Fitting a cavity gas meter box

[mheden]

I'm having my gas meter moved into a cavity box on an external wall. Transco are going to do the meter move, but I need to install the box ready for them to use. Because the box is going into an existing wall, I need to cut a suitable hole in the external part of the wall to take the box. I'll use a drill, disc cutter and hammer and chisel to do that, but can anyone suggest the best way to secure the box and/or bed it into the brickwork. Normally it would be installed as the wall was built, so I guess it would sit in mortar. However, as I'm sinking it into an existing wall that isn't really an option because the front flange of the box will make the gap between the box and the brickwork inaccessible.

Has anyone found a good way to do this? I'm committed to using a cavity box because a surface unit will cause too much of an obstruction.

Thanks,

Mike

[Lobster]

I'm pretty sure that when mine was done (in a similar scenario to yours), it was fixed in position with a combination of screws/rawlplugs and expanding foam filler. Didn't diy it though so can't be 100% sure. I subsequently improved on it as it wasn't totally rigid, using exterior grade no-more-nails, of which I squirted as much as I could between the gap twixt flange and brickwork, finishing off by smoothing it over the gap with the old wet finger. It's rock solid now.

David

[Hugh]

I know this isn't exactly answering your question - but I believe meters can be installed below ground level and read from above - this would avoid both the obstruction problem and having to create a cavity in the wall. Just a thought - and, just a bit more money - probably. Hugh

[Doctor Drivel]

Don't have one fitted. All these do is introduce cold draught into the cavity and cool down the wall. That part of the house will be quite cold and make cause condensation as the walls are too cold. Don't have anything that cuts into the cavity at all. Make other arrangements for the meter box.

[mheden]

Hugh,

Yes, I saw the 'semi-concealed' option in Transco's brochure. It doesn't cost anything extra, but as far as I can see they're not installed flush with the ground. Anyway, I plan to change the level of the path in the area of the meter, so I decided that one of the wall-mounted ones would probably be better in my case.

Mike

[mheden]

Really? Isn't it possible to provide enough of a seal around the lip of the box to prevent this happening? I really am stuck for space, so a surface-mounted box really isn't an option, and I don't want to pay Transco's inflated charges for positioning the meter somewhere else.

Mike

[tarquinlinbin]

Semi concenaled meter boxes are made from glass fibre/plastic. They fit almost flush with the ground surface apart from a short upstand/lid. The meters which fit in these boxes are of plastic construction and therefore corrosion proof! HTH Remove antispam and add 670 after bra to email

Be a good Global citizen-CONSUME>CONFORM>OBEY

Circumcision- A crime and an abuse.