I noticed that there is about an inch-wide patch of rust developing on one of the pipes coming off my natural gas meter at my 2ish year old house.

It's the pipe that runs from the meter into the wall of my house, so I assume it's my responsibility since it's "after" the meter.

Any problems with just hitting it with a little rust converter? Or are there special concerns when painting/treating a gas pipe?

Call your utility co. and have them send someone to look at it. It will be a free service I'm sure.

Jim

^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yep. Call the experts. They show up quickly. They billed me for such a call.

First, I'm not so sure it would be free, or that they would do anything about it. The gas company loves to repeatedly point out that their responsibility for maintenance and upkeep ends at the meter, while trying to sell you additional coverage for your post-meter gas pipes.

Second, it's a patch about an inch square. I'd rather handle it myself in 30 seconds than deal with calling the gas company, sitting on hold, talking to a CS rep, setting up an appointment, waiting on a tech, etc. Especially if I'm going to end up getting saddled with a bill for such a simple job.

Brush it with a brass brush to remove loose rust, wipe with alcohol, rust converter, let dry, spray paint primer, paint to color.

If it concerned me, and I was sure it was just surface rust, I'd just hit it with a wire wheel to get the loose stuff off, clean it up with some mineral spirits, and give it a couple shots of Rust-Oleum spray paint.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Brush it with a brass brush to remove loose rust, wipe with alcohol, rust converter, let dry, spray paint primer, paint to color.

This.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
First, I'm not so sure it would be free, or that they would do anything about it. The gas company loves to repeatedly point out that their responsibility for maintenance and upkeep ends at the meter, while trying to sell you additional coverage for your post-meter gas pipes.

Second, it's a patch about an inch square. I'd rather handle it myself in 30 seconds than deal with calling the gas company, sitting on hold, talking to a CS rep, setting up an appointment, waiting on a tech, etc. Especially if I'm going to end up getting saddled with a bill for such a simple job.

Call and find out what the cost is for an inspection, it might be free, even a few hundred bucks to ensure the safety of the line is well worth it, as would be piece of mind having an inspector telling you it's ok and just needs to be brushed and painted.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
First, I'm not so sure it would be free, or that they would do anything about it.

Might be a good investment to have someone experienced come and not only fix the symptom, but maybe also check out for potential root causes.

I am not an expert in either gas or plumbing, but I am a believer in not letting problems grow larger.

There is such a thing as substandard pipe, and it seems quick (to this non-expert) to see rust on two-year old pipe. Two years ago would have been in the crosshairs of the early Covid supply disruptions.

That pipe is iron or steel and very thick, there is no way that is compromised by rust in 2 years. Like everyone else said; brush that shit and paint it. That's all the gas company is going to do anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:


it seems quick (to this non-expert) to see rust on two-year old pipe

They tend to rust a little on the threads where either the paint or galvanizing or other protective coating was worn away by the threading. I don't think it's as big a deal as you seem to think.

It likely had a label and that is the reason it rusted. Seen it many times.

Do what MikeinNC said.

post a picture of your rusty pipe

Generally speaking, what are some good rust converters? Not necessarily for the pipe OP is talking about.
.

quote:

Generally speaking, what are some good rust converters? Not necessarily for the pipe OP is talking about.

Ospho works well and is carried by Ace Hardware.

I've wire brushed and repainted as part of my maintenance duties without issue.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
Generally speaking, what are some good rust converters?

I typically used Rustoleum Rust Reformer. It's readily available at just about any hardware store, and has worked well for me over the years.

But all of the various rust converter products likely work just as well, since they all function in basically the same manner: Using some flavor of acid (usually tannic or phosphoric) to chemically convert rust to a stable black oxide.

Could the root cause be electrolysis corrosion from Dissimilar metals, like you can get on a hot water heater?

I never thought about this in the context of gas meters, but if there is some current going from some appliance to ground via the meter pipes, is this possible? In particular if that mating pipe is a dissimilar metal??

Again, I don't know, just asking. But if this is possible, then it would really be good to get an expert there.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
Could the root cause be electrolysis corrosion from Dissimilar metals, like you can get on a hot water heater?

I never thought about this in the context of gas meters, but if there is some current going from some appliance to ground via the meter pipes, is this possible? In particular if that mating pipe is a dissimilar metal??

Again, I don't know, just asking. But if this is possible, then it would really be good to get an expert there.

It's steel pipe that is exposed to the elements. They put a light coating on it at the factory, but it gets damaged by handling. Pipe wrenches arent exactly gentle. It will surface rust quickly, but it won't rust through for many years.
Around here, they just use a can of gray generic spray paint that matches the meter, no prep.

Coincidentally, I just saw this very repair, or one similar, in (crazy as it sounds) the documentary Uncle Tom.

One of the starring cast members is Chad O. Jackson, who has grown his plumbing company into a successful business. The documentary starts and ends with the cameras recording him doing his work with voice overs.

At the end of the documentary the cameras show him getting out of his work truck, walking over to a gas meter behind a home, using a small strip of (flexible) sandpaper in a back and forth seesawing motion (think like getting out of the shower and wrapping a towel around your neck to dry the back of it), changing the angle of the pulling motion until the entire circumference of the pipe has been sanded. Then he cleaned the sanded area and finished up hitting it with some sort of aerosol spray can. Not sure what the spray can was, but whatever it was it perfectly matched the color of the surrounding pipes and meter.

quote:

Originally posted by Stlhead:
post a picture of your rusty pipe

That’ll get you on a list for sure!!