Gas Supply Pipe blocking crawlspace

[nero44]

Hello,

I am looking to gain access to a crawlspace under my reception room, but there is a gas line blocking it. I don't have space to get behind it from another void entry.

As far as I can make out, this is the incoming iron gas supply pipe, before it goes into my gas meter. My guess is that the gas meter used to be in the kitchen (or somewhere inside the house), but at some point it was moved outside to the front of the house. So someone just capped it off and redirected it back to the front. The copper gas pipe running diagonally is the incoming supply from after the meter. No issues with that one.

My question is, is a gas safe engineer allowed to work on this or does it have to be the gas network owner? (I believe it's Cadent for me) As far as I can tell, there is no shutoff valve before my gas meter, so someone would need to do it live... The idea would be to simply shorten the pipes a meter to the left and have that u-turn more inside the left void. Yes, the earth bonding would need to be extended slightly, but that is fairly straight forward.

 

[CountryFan]

It's a job for the Gas Transporter, so Cadent. Be prepared as you may have to pay for the work to be done.

 

[nero44]

Understood thanks. If it's a call-out + 1hour work.. I would probably do it.. but if this is going to be charged as if moving a meter then I will need to find another solution. Will try Cadent, thanks for the response.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

It may well be dead, (but only Cadent can tell you that, and they've been known to get it wrong before now...), as the new supply to the new Meter position may have been inserted through the old steel line, before being turned up to feed the new Meter.

Only way to find out is to get Cadent out....

 

[nero44]

yikes, been quoted just under GBP 900 for essentially making two quick accessible cuts and a reconnect... Cadent have a fixed pricing grid with certain add-ons, so they would not even come out to have a look or even consider above image. Just quoting according to the online form I submitted. I guess it's good for someone with an actual meter move as there is a fixed price no matter how complicated the individual works turn out to be, but bad in my scenario where I really only need something simple that can be done in less than 30 mins.

This seems a bit too steep for me just to gain access to the area behind the pipe. Not sure if anyone has any other idea/suggestion?

 

[gas112]

Hello,

I am looking to gain access to a crawlspace under my reception room, but there is a gas line blocking it. I don't have space to get behind it from another void entry.

As far as I can make out, this is the incoming iron gas supply pipe, before it goes into my gas meter. My guess is that the gas meter used to be in the kitchen (or somewhere inside the house), but at some point it was moved outside to the front of the house. So someone just capped it off and redirected it back to the front. The copper gas pipe running diagonally is the incoming supply from after the meter. No issues with that one.

My question is, is a gas safe engineer allowed to work on this or does it have to be the gas network owner? (I believe it's Cadent for me) As far as I can tell, there is no shutoff valve before my gas meter, so someone would need to do it live... The idea would be to simply shorten the pipes a meter to the left and have that u-turn more inside the left void. Yes, the earth bonding would need to be extended slightly, but that is fairly straight forward.

View attachment 396872

so are you on about the black iron pipe with the bonding on it as that could possibly be the old internal gas pipe not the service

 

[nero44]

so are you on about the black iron pipe with the bonding on it as that could possibly be the old internal gas pipe not the service

No not 100% sure. I will try and stick my head in that left void to see if I can follow the run. The air voids are pretty narrow so it is not that easy. One part of this entire exercise was also to clear out all the rubbish people just thrown in there and to fix the falling insulation to ensure proper air flow. I also tried to put my ear on it while running the gas stove but was unable to hear if it was active or not. But then again, I did the same on the copper part, which I know is active and could not hear anything...would probably need a stethoscope or something...

If it were the old unused internal gas pipe, I'd imagine they would've just capped it rather than u-turn it back to somewhere else? Or is it common to leave a lengthy run for some sort of additional earth bonding? Any Idea what the T-joint with the yellow cap is? If this is a valve, I could possible just see if I can close it. That would confirm if it were live or not.

 

[gas112]

just made out the tee as pic not the clearest . That is quite a strange looking set up although a standard gas bloke cant touch a service it might be worth asking one to have a look to identify what is going on under there .

edit your new pic below is showing its an elbow not a tee

 

[FiremanT]

so are you on about the black iron pipe with the bonding on it as that could possibly be the old internal gas pipe not the service

No not 100% sure. I will try and stick my head in that left void to see if I can follow the run. The air voids are pretty narrow so it is not that easy. One part of this entire exercise was also to clear out all the rubbish people just thrown in there and to fix the falling insulation to ensure proper air flow. I also tried to put my ear on it while running the gas stove but was unable to hear if it was active or not. But then again, I did the same on the copper part, which I know is active and could not hear anything...would probably need a stethoscope or something...

If it were the old unused internal gas pipe, I'd imagine they would've just capped it rather than u-turn it back to somewhere else? Or is it common to leave a lengthy run for some sort of additional earth bonding? Any Idea what the T-joint with the yellow cap is? If this is a valve, I could possible just see if I can close it. That would confirm if it were live or not.

My money is on the black pipe, if that is what you are lookung at, is an internal. A service pipe should not be bonded, the bond is after the meter. Unless I am missing something.

 

[Old Salt]

SGN came to move my meter and he moved it free of charge from under a kitchen cupboard to an external meter cupboard. Can you borrow a granny from someone?

 

[nero44]

Can you borrow a granny from someone?

unfortunately not...

What you guys are saying does make sense (black pipe potentially just being the old internal), but why would anyone go through the hassle and u-turn it back if it's unused? Maybe it's just stuck into the ground somewhere for better earth bonding? I've tried to see where it leads to, but it's incredibly difficult, as it disappears behind a sleeper wall and there is all this insulation wool coming down and blocking my view. Will see if I can push it aside with my telescopic paint roller pole.

Here is another picture of this yellow valve. Any idea what this is or if this can be turned? A standard gas meter box key does not work...it looks like it's meant to be used with some sort of flat wrench with two nipples going into those holes. The positioning would suggest the valve now is open.



Just in case it was unclear, here is what I thought is happening. Yellow incoming mains gas used to run straight back into the kitchen. At some point the meter was moved to the front left side. So someone u-turned it back and ran it to the front side? Or it's really a dead pipe and the incoming gas supply was correctly routed straight to the left to the meter...

 

[gas112]

can you put a pic up of the meter
Its looking like someone in the past has done this service alteration by themself as opposed to paying the transporter

 

[nero44]

Meter was swapped to a smart meter 2023, just when I moved in. No issues with that.

 

[nero44]

Alright it’s definitely live… I could turn that yellow knob and the gas went off…

 

[gas112]

Yep especially with that yellow valve under floor it look like someone not transco/cadent has had the meter moved as a private job instead of paying the several hundred quid to them.
Probably done many years ago .
Yep and that earth bonding needs moving to the copper internals.

.
Bubble that valve after turning to check it it you dont want to leave a leak under the floor