Gas fire gas supply routing - anyone help?

[aj3]

Hello,

I am in the process of rebuilding my fireplace and installing a gas fire. I have someone coming to properly fit all the gas pipes but hade a question on the routing of the supply pipe. There is currently the chrome pipe sticking up to the right of the hearth ready for an over the hearth connection, but I am keen to try and conceal the pipe.

I have managed to route an 8mm pipe from the front of the fire, under the hearth, under the floor boards and into the same area as the current supply. I have sleeved the 8mm pipe into 10mm sleaving and plan to cement it down and seal the sleeving to the pipe with fire retardant sealer.

As you can see from the picture the pipe comes up right next to the fire. However what I want to check is I am about to put on the cast iron surround and also the fireplace "legs" which will sit over the area of the pipe. I dont want to fully fix everything to the wall and start filling behind until I know that having the supply concealed in this way is legal. Once I have put everything on top, it will be nigh on impossible to take it out.

Can anyone tell me if it is ok to have the pipe routed in this way?

Cheers

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[Agile]

You say that you have a CORGI coming to fit the gas supply.

Then you say that you have already fitted it yourself!

My deduction is that there is no CORGI coming!

If there is then he may not agree with what you have done. The regulations for fitting gas fires are quite detailed and cannot be guessed at !

Tony

 

[aj3]

Thanks for your reply - I am fitting the fire into the firplace myself and routing the pipe so that I can put the fireplace back together, but I am having a Corgi come to connect up the gas supply - I am very handy at the DIY, but wouldnt touch anything as specialised as actually trying to connect the gas - so there IS definitily a CORGI coming to do that.

Take your point on CORGI guidelines being very detailed. If I cant find an answer I may well just take the pipe out and accept that I have to get the gas supply routed accross the hearth. Would be a shame as the fireplace will be much nicer without it, but sometimes you have to compromise.

 

[Agile]

The first thing a CORGI would normally do is to test the flue BEFORE a fire is fitted.

However, some are less conscientious and would assume its OK and just test it AFTER its beenn installed.

A well experienced CORGI would never waste time fitting fire unless he was sure the flue was working properly.

Tony

 

[aj3]

I have actually tested the flue myself - have done a couple of smoke tests to make sure and it seems to be fine. It is a class 1 flue and was used previously for an outset gas fire which I have had disconnected and removed (by CORGI ). So the flue is definitely working fine.

 

[Terrywookfit]

But it is only possible to do a flow test with no appliance connected!!

I have been to plenty of jobs that passed a flow test but when appliance was connected spillage was terrible !!

Some of these had previously had appliances fitted for years !!

 

[Agile]

I have actually tested the flue myself - have done a couple of smoke tests to make sure and it seems to be fine. It is a class 1 flue and was used previously for an outset gas fire which I have had disconnected and removed (by CORGI ). So the flue is definitely working fine.

How exactly did you do your "smoke tests" ?

Tony

 

[aj3]

Used Smoke pellets.

 

[namsag]

What size pellet

 

[aj3]

Dont know the weight, but it was about the same diameter as a ten pence piece and about an inch deep. It gives a minutes worth of pretty heavy smoke.

 

[gasmark9]

Thanks for your reply - I am fitting the fire into the firplace myself and routing the pipe so that I can put the fireplace back together, but I am having a Corgi come to connect up the gas supply .

Personally, I would refuse to connect to a fire that had already had some pipework connected to it by a third party. Even more so if this pipework was hidden/buried/not available for inspection.

If a customer wants me to install a fire, then I will insist on carrying out all of the required work myself in order to ensure:

1. The safety of the installation.
2. The compliance of the installation with the relevant regulations.
3. That my back is covered at all times.

Gas fires are a tricky subject and unless you know the regs pertaining to their installation, you can easily come unstuck.

 

[aj3]

I see what you mean Mark - so even if the pipework WAS in the right place/up to code, if CORGI man cannot see it then the likelihood is they might refuse to be involved? Wondering if I might be better off putting up with over the hearth connection.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Why not get your installer to first fix the gas pipe !!

 

[aj3]

I was going to do that - but I believe the fireplace needs to be fully installed and sealed before the gas pipe is attached - so would have to call out the guy twice, so was trying to circumvent the additional 60 quid call out plus work which would no doubt set me back a hundred, and then have to get him out again once I had fully fitted the fireplace to connect it up.

 

[namsag]

aj3 How do you know they would charge you more. by the sounds of it you have not even had someone out to look or price job.

Most guys would love to be able to get everything in first with nothing in the way, most would let you fit surround etc and tell you how and why it all must be sealed. Giving you a total price for the job, most wouldn`t charge extra for 2 visits as it is easier for them.

As it is you don`t know if anyone is going to trust what you have done and fit the fire

It does sound like you are going to do entire job by yourself.