CSST stands for Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing and it has become a very popular means to run gas lines. Since it is flexible it easily installs where rigid black iron pipe would take multiple elbows, cuts and fitting to do the same thing. Here’s the issue I see commonly with inspections during home sales in the Dayton and surrounding areas. It is seldom grounded correctly. As of 2006 the manufacturer calls for the CSST to be bonded (grounded) back to the electrical box. Well, that can be a real challenge if the box is on another floor of the house or in an inaccessible area.

The potential danger comes with a lightning strike. The thin walls of the tubing make it easy to bend around corners but can burn through during a lighting strike if not properly grounded. If it is not feasible to run a ground to the breaker box another option would be to replace it with a shielded black version like CounterStrike that does not require this type of grounding. I’m always available for real estate related questions in the Beavercreek, Kettering, Centerville and surrounding Dayton, OH areas.

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