LIGHTNING FROM SPACE

TOP 10 LIGHTNING STRIKES

• Grounding: The process of making an electrical connection to the general mass of the earth. This is most often accomplished with ground rods, ground mats, concrete encased electrodes or some other grounding system. Low resistance grounding is critical to the operation of lightning protection techniques.

• Bonding: The process of making an electrical connection between the grounding electrode and any equipment, appliance, or metal conductors: pipes, plumbing, flues, etc. Equipment bonding serves to protect people and equipment in the event of an electrical fault.

DEFINITION: NEC, IRC

WE ARE HERE BECAUSE

• Manufacturers of CSST trying to place liability for their product installation onto inspectors, electricians• Jan statement (would have set precedent)• Actions in other states

• IAC made inspectors in charge of a new hazard in the preamble and the SoP subjective requirement to inspect bonding and grounding.

The inspection report is your communication tool to your client.

PREAMBLE REQUIRED TO BE USED AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST 2015

Each year, Texans sustain property damaged and are injured by accidents in the home. While some accidents may not be avoidable, many other accidents, injuries and death may be avoided through the identification and repair of certain hazardous conditions. Examples of such hazards include:

• Malfunctioning, improperly installed, or missing ground fault circuit protection (GFCI) devices for electrical receptacles in garages, bathrooms, kitchens and exterior areas;

• Malfunctioning arc fault protection (AFCI) devices;

• Ordinary glass in locations where modern construction techniques call for safety glass;

• Malfunctioning or lack of fire safety features such as smoke alarms, fire rated doors in certain locations, and functional emergency escape and rescue openings in the bedrooms;

• Malfunctioning carbon monoxide alarms;

• Excessive spacing between balusters on stairways and porches;

• Improperly installed appliances;

• Improperly installed or defective safety devices;

PREAMBLE

• and lack of electrical bonding and grounding;• And lack of bonding on gas piping, including corrugated

stainless steel tubing (CSST)

PREAMBLE

To ensure that consumers are informed of hazards such as these, the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) has adopted Standards of Practice requiring licensed inspectors to report these conditions as “Deficient” when performing an inspection for a buyer or seller, if they can be reasonably determined.

REASON WE CANNOT IGNORE THIS

• In accordance with TREC rules we are to report a hazardous condition, ......

• TREC Commission approved above which put us in the middle of lightning and bonding and CSST

• Clients who will read preamble so we have to address CSST

• We are trying to serve clients and maintain our living and industry

• While not tainting the sellers property

• Limitation of inspection – how many of your are departing or limiting Bonding and Grounding?

REASONS WE CANNOT IGNORE THIS

• Approved material

• Called a hazard by TREC

• Growing evidence that CSST is not good in lightning prone areas with no completely way to correct it

• Tainting sellers homes

• Manufacturers spending $ on lobbyists, attorneys and getting state laws changed

• Clients will read the preamble

REASONS WE CANNOT IGNORE THIS

It is stated in [149: CSST Gas Line Bonding - BCW.ppt]: "CSST installations and proper bonding lack uniformity:

• Good municipal inspectors assure proper installations.

• Other municipalities don’t even know of the issue.

• They rely on the plumbers (who don’t know about grounding).

• They rely on the electricians (who aren’t looking at the plumbing)."

KNOWN

• TREC Preamble change on September 1

• The inspection report is your communication tool to your client.

• SoP requirement to check for bonding and grounding

WHAT DO WE KNOW FOR SURE?

KNOWN

• SoP requirement to check for bonding and grounding

• (a)Service entrance and panels. The inspector shall:

• (1)report as Deficient:

• (G) deficiencies in:

• (v) bonding and grounding

CAN YOU DO WHAT TREC REQUIRES WITH BONDING AND GROUNDING?

KNOWN

• Gastite black jacket patent application calls yellow jacket dangerous

• One manufacturer cannot sell yellow jacket in Texas yet I can buy it at home depot today from other manufacturers and so can anyone else

• Suits are being settled rather than by judge or jury deliberation which ends in gag orders

• Electricians are not willing to check, confirm or repair bonding issues

KNOWN

CSST from various manufacturers are;• Listed by UL• ICC ES but none are dated prior to 2011

KNOWN

KNOWN

One must be a

certified installer

(by the manufacturer

of the brand being

installed)

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS IN YOUR COMMUNICATIONS?

As you watch the following slides, the information provided is styled to help you formulate your

statements and comments.

• BECAUSE THIS IS AN EVOLVING ISSUE WITH A GROWING MOUND OF EVIDENCE AGAINST CSST

• AND BECAUSE YOU BEAR LIABILIITY FROM CLIENTS AND HOME SELLERS

• AND BECAUSE YOUR GOVERNING RULES HAVE PUT YOU IN AN INDEFENSABLE POSITION

• AND BECAUSE YOUR GOVERNING RULES ARE AMBIGUOUS AND NOT PRESCRIPTIVE

• AND BECAUSE YOUR GOVERNING RULES REQURE THAT YOU DO WHAT ELECTRICIANS WILL NOT

• AND BECAUSE CODES, MANUFACTURER’S INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS CHANGE

COMMUNICATIONS• STAY WITH THE FACTS• AND POINT TO THIRD PARTY INFORMATION

TO POPULATE YOUR COMMUNICATION

FACTS

CODESNEC

• 250.1

• 250.1.A.2

• 250.1.A.3

• 250.1.A.4

NFPA

• 7.13.1

• .2

• 2.1

• 7.13.2.2

• .3

• .4

• .5

• 7.13.3

• .4

• 7.13.4

• 7.15.1

• .2

• Standard 54

• Standard 780

IRC

• G2411.1 (310.1)

• G2411.1.1 (310.1.1) CSST.

• TABLE G2413.4(5) [402.4(15)]

• TABLE G2413.4(16) [402.4(32)]

• TABLE G2413.4(6) [402.4(18)]

• TABLE G2413.4(17) [402.4(33)]

• G2422.1 (411.1)

• G2422.1.1 (411.1.2)

• G2422.1.2 (411.1.3)

• G2424.1 (415.1)

• E3609.7

MANUFACTURERS INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS• Gastite

Titeflex Corporation

603 Hendee Street

Springfield, MA 01104-0054

(413) 739-5631

(800) 662-0208

• Parker PGP

Parker Hannifin Corporation

Parflex Division

Ravenna, Ohio 44266

(800) 727-3539

• Wardflex

Ward Manufacturing

115 Gulick St.

Blossburg, PA 16912

(717) 638-2131

(800) 248-1027

• Pro-Flex

Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.

Highways 263 & 28

West Lebanon, Indiana 47991

(800) 255-6291

• TracPipe

OmegaFlex

Subsidiary of Mestek, Inc.

251 Creamery Way

Exton, PA

(800) 671-8622

3RD PARTY

3RD PARTYTexas State Fire Marshalls statement

www.tdi.texas.gov/fire/fmemews.htm#june28• Chris Connealy• 333 Guadalupe Street, Austin Texas 78701 • 512-305-7900• 1800-578-4677

COZEN O'CONNOR APPRAISERS BROCHURE AS 3RD PARTY MATERIAL

3RD PARTY

COZAN O'CONNOR ADJUSTERS HANDBOOK

FROM THE BROCHURE…“WHAT IS THE DANGER ?”

Since the introduction of CSST, there has been an increase in fire damage caused by lightning strikes. Direct and indirect lightning strikes can energize CSST, inducing current that attempts to use the metal conduit to reach ground. The corrugated design and the thin walls cannot withstand the energy produced, causing a hole to be melted in the CSST. That hole results in the release of pressurized natural gas or propane into the structure, which immediately ignites and rapidly fuels a fire (“the blowtorch effect”).

3RD PARTY

FROM THE GOVERNORS DECLARATION

3RD PARTY

TREC PROMULGATED REPORT FORM 7-5 PREAMBLE…

WHERE CSST IS NOW PART OF THE HAZARDS LIST

3RD PARTY

REQUEST THAT THEY CHECK WITH THEIR HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE PROVIDER TO CONFIRM THAT THEY APPROVE OF CSST

3RD PARTY• REFER TO THE MANUFACTURER’S STATEMENTS DECLARING

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF CSST TO BE A HAZARD • EVEN WITH PROPER BONDING THE OCCUPANTS ARE NOT

GUARANTEED OF SAFETY • NO FULL PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING

CSSTSAFETY.COM

3RD PARTY

BTFgaslinesafety.orgHosted by the Brennen Teel

Foundation

INTERNACHI FORUM WHERE ALL TV NEWSCASTS ON CSST CAN BE FOUND

http://www.nachi.org/forum/f71/corrugated-stainless-steel-tubing-tv-newscasts-post-yours-101315/

3RD PARTY

3RD PARTY•Electricians•Plumbers

STATEMENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE

STATEMENTS

According to the Texas State Fire Marshal, there are concerns about increased risk of lightning related fires and CSST. All parties, seller and buyer, are advised to have the CSST installation, including electrical bonding, inspected by a manufacturer approved CSST installer prior to closing.

The "D" box is selected to draw attention to the topic but cannot determine or designate the material and installation is safe or unsafe. The Texas Real Estate Commission and inspector recommends contacting the Texas State Fire Marshall for further information.

STATEMENTS

Manufacturers believe that this product is safer if properly bonded and grounded as required by the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Proper bonding and grounding of the product can only be determined by a licensed electrical contractor.

STATEMENTS

A gas piping system called CSST is present in this home. CSST is used to transmit gas in residential, commercial and industrial structures. CSST consists of a continuous, flexible, stainless steel pipe, and typically is covered with a yellow exterior plastic coating.

STATEMENTS

CSST does not include gas-appliance connectors (e.g., a connector that runs from a gas outlet to an appliance).

STATEMENTS

We may not attempt to identify the type of CSST present and more than one brand may be involved.

STATEMENTS

A lawsuit claims that CSST poses an unreasonable risk of fire due to lightning strikes. The plaintiffs allege that the CSST tubing is not thick enough to prevent damage to the CSST in the event of a lightning strike and that manufacturers failed to warn consumers about these alleged dangers. The manufacturers deny these allegations and assert that their CSST is safe if properly installed in accordance with local codes and the manufacturers’ instructions.

STATEMENTS

We recommend that you read the details of the lawsuit and settlement, which can be viewed at: http://www.pddocs.com/csst/faq.aspx#

STATEMENTS

CSST Class Action - InterNACHI Inspection Forum http://www.nachi.org/forum/f20/corrugated-stainless-steel-tubing-class-action-9513/#ixzz3aS5ItIns

STATEMENTS

I defer inspection of all CSST, installation and bonding, to an expert that satisfies the requirements of local code officials, gas provider, TREC, the Fire Marshall, the manufacturers, the lender and the property casualty insurance provider. I specifically say "I am not a certified CSST expert and did not inspect the CSST system.

STATEMENTS

If someone provides a receipt beforehand that indicates the CSST is acceptable I still refuse to inspect or approve it.

STATEMENTS

If I see the new CSST (black jacket) I also say "NI" and refer an expert. I will have nothing to do with CSST whatsoever.

STATEMENTS

There was no bonding wire observed at the CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing) gas connections in the attic (pic 1). Direct bonding is required for all gas piping systems using standard (yellow) CSST

STATEMENTS

The gas pipe was in direct contact with the roof decking in some areas of the attic (pic 3). This could allow roofing nails to pierce the gas pipe during roof repair.

STATEMENTS

I do not provide the reference material. I let the CSST expert provide that. If I provide the information then I might be forced to defend its content.

STATEMENTS

It is strongly recommended to have the CSST installation, including bonding, performed by a licensed electrician/plumber/installer who meets the requirements of parties such as local code officials, gas provider, TREC, the Fire Marshall, the manufacturers, the lender and the property casualty insurance provider. Improper installation of CSST is considered a hazard by the Texas Real Estate Commission (see page 2 of the report).

STATEMENTS

• I never say OK on any install including newer materials. I depart and say "NI". "I do not know if today's install will be tomorrows recall.

• I never say it is a bad product, unsafe, is involved in litigation, meets code, is OK etc. "I know nothing“.

• Manufacturer’s install instructions change.

• I defer approval to many other parties prior to closing, especially insurance companies.

STATEMENTS

I indicate the TREC hazard statement became rule in September 2015 and that prior inspection reports did not contain the statement (try to save the prior inspector, sellers will be angry with them). "TREC's decision to specifically identify improper CSST installation as a hazard became effective September 2015. Prior inspection reports do not contain or require promulgated TREC language regarding CSST potential hazards"

STATEMENTS

• I always check "NI" and sometimes "D" & "NI".

• Keep in mind the manufacturers recommend NFPA lighting suppression systems in areas with a high incidence of lightning. That might be most of Texas. Direct bonding may be only a part of their recommendation.

STATEMENTS

What responsibility do you have to an occupant (seller)? It could be manslaughter risk if they died the night after your inspection. Consider a brief addendum that you leave on their counter (take a picture) and send an email to the listing agent (makes them responsible for the occupant and disclosure doc update?).

STATEMENTS

• Sarcasm. If someone asks how to eliminate lightning related gas line fires I would say "live in an all electric home".

STATEMENTS

STATEMENTS

I note accessible locations where I cannot see a bonding wire and connection.• Gas lines• Water heaters • Cooktops • Water lines• Etc• Even if seen I cannot determine that this system is bonded to

ground.• Refer to a licensed electrician to confirm proper bonding of all

systems.

APPLIANCE CONNECTORS

APPLIANCE CONNECTORS

• Are CSST• Not required to be bonded on the label• But neither was full house CSST by the

manufacturer’s until 2009

APPLIANCE CONNECTORS

APPLIANCE CONNECTORS

APPLIANCE CONNECTORS

Growing number of inspectors who are communicating that there was no visible bonding at visible CSST appliance connectors and calling it a deficiency

FINALLY• IS ANY AMOUNT OF BONDING OR GROUNDING

ADEQUATE PROTECTION AGAINST LIGHTNING? • EVEN WITH A LIGHTNING ROD SYSTEM?• NO MORE THAN A CONVENTIONAL HOME CAN BE

BUILT TO WITHSTAND A TORNADO!• THIS STORY IS NOT FINISHED! KEEP RESEARCHING

AND REACHING FOR SEMINARS SUCH AS THIS.

You are the last line of defense for the Texas Homebuyer