Burying Capped Gas Pipe?

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by Tony Boyle, Jun 17, 2020.

  1. Tony Boyle

    Tony Boyle New Member

    I had a plumber pop round as I needed to remove a gas pipe sticking up out the concrete floor so I could lay self leveling compound for a nice clean finish to the room. He's capped it off and and I asked him about burying it and (he didn't say I couldn't) just said to dig around it a bit more and press it in so it's slightly lower, but now I've had some to think about this the more I think I shouldn't be doing that. Am I technically allowed to bury a capped off gas pipe in screed/self leveler?

    Plumber knew what my plan of the room was was and that the floor needed leveling/topping off and I needed a flush floor but just capped it off in the middle of the room not far from where the pipe popped up out the floor with little to no questioning.

    Has he just done exactly what I asked of him (cap a gas pipe) without taking into account the whole context of why I needed it capped and not offered a different solution that's needed for my desired outcome?
     

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  2. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Sorry but that’s a no go. Don’t be cementing over copper as it reacts. Personally I would have used an iron cap straight onto the iron pipe. Far less to go wrong over time. You have 3 different metals and 3 different connection types in that little lot.
     
  3. Tony Boyle

    Tony Boyle New Member

    I'll be honest I have absolutely no idea about Gas fittings and connections or what I was looking at. So if he had fit an iron cap onto it could it technically be buried? I feel like I've been shafted a little here.
     
  4. If that pipe was used to supply a cooker or fire, can you not have it disconnected at the meter end ? that way you can remove the pipe and finish the floor and wont have to worry about leaks, just a suggestion because there was one of those steel pipes buried in our floor that had a small leak, got a gas chap to disconnect it and fit copper pipes.
     
    Tony Boyle likes this.
  5. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Ok let’s be clear. Did you have a gas safe registered plumber round, and do you have any paperwork to say it is all satisfactory?

    If so, just say you are nervous about burying all those fittings and the copper pipe in cement, please can you change it for an iron cap.

    Yes, if possible, it may be better to disconnect the pipe completely. But that may be a much bigger job, that could be undertaken at a later date.

    Personally I would not bury that lot as it is. The compression fitting is a not ok as it should be accessible.

    Also I am not a gas engineer so make sure you use one!
     
    Tony Boyle likes this.
  6. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    You really need to change the arrangement so gas is no longer feeding that pipe.
    Never mind the copper, the iron pipe WILL corrode eventually and leak.
    Voice of experience here!

    If you don't, you'll worry about it, and as you are obviously doing some kind of substantial work, now is the time to do it.

    Good luck,
    Regards,
    Cando
     
    Tony Boyle likes this.
  7. That's two here who have experiencing with steel pipes leaking, there is a few houses in my road that had leaks from steel pipes, they where standard practice in some houses, get it disconnected and save yourself the worry and risk.
     
    Tony Boyle likes this.
  8. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Few years back, during a kitchen rip out, with my partner who is gas safe registered we had knocked the tiles off and revealed a corroded iron pipe in the wall going up to a bayonet. Wall was pretty damp also. Looked knackered and we had a discussion with householder as to re piping the kitchen in new copper. We were ready to walk away and the owner was adamant it was fine as had been ok since the house was built in 1935. She then decided to demonstrate how fine it was by shaking the fitting / pipe about. It all dissolved into a pile of iron rust flakes getting blown about by the escape of gas. I did not have time to see the look on her face as I was under the stairs in a flash to turn off the gas, apparently the look was somewhere between ‘I’m a twit and what have I done’.
     
    Tony Boyle likes this.
  9. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Is there a pigeon below me?
     
  10. That was probably our weekly day release visitor.
     
  11. nigel willson

    nigel willson Screwfix Select

    Where’s all this white stuff coming from
     
  12. nigel willson

    nigel willson Screwfix Select

    I do now
     
  13. Tony Boyle

    Tony Boyle New Member

    I did have a gas safe/registered plumber round but because he lives one street over from me I think he was treating it as a potential half assed job, whole thing was very casual from both our part and I just let him pop round when ever he was free as I was home all week. He buggered off halfway through the job to get some bits and I presume he went off to Screwfix nearby because he didn't have what he needed despite already checking and accessing the pipe a few days before. I dunno, all felt a little to casual for I think.

    Was £50 for capping and he left without giving me any paper work but he did conduct all leak tests that I saw etc...

    Again I'm not quite sure how the Gas it's plumbed in. I'm assuming every bit of it is buried in the concrete from the looks of it (pic attatched). Gas pipe comes in from concrete and the drops back out the meter into the concrete again. It's an older ex council house. Good ol wimpy no fines **shudders**.

    The only thing it supplies is the boiler and the cooker, of which I think I'm going to go electric cooker anyway, so will eventually be just boiler feed. This was the fire place supply I'm trying to bury/get rid of.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Tony Boyle

    Tony Boyle New Member

    This what I'm thinking the plumber should of just told me in the first place and just get rid of the entire thing rather than just capping it and saying its fine to bury.
     
  15. [QUOTE="
    Again I'm not quite sure how the Gas it's plumbed in. I'm assuming every bit of it is buried in the concrete from the looks of it (pic attatched). Gas pipe comes in from concrete and the drops back out the meter into the concrete again. It's an older ex council house. Good ol wimpy no fines **shudders**.

    The only thing it supplies is the boiler and the cooker, of which I think I'm going to go electric cooker anyway, so will eventually be just boiler feed. This was the fire place supply I'm trying to bury/get rid of.[/QUOTE]

    Ah good old no fines, welcome to the club, I live in one. in mine the steel pipe runs from the meter into the ground, at the front end of the house, just before the stairs it tee's off to the living room and at right angles to the old steel cooker point, so possibly somewhere in your floor is the Tee joint that splits that pipe for the kitchen and fireplace, its in there somewhere. I had the meter part of the pipe disconnected.

    Now the pipe for the gas boiler is copper direct from the meter so loosing the steel pipe wasn't a problem. What is becoming clear is these pipes can corrode and leak or eventually will do.
     
  16. Tony Boyle

    Tony Boyle New Member

    Errgghh! Place is an ex rental I purchased and everything is just bodged. The whole place was neglected so much it's not even funny. I only wanted to install laminate flooring which basicly turned into a gutting as I found more and more wrong with it. Originally I was like "how bad can the no fines actually be?", man do I regret thinking that. I've got to try and hang a new radiator soon and I'm so not looking forward to drilling those holes.

    Maybe I'll just get the guy back in and get a new run to the boiler only and just get a new cooker, might make my life so much easier.
     
  17. Just spotted your meter picture, yep, same layout as in mine as expected. Ive attached a pic of my gas connection, the steels been disconnected and 22mm copper run for the boiler.

    You can see the steel pipes just left in as its a bit of a booger to remove it given its close proximity to the incomer.

    I would add that your gas fitter should have spotted it was steel and offered a solution like the guy I got in did, it wasnt cheap, 340 quid to sort it and fit the copper but I sleep a lot better at night, oh and that leak, No one ever smelt gas, the leak showed up during a routine check, it was days later when moving a freezer I spotted a little bulge in the ashplant floor, only a small one, bust it open to repair it and it stunk of gas.

    gasmeter.jpg
     
  18. Don't get disheartened, when I moved in to mine it was a right shot hole, I got it cheap being the money grabbin sod I am, it needed a lot of work, took two years to get it just right, even fitted a spanky new kitchen and floor, only to get a gas leak afterwards lol.

    I do feel your pain though, these houses can be a challenge but one sorted and you get the hang of the walls, they are pretty nice houses for the price. The walls are easy, you have two options, go at it like a bat out of hell and end up with a new doorway or go easy with a decent sds drill and either stuff the hole with rapid set cement or use resin, both are good and your rad wont fall off, I fitted ten so far, first two we don't talk about, the other eight I took advice and got it right.

    After a year of it you earn bragging rights :)

    --
     
  19. Ok bit of advice, if your getting that chap back, stand your ground and demand what you want and why, if its any help, my gas chap ran 22mm pipe from the meter, upstairs under the floor boards and tee'd off to a drop for the cooker, it wasn't so much bother because I was rewiring upstairs and had the boards up. A neighbour had 22mm pipe run from the meter to the boiler and cooker, fitted on the wall close to the ceiling in trunking, considering its trunking it doesn't look that bad to be honest.
     
  20. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    That's what I did... but make a feed available to cooker/hob position in case you cnhange your mind!
    Cando
     

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