Found a vertical pipe sticking out of floor-gas or water???

[MrShed]

Hi all,

My kitchen saga continues (seem to do nothing but post on here these days begging for help!).

Took out a half height partition wall today, and found a pipe sticking out right in the middle of my new kitchen floor....

It looks ancient (metal), and I dont know whether its gas or water.

I'm assuming gas, for two reasons:

- It has the same sticky "lagging" type stuff that my gas pipe at the meter has around it.
- I cant see the need for there to be a water pipe there, being as it is about 30cm from the incoming stopcock - unless it was originally for a dedicated supply for the washing machine, which I cant see being the case!

Any way to tell for definite?

 

[Elkato531]

If its steel pipe its probably gas. Copper pipe could be either.
Only definite way is to open it and see what happens. If you think there is a chance that its gas then get an RGI in to check it out. Many older houses have redundant bits of pipe or capped of feeds for previously removed appliances. It could be live so better to be safe than sorry.

 

[kevplumb]

undo the stop end

 

[MrShed]

Cheers guys.

Getting a plumber out anyway, as whichever way it goes it will need removing - was more curious than anything else to be honest!

I suspect it may have been for a cooking appliance, so gas

 

[bengasman]

Cheers guys.

Getting a plumber out anyway,...

I hope you will check that he is actually Gas Safe Registered.

 

[MrShed]

Cheers guys.

Getting a plumber out anyway,...

I hope you will check that he is actually Gas Safe Registered.

I'm positive he is, his bread and butter is boiler installs, and I've used him for ages.

That said, out of interest, I am now going to check!

As an aside - if this is a gas pipe, I assume its a relatively straightforward job - simply purge the system at the meter, open the end on this pipe to ensure no more gas, drill a couple of cm down and cut the pipe there, permanent cap then cover?

 

[bengasman]

Sorry, but for safety reasons we don't give directions on how to work on gas.

 

[MrShed]

Sorry, but for safety reasons we don't give directions on how to work on gas.

Fair enough - forgot about that rule, apologies

 

[bengasman]

You would be surprised how often people are not registered (anymore)

If you know his postcode, you can check on line at the GSR website, it is open to the public for that reason.

 

[MrShed]

If you know his postcode, you can check on line at the GSR website, it is open to the public for that reason.

I dont actually, but looking in the area he lives and you seem to be right - funnily enough I cannot find him.

Possibly not looking hard enough....

 

[bengasman]

Sorry, but for safety reasons we don't give directions on how to work on gas.

Fair enough - forgot about that rule, apologies

No apology needed. It is just an agreement between the resident RGI's, to avoid cowboys using the forum pretending to be householders.

 

[bengasman]

If you know his postcode, you can check on line at the GSR website, it is open to the public for that reason.

I dont actually, but looking in the area he lives and you seem to be right - funnily enough I cannot find him.

Possibly not looking hard enough....

Has he ever done a job for you that would require his registration number on a form, like a lgsc or boiler install? You can also search under name.
Failing that, you can ring them on the freephone number, and just ask.

 

[MrShed]

Has he ever done a job for you that would require his registration number on a form, like a lgsc or boiler install? You can also search under name.
Failing that, you can ring them on the freephone number, and just ask.

A-ha - found him, and he is registered - was looking in the wrong area

Thanks for your advice bengasman!

 

[bengasman]

Everybody happy.

 

[Agile]

What you could do without infringing any gas regulations is to lift the floor and follow the pipe back to see where it comes from.

I do expect that its gas though.

Tell the person coming that its a steel pipe and the outside diameter so that he brings a male and female plug/cap with him on his visit.

Tony