Gas meter replacement

[Chris jenk]

HiThe gas company is digging up the road outside our property. A few days ago they knocked on the door and explained that they need to replace the meters in all the properties along the road. They are proposing to place the new meter on the outside of the property. The old meter, under the stairs will be removed. We have a solid concrete floor in the hall. Currently we have a buried 3/4 inch steel pipe travelling from the road to under thre stairs, via the hallway, where it is connected to the gas meter. The gas men have explained that they are unable to re-use this existing 3/4 inch steel pipe but instead need to mount a 22 mm copper pipe just below the door threshold and along the hall wall untill it goes under the stairs. I really want to see if this really is the case. The thing is there is further sunken steel pipe in the kitchen which the gas men aren't interested in. Given that the said pipe will be AFTER the meter why can't they they attach it to the existing buried pipein the hall floor. I really want to avoid surface mounting the pipes. Any thoughts and if possible references to regulations would be great. Thank you very much. Chris

 

[AWheating]

they will not connect to the old gas main. the other steel pipework inside your house is your pipework and is nothing to do with them.

 

[Chris jenk]

They are coming round again on Thursday morning. Do you know of any legislation or anything I can Print off the Internet to support this. It's just they are being pretty '' minded about not using the buried pipe in the hallway. Do you think that because they have to join up the pipes where the old meter was situated they are making this position?

 

[diamondgas]

Hi Chris,

The person to speak to is the ops manger for the project of mains replacement in your street. There are alternatives to running inside the house ... External pipe runs are possible or you can do an insertion which involves running a new plastic inside the original iron! They're most likely looking at the easiest and least expensive option of relaying your interior pipework from the new meter position to the existing interior pipework, I'd say!

 

[AWheating]

can they line small bore pipes?

 

[Chris jenk]

They have said that there is a very small chance that they could linethe pipe with a 16 mm pipe but are pretty unconvinced it will work ( due to likelihood of valves or 90 degree anglesin the pipe). I'm currently looking at hiring a chasing machine and chasing a channel for a new pipe to run in. Expensive and messy. Alternative is ugly surface mounted (boxed in) pipe!OR finding some legislation that says using existing pipe is ok as it's after the meter!Thanks guys for your help

 

[diamondgas]

can they line small bore pipes?

I'm sure I've seen insertions down 3/4"iron, they use something like 18mm plastic I think .... not 100%. That's why i suggest the ops site manager. It's always recommended to put as little uncontrolled gas as possible in a property!

 

[AWheating]

What are the regs reguarding installing new mains/meters under a staircase in a domestic property?

 

[Nat]

What are the regs reguarding installing new mains/meters under a staircase in a domestic property?

Not allowed.

 

[Chris jenk]

Does anyone know why they are saying they can't connect the new outside meter to the existing buried steel pipe?

 

[GrahamM]

Not allowed.

Is that a fact that? Do you have reference in regs/standards to that?

Does anyone know why they are saying they can't connect the new outside meter to the existing buried steel pipe?

Maybe because they cannot vouch for the integrity of the buried pipe??

 

[REDSAW]

there is somewhere i read it also due to fire safty or sommat.

 

[GrahamM]

Ahh. Remember now. Cannot be placed in a location that may present a hazard during a fire. Or something along those lines.
Cheers Nat, RED.

 

[Nat]

Hi graham.'In building of less then two floors above ground level no meter shall be installed in or under a stairway or in any passage which provides the only means of escape in the event of a fire'Source- G1 gas safety book.Hope that helps mate.

 

[diamondgas]

Does anyone know why they are saying they can't connect the new outside meter to the existing buried steel pipe?

If you mean the old gas service pipe I'd think it's because they can't prove that it has bee installed in accordance to current regulations so won't want to put their name to it in case it leaks in the future. That's an assumption but would be why I wouldn't re-use it! Does that make sense?