Sealing off an old copper gas line for BBQ
#1
07-30-16, 04:35 PM
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 7
Received 0 Votes
on
0 Posts
Sealing off an old copper gas line for BBQ
Greetings from Kansas City!
We have an old CharmGlo gas grill at the edge of our brick patio. Never used it in the time we've been at this house... Anyway, the post for the grill has rusted through at ground level. We are removing the grill, but would like some help on how to seal off the old copper supply pipe? It goes from a shut-off valve by the house UNDER a brick patio about 12 feet to the grill site, and we don't want to dig it up right now.
I think we could glue a copper cap on the end of the pipe, the neighbor thinks we should just cut it and crimp it, and my husband wants to do the right thing bar digging up the line. I can't find any answers on-line.
Help?
We have an old CharmGlo gas grill at the edge of our brick patio. Never used it in the time we've been at this house... Anyway, the post for the grill has rusted through at ground level. We are removing the grill, but would like some help on how to seal off the old copper supply pipe? It goes from a shut-off valve by the house UNDER a brick patio about 12 feet to the grill site, and we don't want to dig it up right now.
I think we could glue a copper cap on the end of the pipe, the neighbor thinks we should just cut it and crimp it, and my husband wants to do the right thing bar digging up the line. I can't find any answers on-line.
Help?
#3
07-30-16, 05:30 PM
Group Moderator
Welcome to the forums.
A picture of the valve would allow us to tell you which cap to get. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html
A picture of the valve would allow us to tell you which cap to get. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html
#4
07-30-16, 05:32 PM
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 7
Received 0 Votes
on
0 Posts
Thank you for the advice, but what you're proposing is easier said than done. The line is attached to the shutoff below the level of the bricks, and to top it off the previous owner has laid a cement slab in the patio, and the edge of the slab surrounds where the shutoff goes down for about 3" in diameter. We'd have to break up that corner of the slab and remove the bricks under it to get to where the lines join the shutoff.
Thus, why we are wanting to cap the line at the grill site for now.
Thus, why we are wanting to cap the line at the grill site for now.
#6
07-30-16, 05:39 PM
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 7
Received 0 Votes
on
0 Posts
Thank you, PJ. I'll run out and take pictures of the shutoff site and what's left of the grill... be back in a few minutes!
I hope this works...
#8
07-30-16, 05:54 PM
Group Moderator
In order to cap off the copper you'd need a flaring tool to install a fitting on the copper pipe that you could cap. Then you'd have a stub of copper pipe to worry about.
My recommendation is to cut the pipe at the red line. Remove the blue pipe and then use a pipe cap directly in the valve.
You'd need a small pipe wrench and adjustable wrench to fit the valve or two pipe wrenches.
My recommendation is to cut the pipe at the red line. Remove the blue pipe and then use a pipe cap directly in the valve.
You'd need a small pipe wrench and adjustable wrench to fit the valve or two pipe wrenches.
#9
07-30-16, 05:58 PM
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 7
Received 0 Votes
on
0 Posts
Holy saws-all, Batman!
We've got the flaring tool. I'll show your recommendation to hubby, and let him decide how hard he wants to work...
Thank you very much, PJ!
We've got the flaring tool. I'll show your recommendation to hubby, and let him decide how hard he wants to work...
Thank you very much, PJ!
#11
08-05-16, 09:57 AM
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 7
Received 0 Votes
on
0 Posts
We ended up cutting the copper line to close-to-ground level and attaching a "SharkBite" plug, after ensuring that both the outside and inside shutoff valves were indeed shut off.
Thank you to everyone who responded and tried to help. We'll be utilizing your ideas when we decide just what we're going to do out there...
Thank you to everyone who responded and tried to help. We'll be utilizing your ideas when we decide just what we're going to do out there...
#12
08-05-16, 10:00 AM
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 7
Received 0 Votes
on
0 Posts
Had one installed when we first bought the place--can you believe it passed inspection with GALVANIZED gas pipes going through the basement? 
Needless to say we had them immediately replaced with black pipe, and had the contractor put shutoffs in appropriate places while he was at it.
Needless to say we had them immediately replaced with black pipe, and had the contractor put shutoffs in appropriate places while he was at it.
