internal gas meter. Ventilation requirments

[MarkAqua]

What sized ventilation do you need when A domestic sized meter is installed internally (in a shop) within a purpose made boxing - with no door to the boxing.

Cant seem to find anything on this.

Regards

 

[Nostrum]

none as far as I am aware, I'd be more worried about access to the meter if there is no door.

 

[Resolute]

Meter doesn't require ventilation but needs access.

 

[snowhead]

ECV must be accessable, not using a key, other than meter box key, or screwdriver or by having to empty half a ton of tins off a shelf.

 

[MarkAqua]

thank you

 

[SimonJohns]

Wouldn't it need ventilation as it is a gas pipe in a void?

 

[MarkAqua]

Wouldn't it need ventilation as it is a gas pipe in a void?

I did think that Simon. Would this be the case then?

 

[Nostrum]

When is a cupboard a void though? Otherwise should a meter box be ventilated? Or under the floorboards?

i think gas pipes in voids refer to larger vertical purpose built service ducts etc rather than anywhere a gas pipe is contained within a structure, but I could be reading it wrong my self?

 

[SimonJohns]

Floor boards do have to be ventilated.

 

[Nostrum]

Never been aware of it myself, and there must be hundreds of thousands of houses including recently built houses where gas pipes are contained within the joists of the floor space and no ventilation is apparent? I'll hold my hand up to fitting my fair share. Where is this written?

 

[Dotty]

All the commercial boxes over here have been vented and regulator vents piped external to high level because both Firmus and Phoenix have deemed the cabinets to be an unvented void otherwise.

 

[JON]

All timber floors are vented thats what air bricks are for.

 

[Nostrum]

Not on the first floor they are not

 

[MarkAqua]

Are external gas meter boxes not ventilated from manufacturer? As in the purpose built ones are ventilated?

 

[Simon F]

When is a cupboard a void though? Otherwise should a meter box be ventilated? Or under the floorboards?
i think gas pipes in voids refer to larger vertical purpose built service ducts etc rather than anywhere a gas pipe is contained within a structure, but I could be reading it wrong my self?

:iagree:. Dug out a reference from BS6891:2005+A2:2008, page 12

# Research undertaken by Advantica [13] on behalf of the Gas Industry Safety Group (GISG) has proved
that where gas installation pipework is installed in intermediate joisted floors in dwellings, there is
sufficient adventitious ventilation of the floor construction to safely disperse any minor leakage of gas.
Therefore, there is no requirement to install purpose provided ventilation to floors of this construction in
conventional masonry, timber frame or light steel frame buildings. A summary of the research project and
its principal conclusions can be found in Annex B. The results and conclusions of this report apply to natural
gas installations only and, therefore, should not be applied to installations supplied with LPG/Air gas
mixtures. The results and conclusions of this report should not be applied to compartment floors between
dwellings, for example in the floors which separate one flat or apartment from another

 

[JON]

Not on the first floor they are not

Vented through the cavity, no air bricks due to u value. Has to be vented otherwise the timber would rot.

 

[dancinplumba]

always said i learn summat new every day

 

[tamz]

Floor boards do have to be ventilated.

No they don't. Advantica did a test a few years back and came up with the "correct" answer to suit the risk.
If they hadn't then probably half the buildings in the country would need condemned.

 

[topdog]

What sized ventilation do you need when A domestic sized meter is installed internally (in a shop) within a purpose made boxing - with no door to the boxing.

Cant seem to find anything on this.

Regards

Dear Mark, answer to your question,

All domestic meter housing must,
1) Be manufactured of a material which is resistant to the effects of being exposed to gas and as such must not allow any gas escape within the box to enter into a wall cavity.
2) Be fire resistant by preventing the surface spread of flames in accordance with BS 476 part 7, class2.
3) Allow ease of access by the customer using a special key (generally the industry designed common meter box key with triangular key way is supplied with most meter boxes).
4) The ECV must be readily accessible with ease of operation.
In emergency situations, where there is NO ACCESS, RESTRICTED ACCESS, or no handle on the ECV to be ID as AR. gas safe technical bulletin 001, 2nd of April 2012. page 31, 5.3

5) ALL meter housings MUST be appropriately ventilated with purpose designed non-closable ventilation. This may be via ventilators in the housing door or through the design
of the housing, i.e gaps around the access door, loose fitting box on the wall plate etc. The free area of ventilation must be a minimum of 2% of the plan area split evenly between high and low level.
6) For semi-concealed meter boxes the ventilation can only be at high level hence the ventilation is increased to a free area not less than 6% of the plan area.
7) Be appropriately identified for use as a gas meter box by being permanently marked with the letter "G" (letter to be 24mm high).
8) ALL meter housings must be approved by the gas transporter as fit for purpose.

Hope this information is of some help...
topdog

Any pipe or any such fittings in any such voids MUST be ventilated

 

[REDSAW]

i called at a disabled customers house yesterday.
gas meter was through a 2 foot opening in a cupboard floor, down a ladder into the 'basement' at the other end of the house!!.

how do you class this?.lol

 

[tamz]

i called at a disabled customers house yesterday.
gas meter was through a 2 foot opening in a cupboard floor, down a ladder into the 'basement' at the other end of the house!!.

how do you class this?.lol

Gas tight :smile:

Scare the **** out of her about the potential consequences and sell her an AECV :lol:

 

[REDSAW]

Gas tight :smile:

Scare the **** out of her about the potential consequences and sell her an AECV :lol:

i did.lol

all pipes unclipped, corroding pipe work, wet meter, lead mains, gas fire broke, no heat in attic room ext. gas is tight though.
there going to get me back in on an ongoing project to rectify.lol.

 

[tamz]

i did.lol

all pipes unclipped, corroding pipe work, wet meter, lead mains, gas fire broke

Gold mine :lol: