Disconnecting gas cooker in Suffolk - help!

[Bob Eager]

Not sure anyone can advise here but...

Mother in law is moving in with us - she's 95 and quite frail.

We have to clear the house by the end of the week, and the house clearers are coming Tuesday morning. We arranged for the gas cooker to be disconnected tomorrow (Monday) and the guy has just phoned to say the man is 'off sick' and can't come.

This is in South Suffolk (Sudbury) and I can't go (and have never worked with gas anyway). SWMBO is there tomorrow and has to find someone to do it the same day.

Can anyone recommend someone in the area who is reliable, and likely to be able to do this tomorrow? Not much time tomorrow to trawl Yellow Pages and get someone the same day (except perhaps at emergency rates).

I know it's a long shot, but any ideas welcome.

[John Rumm]

When you say "cooker" do you mean a free standing type? If so its probably connected via a hose plugged into a self sealing bayonet connector. You don't need to be skilled or gas safe registered to disconnect those.

[Bob Eager]

It is free standing, yes. But probvably installed about 15 years ago.

Useful...thanks.

[Gordon Henderson]

I've not had a freesanding gas cooker for donkeys years, but IIRC that it should also be chained to the wall to stop it toppling over and pulling on the hose, so some tools might be needed to undo that.

Gordon

[Fredxxx]

That is normally a hook and chain. Should be trivial to just unhook the chain. Access may be more a consideration!

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

Hmmm. My mother had a free standing gas cooker for 40 years. It was not chained to anywhere and never fell over. Can somebody please cite where it should be chained to the wall?

[Tough Guy no. 1265]

Mine wasn't. Why on earth would something as heavy and square as a cooker fall over?

[Jonno]

Mr Pounder Esquire scribbled

[ARW]

What John says, but might need a bit of force to remove the bayonet.

[ARW]

The gas regs. Available in Poundland for a quid.

[ARW]

His Mother or her cooker?

[Bob Eager]

Good point. I'll make sure she has tools.

[Fredxxx]

The installation instructions for one. I have never seen one that doesn't specify some means of preventing the cooker from toppling forward.

[dennis]

If its bayonet then you just unplug it.

If its screwed in then you need a black iron plug (1/2" IIRC) and some gas PTFE tape, do not use ordinary thin PTFE. Test for leaks with soapy water.

If it goes wrong there is always the off valve at the meter and the first 15 minutes used to be free if you reported a gas leak.

[ss]

I had bayonet fitting on a cooker 30 years ago, Mine needed a bit of force (pressure) to release it.

As for `why chain them`....many free standing cookers are on legs and if anyone tries to like slide them along the floor to manoevere them the legs could collapse due to the weight of them. They should be lifted in (out) of position not dragged.

[Jonno]

ARW scribbled

Hasn't his mother been locked up for some time. If not, why not.

[damduck-egg]

How would a chain help in those circumstances? If you are going to be moving it then the chain will disconnected . Isn't the more likely reason to stop the rare but possible accident where a toddler opens the oven door ( oven off so not hot) and then stands on it see what is going on the hob,the weight of the child then tips the appliance over which could then fall onto the youngster together with the hot pans and contents which may cause nasty injuries. The damage to the connecting gas supply may also be a consideration that requires the wall fixing but our Electric oven/Induction hob Bosch also came with a wall fixing safety hook so it is considered good practice for electric as well.

G.Harman

[Jonno]

ARW scribbled

If the gas is off, give it a dose of hacksaw. It's only rubber.

[damduck-egg]

.

was hoping it would fall on him.

G.Harman

[John Rumm]

It should have a tilt prevention device, that's typically either a chain

- usually with a spring loaded clip on the end that you can free by hand, or a metal bracket sticking out of the wall low down that engages into a slot in the base of the cooker. Pulling it forward frees it from that.