Trac pipe installation question

[5teves]

Hello,

I need some advice about a tracpipe installation.

We will be taking a seperate gas line into the outhouse, intend of routing in through the house underfloor.

My gas man recommended a trac pipe from the front of the house ( where meter is) to enter into the house under the suspeded timber floor im hallway and buried under the concrete in living room and then exiting into the garden and buried into soil from that point upto the outbuilding.

My question is it best to lay the trac pipe from end to end or would a combination of both copper and trac pipe work out cheaper, or will it compromise saftey?

Also is a trac pipe ok to be sat inside the void where we have a suspended timber floor, and also buried directly into concrete and soil or does it need to be protected?

I would really much appreciate the advice.

All of the work is to be carried out by the gas man, but i just want to be be armed with the best knowledge to be sure and safe.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mr.B]

I'm NOT qualified to answer definitively. But I have used tracpipe (although in a loft and not in your circumstances) and had it connected by a GasSafe man.

But my thoughts on the matter would be very, very clear. I would definitely opt for one unbroken length of tracpipe and, for the little it would cost, where its buried under soil and concrete I would run it in a plastic protection - something as basic as rainwater downpipe. That way you would minimise possibilty of leaks and, if the worst came to the worst you could withdraw the tracpipe at some point in the future by simply pulling it through.

But, I stand to be corrected by those who know more than I.

 

[5teves]

I'm NOT qualified to answer definitively. But I have used tracpipe (although in a loft and not in your circumstances) and had it connected by a GasSafe man.

But my thoughts on the matter would be very, very clear. I would definitely opt for one unbroken length of tracpipe and, for the little it would cost, where its buried under soil and concrete I would run it in a plastic protection - something as basic as rainwater downpipe. That way you would minimise possibilty of leaks and, if the worst came to the worst you could withdraw the tracpipe at some point in the future by simply pulling it through.

But, I stand to be corrected by those who know more than I.

Thankyou,

I appreciate the suggestion. I agree most high priorty is of its saftey

 

[ianmcd]

yes trac-pipe is your best bet

 

[5teves]

yes trac-pipe is your best bet

Hi Ianmcd

Will it meet the safety regulations through out of of the run I've described, or would it need to be further protected etc?

I.e, laying ontop of soil under the suspended floor void, then into concrete floor slab and then buried into soil in garden?

 

[ianmcd]

yep that is what trac pipe is , it is a corrogated pipe sleeved for protection, but your gas safe registered engineer doing the install will be able to advise you of and other protections needed if any

 

[bernardgreen]

a trac pipe ok to be sat inside the void

Check with the GasSafe engineer about any requirements to ventilate the void to prevent a hazardous build up of gas in the unlikely event of a leak. Likewise for any ducting that should ( I believe ) vent to free open air,

 

[5teves]

Hi, i asked him this and he said no need for any type of ducting,

Basically as i understood it,
He was literally going to drill a hole from.the meter box into the house and then into the ground. Through the suspended timber floor and then into the concrete ( he'll have to break it and dig down)

And then straight of of the back of the house wall below and into garden and still remaining underground for the whole run.

He said there shouldn't be be any gaps left in the holes he will drill but if there was and gaps then he would fill them with mortar

I dont know, maybe im over thinking it but its gas and i really want it to be right.

Just incase this may be of relevance, in the areas he will be passing through suspended flooring there are airbricks on the external wall to allow air circulation.

 

[ianmcd]

Check with the GasSafe engineer about any requirements to ventilate the void to prevent a hazardous build up of gas in the unlikely event of a leak. Likewise for any ducting that should ( I believe ) vent to free open air,

New tracpipe has this function built in, no need for vents as long as no joints made

 

[5teves]

Hi all,

I've spoken with the the gas man again and he said another way do it would be to use copper indoors and the plastic mdpe gas pipe for the run outside bit under the soil.

Personally i would have thought for him it would be easier to install the trac pipe hence and only suspect he is trying to save on the cost... i dont know.

So thats copper from

> the meter into the house > under timber floor > into the concrete slab > and then just by the end of the house where it exits into the garden switch to MDPE and run it straight to the outhouse.

He said he would lag the pipes to make sure they are not affected by cement etc

Please share your thoughts, i do really appreciate.

 

[ianmcd]

Yes its fine to do it that way also and will be cheaper, Trac pipe is expensive but also suitable for what you want to do

 

[5teves]

Hello hope you all well,

My enegineer says if we go with the copper and plastic pipe combination then once the copper pipe exits the rear of house it will have to go upwards againts the wall and the plastic gas pipe would then be joined onto it and run into the ground again and brought back up above ground and a fixed to the ouside of the outbuilding.

I dont mind the pipe running up the external wall on the outhouse building, but would prefer it NOT to be exposed at the wall at the rear or house preferably at the outhouse too it was possible.

He said the joint has to be exposed

Wondering if thats just his opinion and it can really be concealed underground to make a continuous safe line through to the end.

Can you advise please?

 

[Mr.B]

I ran copper up the front of the house (hidden behind a rainwater downpipe and then changed to tracpipe across the loft space) but my gas bloke didn't want the (copper to tracpipe) join to be tucked right in the confined part of the loft space space just inside the loft (i.e. just above the soffit) so he joined copper to tracpipe iin open air just under the soffit (I did wrap a little bit of rubber material round it so that the brass fitting wasn't so obvious .... it was actually a short length of bicycle inner tube secured with a couple of cable ties and as it's at gutter height it looks OK.

 

[bernardgreen]

He said the joint has to be exposed
Wondering if thats just his opinion and it can really be concealed underground to make a continuous safe line through to the end.

Joints can fail and leak gas, if the joint is exposed to free air then any gas that does leak will dissipate and not be a hazard.

If on the other hand the joint is buried then the gas that leaks will travel underground taking the easiest route from the leak. It could come out of the ground some distance from the leak. This maybe under a building and that could result in a build up of a hazardous amount of gas in the building.

 

[dilalio]

Wondering if thats just his opinion and it can really be concealed underground to make a continuous safe line through to the end.

Can you advise please?

Suggest you take his advice, it is based on Manufacturers' Instructions, British Standards and GS(IU) Regulations, for which he is qualified.

His name will be on the installation.

Trac pipe is a brand name.

Other brands of CSST/flexible steel gas pipe are available.

Plenty of info is available on their websites.