I am in the process of partly renovating a property that belonged to my mother - in - law, deceassed earlier this year.
The time is approaching when the old Baxi back boiler central heating system will be replaced. I will engage a Corgi Registered installer to fit the new boiler/ rads etc. and to fit new gas supply to the kitchen.
In preparation I would like to remove the currently fitted CH system myself. I see no point in paying skilled CORGI rates for a wrecking job on water pipework, rads and HW cylinder. I have already drained down, removed all the water pipework, rads, pump and HW cylinder.
The in place Baxi boiler needs to be removed. The heating hasn't been used for months and the gas supply has been turned off at the meter since June. The on/off lever at the gas meter is held securely in the OFF position by strong binding wire to prevent accidental turning ON when doing other work nearby.
This was essential ( see * later ).
The output pipe from the gas meter is 22mm and runs in a ground floor void under the floorboards to a point near the Baxi where it splits to feed a
15mm pipe for the kitchen feed. New gas pipework for the kitchen will need to be fitted due to alterations in the kitchen, this will be done at the time of CH installation by the CORGI fitter.Before removing the old boiler I need to isolate the gas feed to it.
It is my intention ( subject to not being advised otherwise ) to cut the
22mm pipe using a pipe cutter ( not by hacksaw so will be a 90 degree cut for the end stop ) under the floorboards before it splits for the kitchen supply.I know of the practice to earth bond locally each side of the cut before cutting the gas pipe even though it's likely there is no gas in the pipe.
And by the way the underfloor void is VERY well ventilated. There is almost always an updraught ( gale actually ) when I lift a floorboard. I would then fit a 22mm end stop using gas PTFE tape.
I have been reading the post 'A Really bad piece of work' by Ed Sirett from
5/12/2008 on this newsgroup. I then looked at the RIDDOR requirements for reporting unsafe gas installations and realised that the CORGI registered fitter I use to fit the new boiler has a duty to make a report if he considers an installation he encounters unsafe.Do my intentions sound as though they would be unsafe and thus prompt a RIDDOR report.
- ( this is the see later bit )
I couldn't believe it when I removed the M-I-L's gas cooker.
She has been SO lucky.
The gas bayonet fitting for her cooker was attached by an elbow to a 15mm copper pipe that went horizontally about 2 feet to a point where the feed emerged from a 15mm pipe in the concrete floor in the kitchen. The gas joint at this elbow fitting was bad. There was verdigree ( sp ) all round the joint. When I pulled her cooker forward the elbow joint actually rotated on the vertical 15mm pipe that emerged from the floor. The soldered joint hadn't taken properly.
She had had no new gas work done in her approx 20yr occupation and the house is ex-council. Guess the local council must have accepted almost any Tom, Dick or Harry to do their gas fitting 20 or more years ago.
Anyway - what about my intentions for the removal of the old boiler.
TTFN