Gas Pipe and Underfloor Heating

[gooseacre]

I need to run a gas pipe under the floor of a new kitchen and also want electric underfloor heating. Does the undefloor heating need to be positioned away from the gas pipe and if so how far (the gas pipe will be in a duct)?

 

[Gasguru]

The regs. state:


8.16.2 Separation of installation pipework from other services

Where installation pipes are not separated by electrical insulating material, they shall be spaced as follows:

a) at least 150 mm away from electricity meters and associated excess current controls, electrical
switches or sockets, distribution boards or consumer units;

b) at least 25 mm away from electricity supply and distribution cables.


and


8.16.3 Electrical services

Care shall be taken not to damage any electrical conductor when installing pipework.

Installation pipes shall not be buried in floors together with electrical underfloor heating, unless the underfloor heating has been physically and permanently disconnected.


so take your pick I suggest your installer contacts corgi technical for guidance but they may just tell him to read the regs.

 

[doitall]

You cannot install electric underfloor and a gas pipe together, one or the other has to go.

If you want electric underfloor then the gas pipe has to be run a different route.

 

[gooseacre]

The gas pipe would go across the doorway to the kitchen. I can live without the heating for the first foot as you walk in the room - but if the first yard is cold...

 

[simond]

Electric underfloor is very expensive to run and is a white elephant.

Assuming you are running insulation under the UFH (and you would be mad not to) then I would run the gas pipe (suitably protected) under the insulation layer. Then you have an installation just like anyone elses.

The best but expensive solution for this type of work is Tracpipe; it is jointless, non corrosive(stainless steel), and can be laid by unqualified persons into floor constructions.

 

[chrishutt]

While the regulations may prohibit a gas pipe being "buried" in a floor with under-floor electric heating, I wonder if this would apply if the gas pipe run through a duct, especially if the duct was a plastic tube which would insulate the pipe from any stray currents (which is presumably the issue here?). Obviously £orgi need to be consulted, but I suspect that "buried" means set in the screed along with the heating cables.

 

[simond]

Agreed, Chris. The Tracpipe is insulated along its length so gets over the electrical conductivity issue, the problem with an internal duct would be venting it.

 

[chrishutt]

A duct doesn't have to be vented if its cross-sectional area is no more than 100cms², which would be the case. I'm not sure at what point a duct becomes a sleeve.

Tracpipe is obviously an option, but if it's just to pass under a doorway that's a lot of expense - the termination fittings are pricey and can you buy it by the metre? Wouldn't plastic coated soft-temper copper with the ends bent to bring the connections out of the screed be equally acceptable?

 

[ragsta]

I realise this is 5 yrs on lol. But is there any solid answer to this. I'm putting some of these ideas/interpretations forward to gas safe. Thanks.