Gas Line Sizing Ensuring Safety and Performance

HPC Fire Inspired is here to service you and meet all your fire design needs. Our National Fireplace Institute certified Tech Team, led by Chuck Parsons, will help troubleshoot any installation issue bringing your dreams to reality. In response to our consumer questions, the HPC Tech Team wants to address the importance of gas line sizing when choosing your fire feature. Our team believes in educating our consumers empowering them to become informed buyers so they may light up their lives with HPC fire designs. This Tech Talk will leave you feeling informed and confident around gas line sizing enabling you to enjoy your fire feature to the fullest.

Gas Pressure Basics:

Investing in knowing the basics around gas pressure will pay off in the long run. The pressure of a gas is the force that the gas exerts on the walls of its container. The National Fireplace Institute (NFI) supports the longest run method as the standard method of installation (See Fig. 1a below). The longest run method uses tables to determine the minimum gas pipe size for each segment of a gas pipe based on several factors:
• Proper gas system pressure,
• Identifying the type of gas that will be used natural or propane
• Maximum required input for all appliances run on the line or Btu/hour
• Length from the meter and the type of pipe used.
Using this chart (See fig. 1b below) we will walk you through an example. HPC Fire Inspired CSA Certified Appliances are designed to operate on a ½ pound pressure system; knowing this will aid in identifying the appropriate line that will support your chosen fire feature. Remember there are several factors that must be considered when calculating your gas line size. It can be compressed down to three important steps: Gas pressure and BTU input, Distance of gas line run from the source, and the number of other appliances on the same gas line. For the purposes of our example, we will be utilizing our natural gas standard 24-inch square insert. This unit runs on less than 2 psi. Knowing this allows you to calculate the necessary BTU. We see that this unit requires 125,000 BTU. Therefore when looking at the chart we can see that ¾ inch pipe is what is required to service this unit properly. Get these 3 important steps right and HPC can guarantee your unit will light every time rain or shine.

Size Matters:

The number one issue that our certified HPC Tech Team comes across is consumers choosing an undersized gas line. When this occurs you will see a low or small pilot flame which leads to drop out or the flame extinguishing. This is because there isn’t enough pressure to support the unit and HPC safety technology kicks on to protect users. HPC team member, Chuck Parsons states: “Gas pressure is critical to the installation and operation of HPC Fire Inspired fire features. “ If the pressure being supplied to our appliances is too high it can cause damage to the unit, and if the pressure is too low it can cause small flames and nuisance dropouts.”

Customer Satisfaction:

HPC values quality and safety to ensure our products light every time. Gas pipe sizing and installation should only be performed by legally qualified and knowledgeable technicians. Be sure to refer to our Built App as well as enlist local qualified installers to ensure your unit is established properly. Any questions or concerns let HPC Certified NFI Tech Team guide you with their knowledge and expertise. Don’t hesitate to contact us at 937-436-9800. Welcome to the HPC Fire Inspired Family and just like family our flames are forever.

Gas Pipe Sizing Chart