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Local Law 152 Inspection: Make Sure Your Gas Piping Passes the Test

Whether you’re a landlord or a property manager for an R-3 building in New York City, you should be knowledgeable about the Local Law 152 inspection process. Here’s what you need to know about gas piping tests so your property remains compliant with the Department of Buildings regulations for safety.

What Is Local Law 152

NYC regulations for gas piping inspection

Implemented in 2019, Local Law 152 is a New York City regulation that states all R-3 dwellings, with the exception of one- and two-family homes, must have their gas piping inspected every four years. The inspection schedule (see below) dictates that every four years, your gas piping is checked over to protect tenants and the surrounding community from fires, explosions, and other risks.

Fines for failing to have your gas piping inspected in accordance with Local Law 152 are stiff: up to $10,000. You may be exempt from this law if you have no gas piping on your property, such as if your boiler system is powered by electricity. However, you must still submit documentation to the Department of Buildings in which a registered design professional, like an architect, attests to the absence of gas piping.

What Does the LL 152 Inspection Entail?

Certification process

Local Law 152 gas piping inspections may only be conducted by a licensed master plumber, like our Omnia Mechanical Group partners at Sanitary Plumbing. They look over all areas where gas piping is exposed in the property, including:

• Boiler and mechanical rooms
• Where your gas enters the building
• Gas meters
• Lobbies, hallways, and other public spaces, if appropriate

After the inspection is complete, the licensed master plumber (LMP) sends the property owner a GPS1 Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Report. This must be done within 30 days of the inspection.

The property owner must then file a GPS2 Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certification, completed by the LMP and signed and sealed, within 60 days of the inspection. You can now do this online for free at a portal created by the Department of Buildings (DOB). All of this documentation must be kept by the property owner for at least the next 10 years.

How Can You Make Sure You Pass Your Gas Piping Inspection?

Regular building systems maintenance

It is possible to fail your Local Law 152 inspection. It is your responsibility as a property owner to remedy any issues that caused you to fail the inspection. Once you have done that, your plumber must file a Certificate of Correction within 120 days of the initial inspection.

You can file for an extension of 60 additional days (giving you a total of 180 days) if you need more time to correct problems. However, this must be requested at the time of your initial inspection and submission of your GPS1 form. If you fail the inspection, it’s imperative that you communicate with your plumber to schedule repairs in a timely way, and so you can request more time if necessary.

The best way to avoid the scenario above is to pass your Local Law 152 inspection on the first try. It’s our experience that well-maintained buildings usually pass with no problem. This means keeping an eye on not only your gas piping around the building but your boiler system and boiler room too.

The following are our tips for boiler system and gas piping upkeep:

• Perform regular visual inspections of your boiler system and make note of anything that looks unusual or any malfunction of the boiler itself. Of particular relevance to the Local Law 152 inspection is the ignition area of the boiler where fuel is combusted to heat water. There should be no loose parts, gas leaks, or anything blocking the flow of gas. Flames should burn blue, not yellow, indicating proper combustion, and there should be no buildup of soot or residue in the burner region.
• Have your boiler inspected by boiler professionals at least once per year. Most of our clients do this in the early fall before the heat season starts, so they are assured their boiler will work when the time comes. Some, especially those with older boilers, add another inspection in the spring once the heat season is over.
• Consider using an annual labor service agreement for your boiler. This has multiple advantages. First, you lock in your price for labor for the year. It can help you save even more money by catching little problems early through routine maintenance calls. And finally, there’s the convenience factor. You don’t have to remember to set up service appointments because we schedule all that in advance, giving you priority scheduling over other clients.

What Is the Schedule for NYC Local Law 152 Inspection?

Organized by community district

The four-year schedule for Local Law 152 inspections goes by New York City community districts. The next three years are as follows:

If you’re not certain which district houses your property, you can easily check with the Department of City Planning online.

Do you have boiler system or gas piping issues that need repair in your building? Want to learn more about annual service contracts? Contact Calray Boilers today at 212-722-5506 or schedule an appointment online using our simple message form.