DIY solution to dry gas pipes.

[H. Neary]

We had an interesting case in the local paper of a DIY enthusiast that plumbed the water outlet of a heating system to his gas pipe.

Around a hundred or so people were without gas for the few days it took to dry out the pipework.

There was no report of any repercussion to the boiler fitter, but the gas suppliers had to provide alternative cooking facilities and compensate their customers at the rate of £30.00 per day for the period they were withoud gas.

Perhaps they cannot prosecute the boiler fitter?

It seems to me that none returns on gas and water supplies would be an absolute must for any property.

If this character had decided to connect the oxygen from a welding kit to the gas pipes, or had a whim to sterilize his water supply by coupling a pressure washer output to his tap, then things could be very serious.

Perhaps the gas suppliers were negligent in allowing something driven by an external pressure source to enter their system?

Has anyone an opinion?

HN

[Tony Bryer]

How often does something like this happen? 100 people x 3 days x £30/day compensation = £9000. What would be the cost of installing non-return valves? 30m? homes x £50? = £1.5bn.

Water regulations are meant to prevent backflow, but that's because contaminating the mains water supply could have far more serious consequences.

[dom]

The idiot probably hasn't done anything criminal, but I would expect the gas co to try to recover damages from him - if they think he has either insurance, or the money - otherwise no point. He may come to the attention of his local Building Control Dept too.

[Tabby]

Are you one of the bods behind the endless unnecessary regulations we have today?

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Did he use a hacksaw?

[Rick Hughes]

Similar theme .... I live on coast and a couple of years ago noticed a 'untreated sewage slick' at turn of the tide. Not very nice when you are waterskiing.

Took bearings of where it was coming from, reported it to water Authority ......... they resolved, let me know .. and also sued culprit for lots of money.

A new building development had gone in, and the developer had cross-connected foul drain to surface water !

[John Stumbles]

Not quite "Brazil" then ;-)

[Onetap]

I suspect, but don't know, that the governor on the gas meter has a non-return feature which should make it lock up against a reverse pressure. Whether it is capable of this, whether it failed or whether it was wrecked by the water pressure, I neither know nor care.,

[YAPH]

Probably has: cba to trawl through the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 or any other legislation but I'd be surprised if there isn't something to get him on.

[YAPH]

I think it would be very difficult to engineer a valve that didn't drop an appreciable amount of the gas supply pressure - a few tens of millibars on the supply side - but could hold off a few bar of water pressure.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember YAPH saying something like:

What about a hanging flap valve?

[YAPH]

Actually looks like a clear case of breach of section 3(1) of the GSIUR

"No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so."

[ARWadsworth]

You mean he was a WANKER?

[Owain]

Not very cold at all.

"The average UK temperature was 3.7 =B0C above normal meaning it was the warmest April on record since 1910. In central England, it was the warmest April for over 350 years. ... A minimum temperature of -5.4 =B0C was recorded at Tulloch Bridge, Highland early on 26th."

So unless S-on-T has moved quite a few hundred miles north since I was there last.

Owain

[H. Neary]

It was cool on one or two nights last month. I did have the heating on most of the time, but it wasn't that uncomfortable.

Anyway I have to go. I must feed the penguins their oatcakes.

HN

[Dave Liquorice]

freezing

You are making a few assumptions:

That she isn't one of these people who has the house at 25C. That she doesn't sleep in the buff under a single light weight sheet ('cause the hous is at 25C...).

Another assumption that the place is well insulated.

No mention of moving fan heater to bedroom at night though.

'twas about 5C up here around the 13th/14th with a strong wind. I know April is supposed to have been the warmest since records began but I'm pretty damn sure it hasn't been here. The periods with the easterlies where pretty cool. We didn't quite get air frosts in the last week but it got down to 1C and some of the newest plant shoots show signs of frost damage. Noticeable increase in oil consumption as well.