Advice Please regarding Gassafe

[Guildster]

Posted this on another forum so apologies if seen before, Had a hob fitted by a Gas safe fitter 2 months ago, I ran most of the pipe work, he connected the hob and supply end. He done a tightness test and the work was fine, I was very happy with his work until, I was putting up the the outside Christmas decks and bent down near the semi concealed gas meter box on the floor, And got a whiff of gas, I opened the box and the smell was really noticeable, I have some leak spray so I sprayed the joints and the test nipple which bubbled away like a good un, I turned of the emergency valve and called National grid, the guy came from the Grid he said it was one full turn from falling off!
I am really shocked at such a school boy error, should I raise complaint with Gas safe? Is this a major issue? we all cock up from time to time, also over a two month period how much gas was leaking? will it make a vast difference to my gas bill?

kind regards Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

It will make no difference to your gas bill.

It is indeed a big error, but probably an honest one. Assuming the NG guy was correct.

Did he refer to the test nipple cap, or the test nipple itself? Plenty of major cock ups left by NG guy's as the professionals here will know. Could be that he has blamed the RGI for something the last NG engineer has done.

If you report your guy to gas safe, all that will happen is he gets a letter, a gas Safe inspector will come and interview him, carry out a couple of site visits to check his handy work and then maybe repeat it again in a year or so.

 

[Agile]

Well I have to say that he was seriously WRONG to have anything to do with gas pipework that had been fitted by YOU.

The loose nipple is a casual mistake. You don't even know if he had left it loose if its outside, it may have been passing kids if its accessable.

But he knowingly accepted gas pipework done by you and that is totally wrong.

Tony

 

[muggles]

Well I have to say that he was seriously WRONG to have anything to do with gas pipework that had been fitted by YOU.

The loose nipple is a casual mistake. You don't even know if he had left it loose if its outside, it may have been passing kids if its accessable.

But he knowingly accepted gas pipework done by you and that is totally wrong.

Tony

Have to agree with Tony here (and that doesn't happen very often!) - his biggest crime was using pipework installed by you. He should have done the whole run himself, he's effectively signed off your gas work which is illegal

 

[Guildster]

Just out of interest why is it illegal? A length of pipe boxed in, cut to length no joints what can go wrong there? All joints made by gas safe engineer, If there is a problem with that it is bureaucracy gone mad.
I will be honest, this is the first time I have used a gas safe or previous corgi engineer, I done my own work installing hobs in my own home, as I felt I had the competence to do this, I used the appropiate materials, I used to do tightness tests with a trusty old manometer never had a problem, I know my limits I would never touch a boiler, gas fire or flue.
I am just a bit peeved that I trusted a professional to do the work and he clearly made a hash of it I think the kids scenario is clutching at straws, we are saying the the kids had a meter key, a screwdriver, and the knowledge to do that, right in front of a window, sounds like one straight out of a lawyers book of not me guv. If
it was me or another diyer who cocked up like this we would be hung out to dry and rightly so.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Have you answered my question?

 

[Agile]

You said that you "ran" the gas supply! That would usually be understood as you soldered the joints.

If he soldered the joints then that will be fine.

Sometimes gas pipes in "boxing" needs appropriate ventilation!

For the loose nipple, I was just using the same principle of criminal law that someone is not "presumed guilty" but has to be "positively proved" to be guilty!

Perhaps he did leave it loose for all we know but that would not have been intentional.

Furthermore, when starting to screw it back in, the natural motion would to be to screw it in finger tight and then use a spanner to make it tight. At "finger tight" there would be hardly any leakage.

After tightening the nipple we are supposed to retest it with LDF.

Tony

 

[Guildster]

Sorry Tony read my post Again I said

I ran most of the pipe work, he connected the hob and supply end

 

[Dan Robinson]

Sorry Tony read my post Again I said

I ran most of the pipe work, he connected the hob and supply end

And?

 

[Guildster]

To be fair it may not be intentional but it shows a lack of competence, a diyer does not intentionally set out to level the row of houses he is attached too, intentional or not it can still go bang!
I am not having a pop at you Gas safe guys but there is a distinct closing of ranks which has suprised me.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Closing ranks? Or mild annoyance of your lack of answers?

 

[muggles]

It's nothing to do with closing ranks, you asked about errors in your installer's work, we've pointed out a bigger one than you're asking about and now you've got uppity about us pointing that out, and you haven't answered Dan's question either

 

[Guildster]

Have you answered my question?

Nipple

 

[Agile]

Not at all.

We are just considering the situation as you have described it.

To create an explosion a lot of gas needs to be released into an enclosed area and mixed with air.

Outside that will not happen!

Even if you removed the screw and applied a match to the jet of gas I would not expect the flame to be more than four inches long and thin.

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

Have you answered my question?

Nipple

So the bit that is national grid's responsibility.