Working on own gas supply?
Discussion
We have the builders here & they are ready to lay a new concrete floor & I had a plumber lined up to come & get our CH back on & to lay a duct for a new gas pipe & CH pipe & fit a radiator. I called him to check he was still ok for tomorrow but now he can't make it.
I must have called about 15 more & they are all too busy to come at short notice.
I've not run new gas supply pipes or CH flow & return before, or new rads but I've drained & flushed the CH & fitted new CH pumps. I know the pipework is more involved & also involves gas but is there any legal reason that now prevents me from working on this kind of thing myself?
I must have called about 15 more & they are all too busy to come at short notice.
I've not run new gas supply pipes or CH flow & return before, or new rads but I've drained & flushed the CH & fitted new CH pumps. I know the pipework is more involved & also involves gas but is there any legal reason that now prevents me from working on this kind of thing myself?
Go directly to jail and do not collect £200.Hip2Bsquare said:
Although, who would know if I did the work myself?
The plumber you had lined up for the job ? Sadly virtually anything to do with gas is non-diy these days. Yes it is dangerous but so is driving a car and you get more people killed in car crashes that ever die through gas explosions or inhalation. The snag is that if you get it wrong with gas you might take out your neighbour as well as yourself, although I don't know there have been that many cases.Strange how things change. Years ago I installed our own CH boiler (twice - in two houses), built a kitchen extension and laid a gas (and electricity) supply, removed fires and all without killing anyone. But now I'd end up in jail..... still, I suppose that's progress.
Edited by b2hbm on Wednesday 27th October 07:37
Assuming your work is being inspected by building control they will want to see gas certs to prove the work is up to scratch.
If you do it yourself you won't likely get it signed off which could lead to a world of pain.
Keep trying the yellow pages!!
But...saying that......is it something where you can fit the pipes yourself but then leave them unconnected at either end for the plumber to connect up later on? If that's possible I'd have though you'd be OK. Ask your plumber.
If you do it yourself you won't likely get it signed off which could lead to a world of pain.
Keep trying the yellow pages!!
But...saying that......is it something where you can fit the pipes yourself but then leave them unconnected at either end for the plumber to connect up later on? If that's possible I'd have though you'd be OK. Ask your plumber.
Edited by dave_s13 on Wednesday 27th October 08:11
As others have said, NO you can't do it.
Most of it is to make sure the pipe is of adequate size, there is sufficient ventilation and it is installed correctly. Especially if you are going through any cavity walls etc.
I would assume that you wouldn't be best pleased if you installed a 15mm supply when a 28mm supply was needed and this resulted in you not being able to use any gas appliances in the house and that's after its been second fixed !!
Most of it is to make sure the pipe is of adequate size, there is sufficient ventilation and it is installed correctly. Especially if you are going through any cavity walls etc.
I would assume that you wouldn't be best pleased if you installed a 15mm supply when a 28mm supply was needed and this resulted in you not being able to use any gas appliances in the house and that's after its been second fixed !!
dave_s13 said:
But...saying that......is it something where you can fit the pipes yourself but then leave them unconnected at either end for the plumber to connect up later on? If that's possible I'd have though you'd be OK. Ask your plumber
I was thinking this - there would be nothing stopping you running the pipe under the floor for the plumber to connect later. Just make sure they are the right size.lewes said:
As others have said, NO you can't do it.
Most of it is to make sure the pipe is of adequate size, there is sufficient ventilation and it is installed correctly. Especially if you are going through any cavity walls etc.
I would assume that you wouldn't be best pleased if you installed a 15mm supply when a 28mm supply was needed and this resulted in you not being able to use any gas appliances in the house and that's after its been second fixed !!
The latest regs dictate that any gas supply pipe cannot be concreted in anyway, they have to be ducted.Most of it is to make sure the pipe is of adequate size, there is sufficient ventilation and it is installed correctly. Especially if you are going through any cavity walls etc.
I would assume that you wouldn't be best pleased if you installed a 15mm supply when a 28mm supply was needed and this resulted in you not being able to use any gas appliances in the house and that's after its been second fixed !!
I don't see anything wrong with me laying the duct for the pipes, get the floor laid me connect up and then have the plumber leak test and certify it.
Hip2Bsquare said:
lewes said:
As others have said, NO you can't do it.
Most of it is to make sure the pipe is of adequate size, there is sufficient ventilation and it is installed correctly. Especially if you are going through any cavity walls etc.
I would assume that you wouldn't be best pleased if you installed a 15mm supply when a 28mm supply was needed and this resulted in you not being able to use any gas appliances in the house and that's after its been second fixed !!
The latest regs dictate that any gas supply pipe cannot be concreted in anyway, they have to be ducted.Most of it is to make sure the pipe is of adequate size, there is sufficient ventilation and it is installed correctly. Especially if you are going through any cavity walls etc.
I would assume that you wouldn't be best pleased if you installed a 15mm supply when a 28mm supply was needed and this resulted in you not being able to use any gas appliances in the house and that's after its been second fixed !!
I don't see anything wrong with me laying the duct for the pipes, get the floor laid me connect up and then have the plumber leak test and certify it.
Ferg said:
Just for information purposes.
It is illegal to do any gas work, including getting someone to 'sign off' work that YOU do unless you are 'competent'. Proving this, should you need to, will involve 100% correct assessment.
But whats the penalty? Surely there not going to throw you in with the rapists and murderers?It is illegal to do any gas work, including getting someone to 'sign off' work that YOU do unless you are 'competent'. Proving this, should you need to, will involve 100% correct assessment.
m3jappa said:
Ferg said:
Just for information purposes.
It is illegal to do any gas work, including getting someone to 'sign off' work that YOU do unless you are 'competent'. Proving this, should you need to, will involve 100% correct assessment.
But whats the penalty? Surely there not going to throw you in with the rapists and murderers?It is illegal to do any gas work, including getting someone to 'sign off' work that YOU do unless you are 'competent'. Proving this, should you need to, will involve 100% correct assessment.
Yes - the law is strict that the person must be 'competent'.
That therefore rules out the fully qualified person from National Grid/Transco who reconnected my supply, and completely forgot to solder a 22mm straight end-feed connection.
The flux held it for testing and for 9 days until I joggled the pipe. It's lucky gas has a strong smell, is all I can say about that.
So much for closed-shop laws and qualifications.. by definition this man was incompetent, even though it was a genuine mistake.
That therefore rules out the fully qualified person from National Grid/Transco who reconnected my supply, and completely forgot to solder a 22mm straight end-feed connection.
The flux held it for testing and for 9 days until I joggled the pipe. It's lucky gas has a strong smell, is all I can say about that.
So much for closed-shop laws and qualifications.. by definition this man was incompetent, even though it was a genuine mistake.
Ferg said:
Just for information purposes.
It is illegal to do any gas work, including getting someone to 'sign off' work that YOU do unless you are 'competent'. Proving this, should you need to, will involve 100% correct assessment.
This is interesting. What do you suppose would happen if you can prove that you're competent at soldering joints and you've only moved your cooker 3 feet or your fire as opposed to redoing the whole house?It is illegal to do any gas work, including getting someone to 'sign off' work that YOU do unless you are 'competent'. Proving this, should you need to, will involve 100% correct assessment.
When we moved to where we are now an approved gas fitter had left 2 gas appliances with gas leaks.
I sorted them out myself.
Gas is nothing to be scared of but it should be respected, as mentioned it does smell so you are aware if its presence. When I fixed the leaks we had, there was one persistant leak I was unable to locate but it was in a well ventilated area and was not building up, mains gas is suppolied under pressure so I ran a flame around the pipework to locate the leak and sure enough I had a nice little flame where the leak was. As said, the supply is under pressure so the escape being minute was in the form of a small jet and quite safe.
I would not recommend doing this but in the situation I had it was quite safe. It was only a tiny leak and I do not own a manometer for leak testing.
I sorted them out myself.
Gas is nothing to be scared of but it should be respected, as mentioned it does smell so you are aware if its presence. When I fixed the leaks we had, there was one persistant leak I was unable to locate but it was in a well ventilated area and was not building up, mains gas is suppolied under pressure so I ran a flame around the pipework to locate the leak and sure enough I had a nice little flame where the leak was. As said, the supply is under pressure so the escape being minute was in the form of a small jet and quite safe.
I would not recommend doing this but in the situation I had it was quite safe. It was only a tiny leak and I do not own a manometer for leak testing.
It isn't illegal to do your own gas work, as long as you aren't paid. If there was an explosion or CO poisoning, then I think at that point you might become incompetent and face the rather dire consequences! I think the greatest risk from gas work is poor combustion/ventilation i.e. CO poisoning and leakage of flue gases which a DIYer is unlikely to be able to test adequately. If you can solder/lay in conduit/pressure test some pipe ready for the plumber, I doubt the world will end.
Hip2Bsquare said:
When we moved to where we are now an approved gas fitter had left 2 gas appliances with gas leaks.
I sorted them out myself.
Gas is nothing to be scared of but it should be respected, as mentioned it does smell so you are aware if its presence. When I fixed the leaks we had, there was one persistant leak I was unable to locate but it was in a well ventilated area and was not building up, mains gas is suppolied under pressure so I ran a flame around the pipework to locate the leak and sure enough I had a nice little flame where the leak was. As said, the supply is under pressure so the escape being minute was in the form of a small jet and quite safe.
I would not recommend doing this but in the situation I had it was quite safe. It was only a tiny leak and I do not own a manometer for leak testing.
LOL soapy water is a better way to test for leaks than a naked flame, in my opinion!I sorted them out myself.
Gas is nothing to be scared of but it should be respected, as mentioned it does smell so you are aware if its presence. When I fixed the leaks we had, there was one persistant leak I was unable to locate but it was in a well ventilated area and was not building up, mains gas is suppolied under pressure so I ran a flame around the pipework to locate the leak and sure enough I had a nice little flame where the leak was. As said, the supply is under pressure so the escape being minute was in the form of a small jet and quite safe.
I would not recommend doing this but in the situation I had it was quite safe. It was only a tiny leak and I do not own a manometer for leak testing.
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