RESOURCES / LOCAL LAWS
Local Law 152:
Gas Pipe Testing
What We'll Cover
Overview
Local Law 152 requires the periodic inspection of gas piping systems of all buildings at least once every four years. For multifamily properties, this includes exposed gas piping outside and inside the building, in boiler rooms, in all amenity and common spaces, rooftop mechanical spaces and publicly-accessible areas. Owners of mixed-use residential properties with subcomponent spaces (i.e. retail, offices, community facilities, etc.) will also need to complete piping inspections in these areas of the building.
LL152 requires all exposed gas piping from point of entry of gas piping into the building including:
- Building services meters, and all gas piping in public spaces, hallways, corridors, and mechanical and boiler rooms. This does not include gas piping within apartments.
What Does a Local Law 152 Inspection Entail?
All gas piping inspections must be completed by a New York City Licensed Master Plumber (LMP). Following the inspection, the report will include a list of conditions requiring correction, frayed or worn piping components that affect safe and reliable operation, non-code compliant installations or illegal connections, the detection of combustible gas and any other conditions determined to be unsafe by the LMP. Depending on the severity of the conditions uncovered, it may require the LMP to contact Con Edison for an immediate shutdown, or it may require the LMP to list the items uncovered in a corrective action report that typically will provide the building with 180 days to correct. Failure to submit a report will result in a DOB violation and associated fine.
Inspection Requirements
- An Inspection Certification must be submitted once every four years by the end of the inspection date range.
- All Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certifications must be submitted to the Department through the online certification submission portal on the DOB website.
- Failure to file an Inspection Certification before the applicable due date may result in a civil penalty of $5,000.00.
- Building owners are required to keep on file for ten years all reports and certifications and make them available to the Department upon request.
Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certification
Within 60 days of the inspection, the owner must submit to the DOB a Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certification signed and sealed by the licensed master plumber who conducted or supervised the inspection. Currently, no filing fee will be charged for submission of inspection certifications required by 1 RCNY §103-10.
- If the Inspection Certification submitted to the DOB indicates that conditions requiring correction were identified in the Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Report submitted to the owner, the owner must submit to the Department, within 120 days of the inspection, an Inspection Certification signed and sealed by the licensed master plumber who conducted the inspection, stating that the conditions have been corrected.
- If the Inspection Certification submitted to the Department indicated that additional time was needed to correct the condition(s) identified in the Inspection Report, the owner must submit, within 180 days of the inspection, an Inspection Certification signed and sealed by a licensed master plumber stating that all conditions have been corrected.
- Correction of conditions identified in the Inspection Report must be performed in compliance with the NYC Construction Codes, including obtaining any required work permits.
Buildings Exempt from Gas Piping Inspections
Buildings that do not have gas piping are required to certify existing conditions by a registered architect or a professional engineer. The certification must then be filed with the DOB and is subject to the same inspection deadlines as buildings with gas piping systems in the same Community District.
Proactive Approach
Based on the shutdown requirements and subsequent integrity testing that is required to even correct the most minor conditions on an aged gas piping systems, HLZAE is encouraging building owners and managers to take a proactive approach to their building’s upcoming gas piping inspections so that the plan for envisioned work can take place prior to a shutdown or a corrective action report is submitted to the DOB.
Contact HLZAE to discuss a particular proactive approach that would be appropriate for your building / gas piping situation.
