air test

[namsag]

Testing tee is recommended but There is a black plastic fitting that has a built in pressure nipple that just screws into meter outlet union and you air test(drop/soundness test) at exactly the same pressure as with gas 20mb also allowing for temp stabilisation .Surely yous have done this in your ACS

 

[ChrisR]

Nah, it's not in the ACS afaik.
What's this about strength testing domestic pipes - that's only for new non-domestic.

but are we not meant to air test at 30mb?

Eh?? Not that I've ever seen.

I've done lots of CP12's where there's no gas to the property, like a farmhouse in the middle of fields! They don't take long to do...

 

[ChrisR]

But I'm curious why an air test would be required if you are capping off the meter. Wouldn't whomever removes the cap would have the ultimately responsibility to ensure the tightness of the installation?

Makes sense to me. There's no requirement to DO a tightness test for a Landlord's Gas Safety Inspection, hard though that may be to believe.
Anything could happen before the supply's reinstated , when as you say it has to be tested anyway.

 

[namsag]

Definetly used to be in original ACS chris as i saw someone nearly fail on it, don`t remember it in the new easy renewal.
Only thing is the book only mentions air testing pipework and what to do if there is a drop and does not mention with appliances connected as there would no smell of gas even if drop was within limits.

 

[ChrisR]

Definetly used to be in original ACS

Figures - we've got little bits of pipework with nozzles on dotted about the place. I wondered what they were for!

 

[Agile]

I've done lots of CP12's where there's no gas to the property, like a farmhouse in the middle of fields! They don't take long to do...

Er.... how do you do the spillage test, flame picture, flame failure device testing, burner pressure or gas rating?

Tony

 

[kirkgas]

i set up a procedure for us to do on social housing void inspections, as soon as property became vacant we would do a full safety check if there was gas, if no gas we would do air test to confirm carcass was sound in case outgoing tenant had disturbed pipe disconnecting cooker etc, then we would cap supply and write warning notice stating appliances were to be checked and supply reinstated when new tenant moved in and got gas supply back on, seemed to work ok, we managed to change landlords opinion on safety tests as they used to wait until new tenant was moving in before getting it done, in some cases weeks later after different trades had been in the house, but i argued they had a care of duty to ensure the property was safe for the other trades to be sent to work in, in the end they agreed and both gas engineer and spark were sent in as soon as the property became void to confirm everything was ok.

 

[CMairiD]

I find timing on void gas checks a bit of an oddity.

As you rightly state, we have a duty of care to our contractors, not to mention neighbours, passer-bys, etc. If the outgoing tenant damages, say, the bayonet yanking the cooker out, we could have a leak whilst void.

Equally, if the annual check/service were done in January and we do a void check (visual and pipework) before tenanting in February, there's the chance the incoming tenant could also damage the bayonet and unless they can smell gas, we wouldn't need to go back for almost a year.

It seems like two checks (before and after void) would be the best route.

 

[Agile]

I would have thought that it is better to just cap off the gas supply while the property is empty. Helps to protect against squatters too.

There is a requirement under GSUR for the Landlord to check that the installation is safe when a new tenant moves in.

Therefore, a check would be better done at that point when any tenants new cookers can be taken into account etc.

Tony

 

[kirkgas]

we did try capping gas supply till tenant moved in, but we found occasional leaks under floors after new tenant had fitted laminate flooring (sometimes they would get the key and get on with some work then contact us) this caused major hassle as the tenant wanted compen for the laminate so if there is gas we do a full test and note whether a bayonet is fitted, then letter the tenant to advise the must ger RGI to install cooker and supply paperwork to landlord, which will be cross referenced at next service (it never is!!) and if cooker is fitted with no paperwork they will be caught out, this means both us and the landlord are fully covered if the tenant fits their own coker and causes a prob.

 

[Agile]

That seems a bit rich for a tenant to claim compensation after he caused a gas leak when fitting the laminate floor!

Tony

 

[kirkgas]

tell me about it, but some are up to all sorts, the prob with this type of thing is the cost to fight it, when we do install or window contracts we always expect certain tenants (well known by the housing office) to make a claim, it gets right on my t**s