Gas pipe blockage

[jamesdean1986]

Is there such thing as a gas pipe unblocking service?

Long story short I have a blockage somewhere between my gas meter and my boiler. 60% of the pipeline is the original old mild steel and then it T's off to 22mm which is then later reduced to 15mm at the boiler.

By process of elimination, I figure the blockage is somewhere in the steel pipe, presumably rust build up?

Unfortunately, after spending a year renovating the house we have only just moved in so the last thing I want to do is rip up the flooring again.

 

[footprints]

Well in the age of "wet gas" and gasmen on pushbikes when I started we used to have a forcepump, a brass cylinder about 5" in dia and 2ft long with a handle like a stirrup pump. It was pumped up to the required pressure on a gauge and then a tapered nozzle pushed into the pipe and the pressure released with a valve.
Also very good for firing lumps of fire clay or putty at people on sites too!

No idea though if such a thing is available to anyone like BG these days, I suspect they will prefer to estimate for a new supply

 

[GavThePlumber]

Yes, it is called getting in a Gas Safe Registered engineer, use the website to find one local or take a recommendation from a friend/family

 

[jamesdean1986]

Thanks.
I phoned my local gas safe registered engineer who installed the boiler and these were his words....

"All I can do is open all your doors and windows, disconnect the pipe to the boiler, put a carrier bag over the end of the pipe and turn the gas on full, see if anything come out"

I'm looking for something a little more intelligent than that! I have no doubt there are more intelligent gas safe engineers out there.

I did consider disconnecting it at both ends, and using a compressor to blow back and fourth, but was also wondering if there is a camera service available, similar to Dyno Rod when unblocking drains.

 

[GavThePlumber]

Get someone else in.

 

[jamesdean1986]

I will do, but I came on here first to see what solutions are about before calling someone in. So that way I have a better understanding just in case I get someone else suggesting a dumb solution.

 

[GavThePlumber]

Using a manometer, he should have checked the service entry piping and meter for pressure drop, if there is a fault with the governor, then your supplier should be informed, you need to find out the working pressure, in simple terms.

Any decent engineer will know what to do.

 

[Agile]

Long story short I have a blockage somewhere between my gas meter and my boiler. 60% of the pipeline is the original old mild steel and then it T's off to 22mm which is then later reduced to 15mm at the boiler.

Who has decided there is a blockage?

What measurements did he make to come to that conclusion?

Blockages in gas pipes are pretty rare and those I have found are mostly careless installation practices! That means they did not suddenly appear later!

Tony

 

[gigz]

"All I can do is open all your doors and windows, disconnect the pipe to the boiler, put a carrier bag over the end of the pipe and turn the gas on full, see if anything come out"

I have actually done this before and it did work. If he installed and left it like this at least give him a chance to fix it. Some things sound stupid but you'd be surprised how many of them work. Just don't let him flush it with water

 

[jamesdean1986]

The Vaillant engineer that came out.

He ran a pressure test at the boiler, when it kicked in full the pressure went from 22 down to 5.

Ran same test at the meter, when the boiler kicked it it dropped from 22 to 20 suggesting there is a partial blockage/reduction in flow somewhere in-between.

The hob tees off the steel pipe about a foot before the tee for the boiler. When the boiler kicks in full the flames are drastically reduced on the hob, which suggests that the blockage is somewhere in the steel pipe before either of the tee junctions.

Open to alternative suggestion for the drastic reduction in pressure.

 

[jamesdean1986]

Gigz,
I hope it is a simple as that, but my concern is the pipe reduces as it gets closer to the boiler, if there is debris in the pipe im worried about it getting lodged.
Where as im thinking if its blown the other way, back towards the meter there is less chance of this.
That seems logical to me, but ive never had this issue before.

 

[Agile]

The hob tees off the steel pipe about a foot before the tee for the boiler. When the boiler kicks in full the flames are drastically reduced on the hob, which suggests that the blockage is somewhere in the steel pipe before either of the tee junctions.

You say that, but you have not answered my obvious next question!

Has it always done that or did it occur suddenly?

I have an 80 psi air compressor which I can use for blowing debris out of pipes!

Tony

 

[gigz]

Could be anywhere in the pipe, all i mean't was if i'd fitted your boiler i wouldn't charge you for doing as he suggests. Obviously it could have flaked away after he did he's job/tests so not necessarily his fault but customer relations and all that.

 

[footprints]

If the blockage is reducing the pressure from 22mb to 5mb that is downright dangerous, your installer should have checked before installation.
You need a new supply I'm afraid end of story. If it's that bad corroded iron pipes with that amount of debris can be at the point of leaking, fiddling about may be the final straw.

Depending on how your joists and under floor is configured often an engineer can manage a "push through" under a floor so that disruption can be minimised.

There is also the danger that fine rust may find it's way through to the boiler controlls / burner and cause problems too.

Sorry but sounds like a relay is your only real option.

 

[jamesdean1986]

I did call him but he has been off ill all week and said he was not sure when he would be able to get to me.
The system was installed within the first 2 months of us buying the house (about a year ago), but we never moved in due to renovation works, so its only been used for washing up the cups when we have a drink. it wasn't until we moved in last weekend and started fully using it for baths and showers that we noticed the issue.
The fitter only serviced it two weeks ago, but when I took all the paper work out yesterday, I noticed he has not filled anything in. Part of the installation paper work is for him to record the pressure once installed and running, but because he has not filled it out we have no proof either way