. The tank sits behind my garage, and the line was run in through the foundation. It took about 2 hours and cost $300. Probably much more involved with running a natural gas line though.

Propane was considered but with prices per gallon near or sometimes higher than oil, its not a feasible solution. Might as well stay with oil.

 

[NetWareHead]

The natural gas line in my house actually runs up through my attic. So boring a hole through the foundation isn't necessarily a requirement, but may be. I have a slab foundation, so that may be a difference.

True, but it would still have to be trenched until it got to the house? I realize that boring a hole in the foundation or anywhere in the house is not the greatest concern, it is the trenching and associated costs that is going to be expensive.

 

[bignateyk]

Propane was considered but with prices per gallon near or sometimes higher than oil, its not a feasible solution. Might as well stay with oil.

Yeah, we just use it for a gas range and a decorative gas fireplace. We don't heat the house with it.

 

[mmntech]

Installed an outdoor gas grill a couple years ago. Attached to an existing line but had to run pipe through the basement. Pretty strait forward job. Cost us about $300 installed.

 

[DrPizza]

I've done that. I had an existing gas line in my house, but the gas company wanted to relocate the meter to the outside of my house on the side. (The meter was in the basement.) The gas company covered the cost of everything up to the meter; I covered the cost and labor of everything from the meter into the house. They pressure tested the line and did the final connection. (What I had to do was more complicated than what you would need. I had to have everything set up so that they could turn a valve to shut off gas from one side of the house into existing lines, disconnect the meter, and plug it; and connect one nipple on the other side of the house to the meter, turn another valve, and resupply all the lines in the house.) IIRC, you would run 1" pipe for the main lines, (or is it 1 1/2"?) then branch off with 1/2" pipe to your furnace, hot water tank, etc.

I had a full basement that was unfinished; it was very easy to do. It's like connecting tinker toys, except that first I had to very carefully measure exactly where the lines would go, and then head down to the hardware store to have all the pipes cut to the proper lengths, threaded, etc. If you use teflon tape, do NOT use the white stuff; use the yellow stuff. Also, Gastite is incredibly easy to work with; I've used that for my propane lines (everything to the tank) in my current house. I'm not sure what code is for using that with natural gas; I've always stuck to black pipe for natural gas. That stuff is rigid and strong enough, that I don't worry about something ever happening to it. Also, if installing in the basement, put in a couple unions, or capped t's so that you have flexibility to expand later. Without either, if you want to add something, or change something, you've gotta start at the end and take it apart, piece by piece (rather than just being able to start in the middle.)