Advice on Gas "plumbing"

[Pete]

Could anyone comment on this predicament I find myself in... I'll keep it brief.

Basically, there was a small gas leak in the street - the pipe had ruptured, not sure exactly where as wasn't in at the time to ask questions. Anyway Transco keep out and have repaired it. They have also replaced the meter which was at the back of the house by an external one at the front. To connect the meter they have run a copper pipe from the meter, up the front of the building, into the roof space across the loft, and down back into the house.

Any comments on having an external copper gas pipe .... apart from it's an incredible eyesore? Is just doesn't seem a safe option to me.

Any help appreciated.

Pete

[Mike Taylor]

As for the safety of the external copper pipe that is no problem and standard practise. Only you can comment on the visual effect and it may be possible to get the gas supplier to re route it Contact them and arrange a meeting but that can only be on the visual side not on the safety part

[Martin]

When BG installed my new combi they ran the gas feed outside, even thought I asked then not to! I'm intending to clad it with plastic trunking when I get the time. It's not only an eye-soar, as it runs along the side of the house before it's rise to the heavens, there's a very real risk of a ding from the wheel-barrow, or the back gate, or the local kids.....

BG Rant, Rant, Rant.......

[Ed Sirett]

Because Transco choose to move the meter (probably due renewing the service main - to fix the leak) they were obligated to modify your gas installation at their expense. There is no problem with running gas pipes externally or through roof spaces.

I am surprised they took such a long route as this may have impact on the pressure drops within the installation pipework. (See FAQ below).

If you had wanted them to move the gas meter to the front (to enable reading without visits) you would not only have had to pay a substantial sum (likely hundreds) to Transco you would also have had to arrange for the internal pipework modifications yourself.

Depending on the layout and construction of your home rerouting the internal pipework to use the new meter may or may not be big job. Transco may have chosen to take along but simple route to avoid disruption to your house (lifting floors, carpets, laminates, fitted kitchens...)

If you post details of the existing gas pipe runs the namture of the beast may become clear.

Whilst you may not have wanted the meter at the front you now have it there.

Pipe may be camoflaged with paint.

[IMM]

[IMM]

If it's an eyesore tell them to rip it out and conceal it.

[IMM]

Get them back to rip it out and conceal it. Make it clear you told them NOT to have it outside.

[Pete]

The details of the property are this.

It's a terraced type house where we only have the upper part i.e. someone lives downstairs. We have the main entrance on the ground floor. The new meter is next to the fron door. The original meter was at the rear of the property inside the kitchen. As I understand it, the original pipework came from the street, under the house and up through the lower porperty emerging into our kitchen. The pipes then were fed from there.

I not quite sure why the new pipe couldn't have taken the same route as the old one. They could possibly have come into the front of the house and up through the ceiling under our floor. It would have involved lifting boards etc.

I would imagine re-routing the internal pipework would be a bit of a pain as it would involve lifting floorboard etc.

Thanks for the advice given so far.

Pete

[BillR]

[SNIP].

Thats probably why they did it like they. How could they rip up someone else flooring to lay your gas pipe? The downstairs may have laminate floors etc which would make this impossible. Even if the floor is yours getting up enough boards could have been tedious and damage skirting etc

[Ed Sirett]

Without further details of where the pipes are within the flat it is hard to say how easy it would be to reroute the pipe.

Almost certainly any good route would go up outside and in under the floor of the flat. Or perhaps inside into a common entrance way and then up into the floor void again.

If the boiler is at the back and near the old meter and there is little other pipework then I'd be tempted to argue Tranco's approach was reasonable.

[Pete]

I'm not sure my 3D ASCII art is up to a diagram :-)

Fair enough. Both the meter and the biler are at the rear, the meter being close to wear the inlet pipe emerges into my property, and the boiler being the other side of the same room. It sounds like hiding it is the best bet. I'll try and persuade Transco to do it. Anyone know of any hardy climbing plants? :-)

To (sort of) answer BillR's post saying:

They are replacing both sets of pipes to the upper and lower porperty. AIUI, the properties shared the same routing of the original pipework. Transco have ripped up the floors for their pipes anyway. One last thing to note is that our external pipework is attached to my downstairs neighbours wall, so it actually effects them also.

Thanks for the help guys.

Pete