Annual Gas Inspection Requirements for Arkansas Schools

Each year, the Arkansas Department of Education requires schools to conduct an annual inspection of their gas piping and gas utilization equipment to meet the standards of the Plumbing Fuel Gas Code. The school officials are responsible for ensuring these inspections are performed by a qualified agency and in accordance with the Arkansas state regulations.

Typically, it's best to do these inspections during summer break when students and staff are not present, but if that's not possible then you can always have an inspector come in and work with the school schedule to do it while school is still in session. 

Why does a Gas Line Inspection Need to be Performed?

The safe and efficient use of natural gas in your school is largely ensured through the annual gas line inspection. This service is often performed by professional contractors or plumbers. It involves testing the integrity of the natural gas piping and looking for dangerous installations or leaks that could lead to a potentially dangerous situation.

In addition, sometimes gas lines might need to be updated or replaced due to shifting earth, construction, or other changes. An inspection will alert you to red flags so that you can act quickly if any problems arise.

Your gas line doesn't always need to make a loud noise or put off an odor for you to know that something is wrong. Sometimes, smaller issues can develop that can lead to bigger problems — which is why it's important to have it inspected annually.

Why You Need To Hire An Expert

As you may already know, gas is highly explosive and flammable.  If a leak does occur, the smallest spark can cause an explosion, which can result in a catastrophe. For this reason, it is important to have a reputable contractor inspect your gas line and report any problems they find.

Trusting your gas line to just anyone doesn't make sense, especially when it comes to the safety of your school and the students and staff inside. While the company itself may be trustworthy, the person doing the inspection may not be fully trained in conducting these complex inspections. This is why it's so important to choose a company that hires a team of specialists who are knowledgeable in various areas of gas inspection services. That way, they can possibly detect any problems with your gas line that could have been overlooked if a less-qualified specialist had conducted the inspection in the first place.

There are important factors to consider before hiring a consulting firm to test, inspect, or repair your gas line. The most important are the reputation of the company and the depth of their knowledge. If you're in the market for such services, we strongly recommend finding a company that offers both.