Suspect lead gas pipe dangling from kitchen ceiling

[cavalcade00]

Hi guys,

Moved into a 1930's house recently and to my surprise this old, lead, dangling pipe in the kitchen is a 'live' gas feed with an ancient looking connector/tap.

1. Any ideas on what it may have fed?? There are fixing holes on the wall - I reckon its been redundant for some time. Its linked to lead piping under the upstairs floorboards which I think once supplied ceiling gaslights.

2. Should I just get the pipe removed and capped or have the entire lead pipe supply (which seems to be connected to modern copper pipework) completely removed?? Any ideas of cost would be helpful. I can't trace where the new copper pipework connects to the old.

Cheers,

Glenn

 

[Dan Robinson]

lead

linked to lead piping

You might want to check what lead pipe looks like - that is copper.

Probably an hour or so's labour to cap off further back, but expect some holes in ceilings to be made.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Metallurgy is not your profession hopefully .

 

[Terrywookfit]

You might want to check what lead pipe looks like - that is copper.

Probably an hour or so's labour to cap off further back, but expect some holes in ceilings to be made.

You sure ??

 

[oilboffin]

+1 Terry.Bob

 

[cavalcade00]

haha I'm familiar with copper pipes but this unpainted section taken from where it emerges under the floorboards upstairs doesn't look like copper

 

[Dan Robinson]

You sure ??

Doh!!! Quite right - barrel. Teach me to be a smart arse at the same time as being distracted by the boy. .

 

[Burnerman]

Screwed iron, that one....isn't the first pic a brass cock soldered onto copper?
(Nope, that's iron too )
John

 

[cavalcade00]

Its a brass cock connected to the pipe you say is screwed iron

 

[muggles]

haha I'm familiar with copper pipes but this unpainted section taken from where it emerges under the floorboards upstairs doesn't look like copper

It's not lead either - lead is too soft to cut a thread onto. It's iron/steel. Did you say it was live?

 

[cavalcade00]

Yes, it's live. I tested the brass cock today. I'm getting the impression that it is unsafe and should be dealt with urgently? I'm guessing the appliance it served has long gone so it did surprise me that's it not been properly capped/made safe.

 

[muggles]

Yes, that is both classed as Immediately Dangerous and RIDDOR reportable - the most serious of dangerous gas situations. You should isolate your gas at your meter and call someone in to sort it ASAP

 

[Agile]

Very dangerous.

But could be made safe by capping it.

 

[cavalcade00]

Cheers for the advice and glad I checked. The cooker and boiler are fed by new pipework/fittings so I'm amazed this was neglected and still connected! An inconvenient eyesore has now been elevated to top priority.

 

[Agile]

How do you know it is still connected to the gas supply?