Is uncapped old gas line safe?

Discussion in 'Engineers' Talk' started by Jim Haha, Jan 30, 2021.

  1. Jim Haha

    Jim Haha New Member

    Hi, I had a small capped gas line coming out of the floor in our spare bedroom, which must have served a long-gone fire.

    Got a gas safe guy round to move it under floorboards, as we’re having new carpet. As he was leaving he told me he didn’t want to take up the floorboard as they never go back down as well (they’re tongue and groove), so he took the cap off and checked the line wasn’t live. I assume he must have just pushed the uncapped line under the floorboard. Can see he put some filler putty of some sort in the floorboard hole to stop the smell of the gas residue from the pipe (his explanation), which i believe is left open. Is this safe?

    I didn’t see any of this as I was looking after the nipper and had moved him to another part of the house to be away while this guy worked. I’d been quite insistent that it was capped so am a bit annoyed. Would have much preferred it to have been cappped just to make extra sure. Or am I worrying over nothing?

    it was a few days ago and we’ve not exploded yet, so I trust it’s not a live line, but still seems a bit risky, just incase some idiot reconnects it in future or there is a tap rather at the other end of this line and it’s still connected to the source.

    Thanks!
     
  2. Mike83

    Mike83 Screwfix Select

    If it was disconnected from the gas pipe then it should still be capped but not a big issue if not.
    However there may be an isolation valve on this pipe that’s simply turned off. If so it could easily be turned back on or start to pass at some point.
    Usually I would investigate the pipework and try work out if it’s still connected.
    If you can fully see the pipework layout from say the meter to the boiler and there’s no tees on it then you know it’s disconnected.
     
  3. Bob Rathbone

    Bob Rathbone Screwfix Select

    As Mike said, it should be capped, for safety and to stop residual gas odours.
     

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