Avoid Pittsburgh Commercial Gas Line Inspection at Your Own Risk
Why is Pittsburgh Commercial Gas Line Inspection So Important?
In the city of Pittsburgh, commercial gas line inspection is vital due to age. Pittsburgh is an older city that traces its origins back to the colonial era.
So while it’s chock-full of history, it also has its fair share of aging gas lines. Now granted, the oldest gas lines have long since been replaced. However, that does not mean that are not still commercial gas lines that are decidedly older than you would find in more recently developed cities. Also, it’s essential to know that not all gas lines have the same service life, and this is made more noteworthy by the development of more modern products and components incorporated into today’s pipe fitting.
What is the Average Lifespan of a Pittsburgh Commercial Gas Line?
It’s a fact that from the roof to the flooring, so many things in and on a building have a service life that can be measured in tangible numeric terms. Roofing, for example, is priced in accordance with an established lifespan.
So you can have a 30 year roof put on your building, or if you want to spend more money, you can go with a 50-year roof.
It sure makes things a lot easier regarding roofing inspections, knowing how close you are to approaching the end of a service life.
Commercial gas lines are a little different, though, and this is for several reasons. One of the easiest to understand is sustained damage incurred by perhaps a vehicle bumping into a meter or exposed pipe out in a parking lot.
Then the advent of modern landscape irrigation means that underground gas lines are being subjected to the corrosive effect of water all year long now. So in Pittsburgh commercial gas line inspection by a qualified Pittsburgh plumber is the only way to determine the remaining service life of an existing system.
What are the Hazards Associated With Gas Line Leaks?
For anybody who asks the question, what are the hazards associated with gas line leaks? The first answer to that is simple. Natural gas is flammable, so the first hazard that comes to mind is a gas leak that leads to a fire. It’s not hard to picture, but there are still other hazards that are decidedly more difficult for some people to get their heads wrapped around.
So delving further into the topic, another hazard to consider has a gas leak that results in a commercial building being evacuated and subsequently red-tagged by a city official.
It occasionally happens, and the best way to avoid this type of scenario is for you, the owner, to be the person who suspects that there may be a gas leak and then orders the inspection to locate it.
The last person you want to be in control of detection and abatement of a gas leak in your commercial building is a city inspector, and the best way to avoid that is to initiate preemptive measures by way of a Pittsburgh commercial gas line inspection.
So Then What Are the Signs Your Commercial Gas Line Needs Inspection?
This is a frequently asked question, and if you’re expecting the answer to be that a detected leak is the only sign a commercial gas line is due for an inspection, you would be wrong. What needs to be understood here is that the primary reason for inspecting a gas line this to identify problem areas before they leak.
That’s the optimal scenario. Now granted, if there are leaks, an inspection is the preferred method of locating them. But in a commercial setting, there are still more ways of being made aware that there are gas leaks.
For example, you can discover that you have a leaky gas line by a client or tenant notifying you that they smell gas.
It happens, and it is for sure the worst-case way to find out. So this brings us to the next reason for having your gas line inspected, and that is prior to moving a tenant into a commercial building. By doing so, you are covered if, by chance, a leak does develop because an inspection proves preemptive due diligence.
Pittsburgh Commercial Gas Line Inspection Basics 101
There really is no statute on the books that requires that in the city of Pittsburgh gas line inspection is required. A finance company may require it as part of a pre-sale inspection regimen, and also a city inspector will go over new gas lines at the point of project completion.
But once you, the owner, take possession of a commercial property if you want it, that can be the end of gas line inspections. It’s not advisable, but it really is your choice.
It really is a foolish risk not worth taking when the initial savings is held in the balance against the assumed risk. But it’s not only commercial gas line inspection for the sake of discovering a leak. So, for example, before covering up an underground gas line with a driveway, patio, or building addition, it just makes good sense to have the gas lines that will be covered up and inaccessible inspected for obvious reasons.
How Long Does a Commercial Gas Line Inspection Take?
It’s challenging to come up with a definitive number for the question of how long does a commercial gas line inspection takes. In Pittsburgh, commercial gas lines are not all the same, so it only stands to reason that in Pittsburgh commercial gas line inspection time frames are not the same.
The best answer that can be put on the table is that in Pittsburgh, commercial gas line inspection is done and over with relatively quickly in most situations.
If that sounds too vague, then you may find comfort in knowing that you, the client, can have a substantial role in expediting a gas line inspection. So having an inspection done prior to tenants moving into a commercial building can only work to expedite an inspection. Also, for sure, moving to have an inspection before city officials become aware of a leak can only work in your favor.
What Does a Gas Line Inspection Involve
In the city of Pittsburgh gas line inspection involves several things, and all of them are geared towards identifying not only existing problems but also areas where problems may develop in the future.
So, for example, if you are considering buying a commercial building, an inspection can help you to identify unpermitted and slipshod work that may have been done by a previous owner.
Also, standards have changed over the years, so what was acceptable in decades past may not be up to code now. So in the city of Pittsburgh gas line inspection can help you get on top of this.