[esheppy]

I have just started kegging.  In fact, I filled my first keg last Saturday, and I think it is about carbed and ready to go just now.

I just realized that I never sanitized my gas line.

I took apart and sanitized all the keg pieces and both the ball locks.  I forced the sanitizer through the beer line and out the tap on my keggerator. 

But, I didn't run sanitizer through the gas line.  It was brand new.  My guess is that it is ok, but I don't know. 

For you experienced keggers out there ... do you sanitize your gas line?  Is it necessary?  Am I in trouble for not having done it?

Thanks.

[corkybstewart]

I have never in 15 years of kegging sanitized a gas line.  I think you'll be just fine.  I do sanitize the keg connectors and keg posts before I hook them up but that's all.

[Will's Swill]

I only sanitize brand new lines.

[tumarkin]

CO2 is pretty damn toxic. I'm not a biologist, but I'm guessing there aren't many life forms that would survive in pure CO2. You're effectively sanitizing the line every time you turn on the gas.

[jeffy]

CO2 is pretty damn toxic. I'm not a biologist, but I'm guessing there aren't many life forms that would survive in pure CO2. You're effectively sanitizing the line every time you turn on the gas.

I have had beer go into the gas line from a pressure imbalance issue.  Despite the CO2, what looked like mold grew there.

[tumarkin]

CO2 is pretty damn toxic. I'm not a biologist, but I'm guessing there aren't many life forms that would survive in pure CO2. You're effectively sanitizing the line every time you turn on the gas.

I have had beer go into the gas line from a pressure imbalance issue.  Despite the CO2, what looked like mold grew there.

another theory shot to hell. didn't you read the part where I said "I'm not a biologist?"   

[jeffy]

CO2 is pretty damn toxic. I'm not a biologist, but I'm guessing there aren't many life forms that would survive in pure CO2. You're effectively sanitizing the line every time you turn on the gas.

I have had beer go into the gas line from a pressure imbalance issue.  Despite the CO2, what looked like mold grew there.

another theory shot to hell. didn't you read the part where I said "I'm not a biologist?"   

I'm not either, but I can grow mold!

[gordonstrong]

CO2 is pretty damn toxic. I'm not a biologist, but I'm guessing there aren't many life forms that would survive in pure CO2. You're effectively sanitizing the line every time you turn on the gas.

I have had beer go into the gas line from a pressure imbalance issue.  Despite the CO2, what looked like mold grew there.

+1  Yup, have had it happen.  In normal use, you don't need to clean gas lines.  If you have beer flow back into them, then you should clean them.  Not sure if CO2 picks up anything bad but I can't stand to look at it, so I clean it. 

[mxstar21]

I sanitized mine when I built my kegerator, but I that is the only time I have cleaned them.  I don't worry about the CO2 line.  I do keep a spare corny on hand filled with sanitizer and water and hook it up to flush beer line once a week and let it sit over night.

[enso]

I have only ever sanitized brand new lines.  The reason being is that they sat out in the homebrew shop along with grain dust in the air.  Maybe I am paranoid but if there is the possibility of grain dust in the lines...  getting blown into my fresh keg of beer...

Once installed though I never clean them unless something other than co2 gets in them.

[morticaixavier]

CO2 is pretty damn toxic. I'm not a biologist, but I'm guessing there aren't many life forms that would survive in pure CO2. You're effectively sanitizing the line every time you turn on the gas.

all plants require CO2 for life. many of them can live in a pur CO2 environment, although it won't stay pure CO2 for long as they respire and exhale O2.