Installation Guide

25
Meter connections
5. If striker plates can’t reasonably be installed (like between oors with enclosed joist areas
or installations when walls are already in place), sched-
ule 40 steel pipe has been found acceptable by CSA In-
ternational for puncture protection. Steel pipe must
have an inner diameter at least ½" larger than the outer
diameter of the HOME-FLEX® tubing (Table 4.4). Protec-
tion must extend 5 inches beyond the penetration of
the structural members. A 12 inch pipe length is accept-
able for penetration of a single stud. Despite this ap-
proval, the use of striker plates is recommended when-
ever possible.
Avoiding Puncture Threats
The best way to protect from puncture threats (and poten-
tially speed your installation) is to route tubing in areas of
the structures where no added protection is necessary. The
guidelines below will help the installer route HOME-FLEX®
tubing in areas where secondary puncture protection isn’t
required:
1. Support tubing such that it is more than 3
inches away from any outside edge of a stud,
joist, plate, etc., or wall surface. (See Figure
4.13 compared to Figure 4.11)
2. In non-restrained installations, make sure
that the tubing can move at least 3 inches
from the direction of potential penetration.
3. Tubing supported under joists in basements or crawl spaces does not require added pro-
tection so long as it is not concealed by wallboard or ceilings and is at least 3" away from
puncture threats through oors or ceilings.
4. Added protection is not necessary in unnished garage walls where the tubing is clearly
exposed so long as puncture threats do not exist from the outside wall.
Through-Wall Penetration
HOME-FLEX® tubing and its polyethylene jacket have been tested to the ame spread and
smoke density requirements of ASTM E84 and meets AGA and ANSI LC-1 limits imposed for
this criteria. HOME-FLEX® is classied as NFPA Class A/IBC Class A with a ame spread value
of 0 and a smoke density value of 80. Other requirements for re rated resistive constructions
may be imposed by local codes. The Qualied Installer must meet local building codes per-
taining to ame and smoke density regulations for nonmetallic materials at all times.
4.5 Meter connections
Natural gas meters are generally structurally supported independent of the building struc-
ture and piping system. When the gas meter is independently supported, HOME-FLEX® can,
in some localities, be used to connect the meter to the building gas system. If the gas meter
Typical Wall Stud
(Wood or Metal)
Termination
Outlet (Stud
Mounted)
Stripwound
Metal Hose
Striker Plate
Interior Wall
3-1/2"
Less than 2"
Figure 4.12 Use of Flexible Protective Conduit
Striker
Plate
Less than 3"
Typical Wall Stud
(Wood or Metal)
Interior
Wall
Termination
Outlet (Stud
Mounted)
Flexible
Protective
Conduit
3
1
⁄2"
Table 4.4 Steel Pipe Size for Puncture Protection
HOME-FLEX® Size Sch 40 Steel Pipe Size
½" 1¼"
¾" 1½"
1" 1¾"
Figure 4.13 Penetration Point Greater than 3" from Edge of Stud, Joist, Plate, etc.
Floor
Support Joist
Greater than 3"
Greater than 3"