Any gas experts out there that can comment on this?
This is the only pressure regulator in the house, a typical size gas furnace, gas cooktop and gas water heater all come straight off this one valve.
The code inspector was there also on this new house and he said he is seeing more and more houses like this and did not cite any issue.
I am used to seeing valves at each appliance and just can’t imagine that this one small to medium size valve can handle the various loads/flow that will occur on this house.
I know this is beyond the scope but just curious.
I had posted something similar in the past and never saw anyone post anything technical about this subject but hoping we might have someone now that can.
This was not installed by the gas company, they just set the main valve/meter at the exterior. This valve pictured feeds the whole house as I posted already.
So you are saying this is a private regulator as a secondary to the gas company regulator ?
Even if you do not see it there is a gas company regulator .
In Chicago there used to be one for the areas and under the streets at some places till a issue happened and everyone in the immediate area had pilot lights shooting like flame throwers.
This was back in the 90’s and caused home explosions.
The gas company regulator is outside and sized to provide a certain source flow but secondary regulator(s) are needed still. Looks like now they have found a way to save money once again. I think its ok since the loads are random and not over a certain flow. Sure don’t want to do any calculations and look up valve data, just thought I would out this out there for discussion.
Some thoughts; the gas pipe in your pic looks like half inch. That is way too small for ‘typical furnace, water heater, stove top’ at the usual 7" water column gas pressure fed to appliances.
So, either I am looking at the picture wrong, or that is a high pressure gas line, and if it is a high pressure gas line, there will be additional pressure regulators at the appliances.
When it comes to gas installations, my inclination would be to trust the installation if I knew it had been done by a professional (you said it was a new house) as opposed to observations made by a generalist inspector.
Maybe get on the phone with who ever supplies or installs natural gas in your area, I think you will find that some technology you are not familiar with is in use here.
