Drop test on main gas pipe

diycooper · 5 Jan 2011

I had a tenant smell gas in one of my properties so I called British gas as I have the homecare 400 package with them.

They did a drop test on the main pipe which connects the hob and gas fire central heating. There was a drop in pressure so as the tenant could smell gas in living room he got a machine out by the fire that detected gas which it did.

He then went back back the meter and cut the pipe that connected the cntral heating as it was assumed to be on the other pipe which connects the hob and fire. he then took the gas fire out and then went to his van for connections, he came back on never had the right sizes I gathered as i heard him swear. He then said the leak is on the main gas pipe under floor and left fire out and left.

I am right in saying he should of took the fire out then capped off the pipe and done another drop test to confirm it is definitely on main pipe and not fire.

I just got the influence he did not want to do the job british gas are excellent I know and normally are but in this case am having my doubts that it was the fire and not the pipe.

twgas · 5 Jan 2011

Unless you have all the required cover, the gas supply pipes are not covered so, if that is the case, you were lucky to get what you did. Even if you have full cover, with current work loads, he done you a favour getting the boiler on, He could have capped it at the meter.

Boilerman2 · 5 Jan 2011

We havn't referred to "Drop Tests" for years its called "Tightness Testing" now and should be completed to IGE UP/1B

Axel · 5 Jan 2011

Boilerman2 said:
IGE UP/1B

We don't need all the paperwork....

doitall · 5 Jan 2011

anyone that works on gas, should do a second test when he has done.

Did he cap the pipe both ends.

diycooper · 6 Jan 2011

twgas said:
Unless you have all the required cover, the gas supply pipes are not covered so, if that is the case, you were lucky to get what you did. Even if you have full cover, with current work loads, he done you a favour getting the boiler on, He could have capped it at the meter.

They are covered for testing if leaked and making safe and are also fully covered if you expose all pipe work.

diycooper · 6 Jan 2011

doitall said:
anyone that works on gas, should do a second test when he has done.

Did he cap the pipe both ends.

He done a test at the meter and there was a drop. he gathered was on fire and hob pipe's, he then cut the supply pipe to this and done a test which had a leak, again gathered on fire, he then took fire out and that was it. Should he not of capped of the fire end and done another test to make sure it was not on fire ?

Thanks

diycooper · 6 Jan 2011

doitall said:
anyone that works on gas, should do a second test when he has done.

Did he cap the pipe both ends.

He did not cap the pipe when he took the fire out and check he took the fire out then just disconnect it from meter. Should he have capped it when fire was out then checked, to make sure it was not on fire ?

Sorry for double posts do not know how to quote 2 in 1 reply.

Please help urgent need to called british gas back to get back out, or if not got to get electric hob sorted asap as gas is obslete.

twgas · 6 Jan 2011

diycooper said:
twgas said:

Unless you have all the required cover, the gas supply pipes are not covered so, if that is the case, you were lucky to get what you did. Even if you have full cover, with current work loads, he done you a favour getting the boiler on, He could have capped it at the meter.

Click to expand...

They are covered for testing if leaked and making safe and are also fully covered if you expose all pipe work.

A test is one thing, a repair is something else, as far as I know it makes no diference whether they are exposed or not.

misterdubya · 6 Jan 2011

gas is obslete.

Have we run out already - even if its a spelling mistake? I thought 30 years at least!

Love the retro 'drop test'. Is that that what old skool dudes call the 'bubble test'?

Even the 'soundness test' has gone now.

S h i t the bed, will my boiler work tomorrow?

Mr. W.

diycooper · 7 Jan 2011

I have not come here acting as if I am a engineer and know what I am talking about or what is covered by British gas. I am using terms what I understand and hope you will understand then have be used in the past. I am not up will all terms or gas that is why I have cover. I am also not wanting British gas to repair pipe if it has got a leak as I would just leave fire for show and change tenants gas hob to a electric hob which she would want as she does not want all the work to be carried out in house. What I am saying he removed the fire and shut off from main. My question was is there a chance the leak could be on the fire as I am guessing as I am not a qualified engineer that once the fire was out to test the pipe for leaks should he not of cap it off at fire end and do a "tightness test" to confirm it was not on the fire ?

expertgasman · 7 Jan 2011

As far as I understand, and I am fairly sure, Nationa Grid (Transco ore whatever they are now) are only under an obligation to make safe. They don't neccesarily have to investigate or advise, and in my experience they don't. If they can readily cap off an appliance, and the house is then 100% sound, they will (or should). If there is any difficulty, or "work" is required, they normally cap off at meter, ie make safe.

So, was it the emergecy gas service that called on a repport of gas smell, , or was it BG on a contract call? Also, I'm not exactly clear as to what the current situation is. Have they isolated the fire pipework, or have they capped off meter?

Agile · 7 Jan 2011

My understanding is that NG should find and repear a leak if that can be done in less than 30 min.

My experience is that they never repair a leak.

The only one that spent any time cut and capped the pipe at the boiler. Then he went on the cut and cap the gas pipe where it passed BEHIND the electric oven and then preceeded to replace ALL the screws holding the oven in place and never mentioned capping it off there on the papers.

I can only assume that he wanted to make the repair as difficult as possible.

Tony

diycooper · 8 Jan 2011

I think you mistaken what national grid done ad BG somewhere, but anyway. National grid came out as they just capped the meter and told me I need a gas safe plumber. I then phoned BG which came out and done a tightness test at the meter and there was a drop. I have 2 gas pipes on my meter one for my boiler and one for the hob and fire. He then got another device out which you could walk around the room with and detect gas, he went by the hob and got nothing then went by the fire and it picked up gas traces. He then took the gas fire out and never capped the pipe, then cut the pipe by the meter then fed the hob and fire and capped that so my boiler would stay on. He then advised me I need a whole complete pipe running to hob and fire and reconnected at meter. What my question is could the problem of been on the fire pipe work and not the pipe leading to it ? Should he not of capped the pipe after taking fire out and done another test on that by meter to see if it definitely was the pipe in the ground and not the fire ? I got the impression he never had the fitting to reconnect the fire as he went to his van and got 10 mm fitting for the fire and the fire was 8mm so I heard him swear. So he could not be bothered doing it so just put on form leak on main.

mysteryman · 8 Jan 2011

What is your objective?

Is it to get someone into trouble, or to get the problem fixed?

It sounds to me as if he has tried quite hard to be helpful, and has left the house safe with everything working to the greatest possible extent.

diynot

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Drop test on main gas pipe

expertgasman

mysteryman

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