Gas pipe feed under kitchen, does it need sorting?

[pja123]

Hey Guys,

We've just moved into a new house and one of the first things we decided to do was get the kitchen sorted out starting with the floor. It's a suspended floor and I was hoping to tile over it in the coming days, i've lifted some of the floorboards, checking for overall soundness/sturdiness of the subfloor etc and i noticed the gas pipe runs directly under the kitchen, across to the far wall where it terminates in a gas outlet.

The pipe itself is just laying on the house foundation/concrete pad and is covered in green stuff (vedigris i presume), to the extent that it doesn't actually look like a copper coloured pipe at all anymore Is this corrosion? Before i put a tiled floor down would it be advisable to replace the pipe? Is it just surface/skin discolouration?

We threw out the old gas cooker the other day, and it was definitely a working connection. Likewise, i can't smell any gas under the subfloor or anywhere in the property and the gas meter reading hasn't budged at all in the last few days, so i think it's still sealed/airtight etc?

Unfortunately it runs right under the living room as well , which happens to be a nice floor - doh! and although i don't want too, if it's advisable to rip it up and get this pipe sorted i'll do it.

I've attached some pictures, what do you guys think?

Untitled

• pja123
• 14 Aug 2011
• 1

Untitled

• pja123
• 14 Aug 2011
• 1

Untitled

• pja123
• 14 Aug 2011
• 1

Untitled

• pja123
• 14 Aug 2011
• 1

Untitled

• pja123
• 14 Aug 2011
• 1

 

[dcawkwell]

Looks fine to me. Nothing to worry about.
The colouring is to be expected with time and the conditions it is in.

If you need to replace it in the future you can simply run a length of trac pipe under the floors this is flexible gas pipe and can be just pulled under the floor.

 

[gasbanni]

I would replace it, the copper should not be in contact with the concrete
sometimes they pour in concrete under the suspended floors to seal the earth/clay.

The verdigris is oxidation of the copper it could continue to be attacked by the concrete pin hole then you've got a gas leak !

if it replaced makes sure its not in contact with the concrete, wrap over pipe clips just closed over the pipe will achieve this.

PS its badly corroded !!!!

 

[Terrywookfit]

Looks fine to me. Nothing to worry about.
The colouring is to be expected with time and the conditions it is in.

If you need to replace it in the future you can simply run a length of trac pipe under the floors this is flexible gas pipe and can be just pulled under the floor.

Absolute bore locks!!!

 

[gasservice85]

i would replace it and as mentioned keep it away from the concrete you dont wanna have to rip up your nice tiled floor to replace it when it starts leaking in a couple of years (or sooner)

oh yea and get a gas safe registered engineer to do your gas work

 

[pja123]

Is it corrosion then? I guess it's been there since the house was built in 1961. It's looks discoloured, but i can't make out any pitting, or degradation in the pipe? Could it be leaking now? What would be the best way to determine this off the bat without calling somebody in? Check for a change on the meter perhaps?

I picked up a bit of off cut pipe when i had my head down there and christ that's the thickest 22mm pipe i've ever seen lol, he weren't shopping at B&Q that's for sure! Presumably they used different diameter sizes for pipes back in the day?

 

[mysteryman]

Come on, it's fifty years old and corroding! Get it replaced, maybe by plastic coated 22mm copper, which it may be possible to pass through under the other room without taking up more than a small bit of that floor.
Imperial 3/4" copper was much thicker walled, and slightly smaller in outside diameter. The 3/4" was the bore size, not the outside diameter.

 

[gasbanni]

So just to absolutely clarify this : if it wasn't in contact with the floor and got verdigris because of damp conditions it would be fine to leave it, as the surface corrosion then protects the parent metal ~ just as you see on exposed copper roofs.......fine no problem.

However because the pipe is in contact with the floor ( looks like a cement screed has been laid ) its still been attacked chemically thats why you have to do something about it because eventually it will get "eaten " through !!!!

 

[pja123]

Thanks for the input guys.

Looks more like a rough concrete fill to be honest rather than a screed. It's odd because i dug out a section of loose concrete underneath the part where it comes up off the floor, behind the joist and enters up into the kitchen - and that section isn't half as green and crusty as the top which isn't touching the concrete at all!