Omega Flex Gas Lines Corrosion

[aminsole]

Our plumbing contractor for a new construction used Omega Flex gas lines through out the building. when we finally received our occupancy permit and wanted to turn on the gas a few months after the gas installation was complete the whole system was leaking almost every where near every connector. When Omega Flex came and took multiple samples of the pipes and sent to a lab they said it was chlorine damage. They claim that the small amount of chlorine in the household soap used to leak check the lines has cause every bit of the pipe to develop holes and leak. Has anybody experienced any thing like this before?

 

[Jeff Handy]

Sounds hard to believe, but I have no experience with those flex lines.

Aren’t they stainless steel?

A few drops of water can eat right through?

Sounds fishy!

 

[Jeff Handy]

The main issue I have heard with flex gas lines is that they are very thin, like two sheets of paper, and are prone to fail during lightning strikes because of arcing burning right through.
Unless they are very well grounded, and even then, they are so much thinner than good old black pipe.
Mechanical damage from bumping, or hanging things from them can also occur.

 

[breplum]

This is a staggering revelation and sounds fishy.
We all use soapy water and there is such minimal to none chlorine that is sounds like b.s.
Was the OmegaFlex the black jacket "Counterstrike Trackpipe i.e. thick version)? (I don't think they still make a yellow jacket version)
Is the company just leaving you to eat it or are they covering it.
This is a big deal

 

[SHEPLMBR]

The end that goes on the fitting doesn't look so good either. Some csst is thicker than others. Each has their own fittings and cannot me mixed and matched.
The end of it is what strikes me as odd. Also, may I ask. Is this house brick?

 

[aminsole]

Hi,
Your point about the fittings is valid. But there were holes every where even when the right fitting was used. The house is wood frame and stucco.

 

[Jeff Handy]

I would go after the installer, go to small claims court if necessary, and let him go after the manufacturer of either the fittings or flex if he wants to try.

I think there was a class action suit against flex manufacturers, not sure why, but I think the settlement period might be over.

I would plan on replacing all of it with either better quality flex, by a better installer, or with black pipe, at least use black pipe in any exposed areas with easy access to replace it without tearing out drywall or framing.

The flex suppliers require that installers have training, but don’t require that they are good at doing the job.