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ALERT: Jury Rules That CSST Is A Defective Product In Landmark Cas

By
Home Inspector with Structure Tech Home Inspections

This is bad news for the manufacturers of Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST).  CSST is a relatively new type of gas piping that has rapidly been replacing traditional gas piping in homes throughout America.  To learn more about this product, check out my blog about CSST.

ImgTracPipeKey points of this landmark case:

  • Omegaflex's TracPipe was installed in a home in 1998
  • A nearby lightning strike in June of 2007 caused the product to fail
  • The manufacturer tried to say that "a properly bonded CSST system could withstand the energy produced from an indirect lightning strike."
  • The manufacturer failed to test their product's ability to stand up to a lightning strike.
  • The jury found TracPipe CSST to be a defective product
  • To see the full story, click here.

What this means for the future of CSST:  This may be the end of traditional CSST.  As far as I know, CSST is the same product from manufacturer to manufacturer.  If this particular brand of CSST was found to be defective, the other major manufacturers of CSST must be scared as hell right now.  I visited TracPipe's web site, and I found that they're actually making a new version of CSST calledCounterStrike®, which is supposed to be much more resistant to the effects of lightning strikes.  They obviously know they have a major problem on their hands with traditional CSST.

What if you own CSST?  If you have CSST in your home, make sure it's properly bonded.  The major manufacturers of CSST claim that properly bonding CSST will lower the risk of damage from a nearby lightning strike.   Is there any truth in this?  I've heard differing opinions, and I've been told that bonding is intended to provide protection against shocks, not lightning strikes.

When I inspect homes with CSST, I make sure the material has been properly bonded, and I write it up as a defect if not.  I won't be calling out the product itself as 'defective' just yet, but I will be telling my clients about the potential problems with this product, and I'll be linking to this blog post in my inspection reports.

 

Comments (14)

Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA - Eureka, CA
Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA

Good Morning Reuben, thanks for sharing the important information this morning.

Nov 18, 2010 12:35 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Reuben say it ain't so!  What a pain in the butt this is going to be.  Does "anything" stand up to a direct lightning strike? :)

Nov 18, 2010 01:27 AM
Jim Allhiser
Perfection Inspection, Inc. - Salem, OR
Salem, Oregon Home Inspector

You are more likely to get struck by lightning 7 times and survive than win the lottery.  That is my barely relating thought for the day.

Nov 18, 2010 01:47 AM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

I have been calling this out for some time. I rarely see any CSST that is bonded. This should make things more interesting.

Nov 18, 2010 07:51 AM
Reuben Saltzman
Structure Tech Home Inspections - Minneapolis, MN
Delivering the Unbiased Truth.

Dan - thanks for reading.

Charles - agreed, and no, nothing stands up to a direct lightning strike... but with improperly bonded CSST, it doesn't even need to be direct, just close by.

Jim - wait, so are you saying I'm going to win the lottery?

James - the building officials in my area have gotten very good at enforcing this; I rarely find any new installations that aren't bonded.  Lots of old stuff though...

Nov 18, 2010 01:30 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

This is terrific information Reuben and it should be featured.  My suggestion probably has little weight...

Nov 19, 2010 12:44 AM
Reuben Saltzman
Structure Tech Home Inspections - Minneapolis, MN
Delivering the Unbiased Truth.

Thanks Jay!  From your mouth to God's ears.  

(whatever that means)

Nov 19, 2010 01:49 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Stuff from my mouth* goes to God's ears all the time.  And He listens and responds...

*  Sometimes it goes from inside my head.  Same difference!

Nov 19, 2010 07:34 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

OK Reubs - I had an inspection today in a condo full of TracPipe!  I guess the whole building has it, as well as the sister condo next door, same development!  In my report I gave them the link to the PDF on your post and a link to your (this) blog!  So, if you get a call from my clients in VA, that is the reason!

Nov 23, 2010 06:55 AM
Anonymous
Jay's client

Well, of all the things to have happen...

Jay is a prophet, however it wasn't the condo that got hit, it was our single family home about 1 mile away from the condo.  It had, past tense, this pipe in it and yes, it was the cause of the fire per the Fire Marshall and insurance company cause/effect CSI type. 

Stay tuned, I'll update you on how this goes in Virginia, I'm sure either the insurance company or I will be addressing the issue in the courts...  

Aug 11, 2011 08:57 AM
#10
Reuben Saltzman
Structure Tech Home Inspections - Minneapolis, MN
Delivering the Unbiased Truth.

Hey there Jay's Client - wow, he is a prophet!  Thanks for sharing your story.

Aug 12, 2011 03:40 PM
Steven Cook
No Longer Processing Mortgages. - Tacoma, WA

Reuben -- this is very good information to get out.   Thanks also for the link to other article about properly bonding so we would understand that part of the issue as well.

Oct 08, 2011 06:24 AM
Chris Smith
Re/Max Chay Realty Inc., Brokerage - New Tecumseth, ON
South Simcoe, Caledon, King, Orangeville Real Esta

Reuben, Jay Markanich alerted me to your post.  This is very important information, thanks for letting us know.

Jan 22, 2012 02:00 AM
Donald Hester
NCW Home Inspections, LLC - Wenatchee, WA
NCW Home Inspections, LLC

Reuben, I got here from Jay also, this is good info. I see unbonded CSST all the time in my area. I call it every time. We do not get that much lightning here so the is a less of chance for this event.

Jan 23, 2012 06:23 AM