Protective Jacketed CSST

Not all products in a home should be designed to withstand threats from electrical arcing damage; however, thin-walled flexible gas piping (also referred to as CSST), which carries a flammable fuel throughout homes, should take electrical arcing and puncture threats into account.

The Goal:
Flexible gas piping should be designed and listed to standards which account for electrical arcing threats imposed on CSST from lightning and residential electrical system fault.

The links below provide resources for interested code and fire officials with information they may consider when participating in product codes and standards improvement processes:

• 120 Volt Household Current Testing on Corrugated Stainless-Steel Tubing Types and Schedule 40 Black Iron Piping. Integrity Forensics & Engineering, February 16, 2018. To view a video summary of this testing, please click HERE. 
• Protection of Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST) from Lightning Strikes Submitted by the IAFC Fire & Life Safety Section
  The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) adopts the position that the International Fuel Gas Code and other fuel gas code references should be updated to recognize the LC1027 standard when Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST) gas piping is used in new construction (no link).
• ICC FEB 2017 Building Safety Journal - CSST's Ability to Withstand and Indirect vs. a Direct Lightning Strike
  
• Seftim Engineering (International lightning engineering specialist) paper on the necessary strength for CSST that is designed to handle lightning strikes to homes
• NASFM's position paper on the ICC-ES LC1027 test vs. other electrical arcing tests utilized by the CSST industry
• The Lightning Protection Institute's support for LC1027-rated CSST in new construction
• Texas Fire Marshals Association Resolution on ICC-ES LC1027

Contact NASFM for more information or assistance on improving the CSST building code in your area.