Gas pipes - What are the rules

anyone who saw what the corgi guy did to that gas fire pipeline, on the bbc program, the million pound property experiment, will have serious doubts about the term corgi registered fitter.
 
if you ar corgi reg it is hard to get yet easy to lose We have a procedure and on obligation to report any bad gas work i hope he was reported and struck of. All the trades do not need that type of cowboy .
 
I am a Corgi gas engineer and I will always refuse to connect gas to pipes that have been installed by a non-corgi person. There are many requirements to be considered with gas pipes and unless I can see every inch of the pipe I will not assume it is safe.

martyn
 
My understanding of the law is that gas appliances/pipework have to be installed by a competent person. Only CORGI registered plumbers can charge for fitting pipework etc. So you can do it entirely yourself if, and only if, you are competent. I would suggest that if you are not sure about it, then don't do it.
With regard to doing the work and getting a CORGI plumber to test&commission, I tried this but couldn't find anyone interested. So I read up and did all the tests myself. I had to buy some bits of kit (manometer for the pressure & let by test), and I did my own high pressure (5bar)test before letting gas anywhere near the system. It strikes me as a bit dangerous to be using gas as the test medium to find out if there are any leaks, but this appears to be the norm.
 
If you are not corgi reg you are breaking the law. It is not about being competent. My engineers did not atend collage and on the job training for years just so some cowboy can read up on it and have a go. Don't mess with gas. It might work this time but you could kill someone next time. JMc
 
If you are not corgi reg you are breaking the law.
It is not about being competent.

You might like to read the regs again. My understanding from having read the regs is that you CAN do gas fitting for yourself without being CORGI registered, providing that you are competent to do so. Obviously there's a wedge of material on how to determine whether someone is considered competent!

What you CANNOT do is provide chargeable services to others without being CORGI registered.

Gotcher
 
When my father passed away I had his gas cooker. It was 30 years newer than my old one. It was on a moveable pipe like mine but was a different bayonet fitting. I went to a plumbers store & asked for a bayonet fitting for the outlet. They told me it was illegal if I did it myself but also sold me a tin of Rocol Gasseal.
The only gas leak I ever had was when British Gas insisted on fitting an outside meter. I refused as I had only recently gone back to gas & they wanted to put it in the 8' wide drive making it too small to get the car in & open the door. They then fitted an outside vent & the vent didnt leak but their pipe fitting between it & the house did. I checked under the rubble before they added an inch of concrete & found a hole big enough for rabbit warren cut into the brickwork & filled with wet clay. I almost burst a blood vessel when complaining. They even denied making the hole but fixed it to my satisfaction before leaving.
Unfortunately, they had wrenched the side gate hinges out by pulling the gate open when it opened inwards. Naturally butter wouldn't melt in their mouths & they wouldn't ever do such a thing. But out of the goodness of their hearts they provided a 3"x3" gate post so that I could replace the broken one.
Weren't they sweet?
 
I'm glad we have been able to prolong this thread after CF poured cold water on it!

Gotcher has found the "operative" component of the gas regulations (page 14, para 22) It appears you have to be competent to work on your own gas appliances ie have passed ACOP or ACS exams.

If you work for a friend or reward or any form of company you must also be a member of CORGI. Can't think why the regs have been worded this way?

To be a member of CORGI you must have passed the exams AND have operational experience audited by another CORGI member.

So in order to fit your gas cooker at home you need to have undergone at least £1500 worth of training plus sat practical and theory examinations.

Could take a very long time to be cost effective!
 
It has been mentioned a few times in this thread that you must be competent to install gas and appliances, this is the main factor, to be deemed competent by the HSE, you must have ACS gas certificates in the relevant sectors of gas work, that you intend to do, if you do not hold these certificates, you are not competent, so leave well alone

Corgi are just the regulating body, everyone keeps saying Corgi regs, Corgi do not make the regs the HSE do
 
Personally I would refuse to connect pipework that had been installed by a diy enthusiast. There's a bit mor to it than just running a bit of pipe. Before you ask, yes I am Corgi registered, and I hold both domestic and commercial ACS.
 
Think we're being a bit tough on corgi chaps here now.
The law only applies to the pipework the gas is to be carried in, not anything else like the water piping.
If I was corgi registered and asked to connect something up to pipework installed by DIYer, I would want to be damn sure that the pipe didn't leak gas before competing the installation, as according to the law I would be liable if anything went amiss.
 
Out of curiosity,
any corgi chaps out there willing to connect gas up to and commission a boiler that had been hung on the wall, flue connected and water connections made by a DIYer?
 
I would not do it. I think there is something on the corgi web site that said you cant but i will have to check. only corgi engs will be able to access all of site.
 
I have just been on corgis site and in the services & support section under FAQs at the bottom of the page the last queston. It said i am not corgi reg but can i fit a boiler and run the pipe work in and get a corgi man to do the rest. Answer is NO and it explains why but i cant be botherd to type that. If there are any corgis engs out there have a look it makes interesting reading. JMc
 
Tangoman, The simple answer is no. Any "corgi" person who does is probably moonlighting and not officially registered in their own right. In which case they are committing a criminal offence if I understand the rules correctly.

Your household insurance would also be null & void if the boiler blew up and took the house with it.

Martyn
 
Couple of points id like to add. Worst gas leak i've ever come across was left by British Gas. I was the apprentice and we were installing central heating in a property not yet connected to the gas supply. Out comes BG and put meter box on wrong house. Out again to put on right house. Out again to take box off wrong house. Then it took 3 men all day to dig a hole in pavement approx 3 feet deep, under wall and across garden bout 4 feet to wall of house, lay service pipe and connect to main, then backfill. Next day house stinks of gas. Nothing we had done, as were still waiting for meter to be fitted. Ring BG who take some convincing as no meter had been fitted so how could we have a gas leak? Out come Murphy's, dig out hole BG had filled day before and find leak. BG had 'forgotten' to fuse joint between service pipe and ferrule on main. Murphy's redo joint, jobs a good un. I know this is outside of CORGI's domain but if you cant trust BG who can you trust?
Second point is if you buy a gas boiler from Wickes they'll happily give you a 'good idea' leaflet on how to plumb in your central heating, warn you of the legalities about gas installation and supply a list of CORGI engineers who will be willing to connect the gas supply. Who's wrong here?
 
Hi Martyn,

that is not quite correct.
Corgi may have their own regulations regarding the connection of boilers hung by someone else, but as far as the law goes, if you don't touch gas you ain't breaking it.
I was just curious where most people drew the line.
 
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