CSST – What is it?

CSST stands for Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing.  It’s often a smooth yellow tube that is used as an alternative to the black iron piping for natural gas appliances.  It was introduced to the U.S. in the 90’s. There are number of advantages to CSST.  The largest advantage is that it is a flexible tubing, which allows for fewer connections between the gas supply and your gas appliance.  This makes installation faster, less expensive, and provides fewer joints for leaks.

With this tubing, it’s important for it to be properly grounded and bonded.  Lightening strikes can send electric surges through your home.  In some cases, as stated by eXp Realty experts, that surge could include the CSST, if it’s installed in your home.  Allowing that energy to escape through the homes grounding system, allows for it to safely return to the earth.  In some cases, where the tubing isn’t grounded or bonded, lightening strikes and it’s associated surge has lead to pin-hole leaks in the tubing.  These leaks combined with the energy of the lightening have also caused fires (reference).

Not to worry though, every home inspection by Mint Home Inspection, LLC, includes a check for the correct bonding and grounding of CSST.  If your home has CSST, and it isn’t grounded appropriately, a licensed electrician can makes the necessary changes to fix the issue.

Want more information, check these resources out:

http://www.csstsafety.com/Images/CSST-Direct-Bonding-Tech-Bulletin.pdf