We are installing a new fitted kitchen ourselves. The question is when we come to replacing the worktops how do we go about taking out the gas cooker while replacing the tops. Do we need to call for a plumber for a
5 minute job to cap off the gas or is there a way we could do it and save about £40?
If plumbed in correctly should have an isolating valve, which you should be able to turn off and disconnect yourself.
But that depends on how confident you are working on gas, ie could blow your house apart if not done right, so maybe worth £40!
Are you "competent"? If so, there's no problem. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but if you don't know, it's really advisable to get advice. If you pay somebody to do the work for you they have to be CORGI registered.
How is the cooker connected at the moment? Are you removing the cooker completely or replacing it with new? Can you see how the cooker is connected at the moment? Is it a free standing cooker at the moment? Is the new gas cooker going to be a separate hob and oven?
So many unanswered questions, so many. :-))
Yet another unanswered question. Is it your only gas appliance ?
Pete
The existing cooker ( the term implies free standing appliance) will /should be conected with a bayonet type connector. These are self sealing.
the hob at this stage, just the worktop, so we will need to disconnect the gas, take the old worktop off, put the new top on and re-connect the gas.
For this get a gas installer the fittings need to be 100% or they will leak, seek his advise regarding cutting the new worktop as there are clearances that must be maintained.
Peter
Yes -all would accept that the new appliance should be installed by a gas installer but that was not the original stated reason for Jayne's post. If it is her only gas appliance, the tap adjacent to the meter could be turned off, avoiding "capping", until she is ready to have the cooker (re)fitted.
Pete
Except that it's illegal to leave an installation with an open gas pipe, even if you switched it off at the gas main. Thus doing so would be a really good indication you were not competent to work on the gas installation.
The old worktop will come out and the new in immediately. Well as soon as we've cut it to size. Can't we turn off the gas and cap?
Yep even while you go for lunch or the plumbers' merchant. It's considered a very serious infringment of the regs.
If the new hob is not being fitted striaght away then you should sonsider capping/pluggin the gas supply pipe. This might be fairly easy: if the existing cut off has compression joints then unscrewing it and replace the valve with the plug part of a compression stop end will work well.
The test for gas tightness before putting the gas back on.
Apart from the regulation to cap the pipe it's good practice to cap the pipe since you really don't want sawdust in the gas supply.
Here is a couple of pictures showing the connection. Any ideas how to cap it off?
The test should be done before doing anything not after !!!
Peter
What I don't see is a local isolator for servicing. There is a hint that there may be one just off to the left of the horizontal pipe in the 2nd picture.
As I said before if there is a local isolator with compression fittings then the easiest way is to replace the isolator with the plug part of a compression stop end fitting.
If there is no isolator (who was the shoddy fitter who put it in? )then I would chop through the gas pipe (after turning off of course) at a place where it will be convenient to fit the new isolator. Fit a compression stop end (e.g. screwfix #11262). Test for gas tightness. Do carpentry. Install or have installed the new hob. Test for gas tightness before you do the work in case you already have a leak - so as not to end up chasing your tail. A suitable isolator would be like screwfix #10563)
I also do one before I start, so I can be sure that any leak afterwards is new (or not as the case may be).
So you think its ok to start with a test on the system, do some work on it and leave it then, assuming your work cannot possibly leak? :-)
Read it again thats not what is said is it... A test should be carried out before working on the installation before working on it to confirm it is sound, then after the work is completed retested to confirm it is still sound, if it is not then it suggests a leak on the work carried out because it was sound before you started, clear now ?
Peter
The phrase used- " The test should be done before doing anything not after !!!" does not mean what you seem to interpret is as saying in English - or are you an IMM sock puppet?
However it is good practice to start from a secure position so your right about the before and after so in this case test before, test after removing the hob and capping then when the hob is refitted do both tests again - there, happy now?
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