Confidence in CSST Undiminished Following Draft HCD Decision; Builders in Earthquake-Prone California Continue Demanding Safer, Cost Effective Alternative to Rigid Gas Piping.

Business Editors/Building & Construction Writers

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 2001

Builders and manufacturers continue to support the use of corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST), a flexible gas piping material, saying a preliminary decision made under political pressure by California's Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) will face repeated challenges over the next several months, during which California's current building code -- which includes CSST as an approved material -- will remain in effect.

Earlier this month, in what amounts to a blow to public safety, HCD made a preliminary decision not to include CSST in its proposed 2001 edition of the California Plumbing Code. That decision is now subject to a 45-day public comment period and public hearing on November 15. A second hearing will held by California's Building Standards Commission on January 16, 2002. Any decision by the Commission will not take effect for another 180 days, meaning the current code listing CSST as an approved material will be in effect until at least July 2002, and possibly longer.

"Even right after HCD's statement saying they didn't have time to evaluate the use of CSST, we got calls from contractors who want to use the material in their building project," said Jeff Soechting, product manager with Ward Manufacturing, Inc. "They want to offer homeowners a less expensive, safer and more reliable option for bringing natural gas into homes."

Soechting adds that CSST's safety and reliability has long been established with builders in California. It's been approved for use in California since 1993, is approved for use in every other U.S. state, and is widely used with regulatory approval in Canada, Mexico, South America, several countries in Europe, Australia and Japan.

CSST is a public safety issue in California because of the state's propensity for earthquakes. According to a Web site of the U.S. Geological survey, California has had more than 150 earthquakes in just the past week.

Since CSST is flexible to more than 360 degrees, it is demonstrably better able to withstand the pulling, stretching and crushing that comes with earthquakes than traditional rigid iron piping. Being less likely to rupture under stress, CSST can play a large role in preventing gas leaks and fires following an earthquake, which helps protect lives and property.

Arguments supporting the benefits of CSST in earthquakes were provided in writing to HCD earlier this year by professors of civil engineering at the University of Southern California and California State University, Northridge. CSST is also one of the new technologies being promoted by the Federal Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) program. PATH has been developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and was supported and endorsed by then President Clinton and Governor Davis.

According to Mark Albino, senior vice president with OmegaFlex, Inc., independent lab tests further prove the superiority of CSST over rigid piping. "Lab tests subjected our product to conditions similar to the 1994 Northridge earthquake and found it was able to withstand all the stresses imposed by tipping appliances and structural damage without fracturing or leaking," Albino said. "Rigid gas piping, on the other hand, failed in almost every test, yet that's what the state of California is willing to approve, because of so-called time constraints and pressure from the California Pipe Trades Council."

The California Pipe Trades Council has opposed the continued use of CSST, alleging safety and environmental concerns. However, the organization's true opposition seems to stem from an unfounded fear that union jobs will be lost since CSST since CSST can be installed in about 50% of the time required for rigid pipe.

HCD has the option of reversing its original decision following the 45-day public comment period. In the meantime, CSST manufactures are vowing an aggressive, public fight to ensure the product continues to be approved for use in California.

"The United States Geological Survey states that building codes are the public's first line of defense against earthquake damage and help to ensure public safety," said Dan Roberts, senior applications engineer with the Titeflex Corporation. "Both the California Seismic Safety Commission and the Governor's office of emergency services affirmatively recommend the use of flexible gas piping to prevent fires during earthquakes. By initially bowing to political pressure, HCD has failed Californians in this regard, and they will be held accountable for it."