Gas question- Can a novice UNinstall gas fires?

ashli_2

Hi there,

The hosue that I am trying to buy needs considerable work done on it, including replacing two hideous 70's gas fires. We are on a very tight budget and need to do everything that we canourselves. I know I would need a professional to come and put the new fires in, but do I need to pay said professional to disconnect the old fires? Or is that something I could do myself without endangering myself too much?


Thanks

Clive_Woody

ashli wrote:

.......without endangering myself too much?


Thanks

:rotfl:

What about your neighbours, they may not be too keen on you endangering them too....

To be honest if you are going to pay somebody to fit the new fires it won't be a huge job for them to remove the old fires unless they are glued to the wall.

ormus

the rules state that all domestic gas work must be done by a competant person/s.
usually taken to mean a corgi fitter. but it doesnt state that! no matter what a corgi man may tell you.
beware that this hasnt been tested in a court yet. (to my knowledge).
therefore you can remove the gas fires and cap off the supply, IF you are competant.
only you and possibly a court can decide that.

as an engineer, (not gas trained) i feel competant enough to do such a minor gas job. YOUR skill level may be very different.

Avoriaz

Personally I would do it all myself. I am a reasonably competent amateur plumber and I have done a lot of perfectly good plumbing jobs without a single flood in 28 years of home ownership. I also installed my own replacement gas hob 15 years ago and it has not blown up yet.

Only you can decide if your DIY skills are up to doing a safe, reliable and long lasting job on gas fires. Please ensure that you know exactly what you are doing and take all necessary precautions. Do you know whether the flues are adequate for the new fires? Is there an isolating valve or tap near the existing fires that you can use?

It should all be straightforward enough and you can get the final work examined and tested by a Corgi qualified professional.

Canucklehead

Good evening: For info on gas safety, check out the following link

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg238.pdf

Please note:installation of gas appliances is notifiable to Building Control.

Stay safe!

Canucklehead

Slavia

Do not fit or remove gas fires yourself, this should only be done by qualified corgi fitters. Otherwise one day you may be shafted by Transco, assuming you are still alive after a dose of carbon monoxide.

If anyone is thinking of fitting flueless gas fires, my advice is don't, not even by a qualified fitter, as these fires are disgustingly filthy. Many gas engineers will not fit or service them.

The following is a good site for info and discussion about all things gas.

http://www.argi.org.uk

Coveredinbees!!!!

Slavia wrote: »

Do not fit or remove gas fires yourself, this should only be done by qualified corgi fitters. Otherwise one day you may be shafted by Transco, assuming you are still alive after a dose of carbon monoxide.
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How are you going to get a dose of CO from taking out a gas fire? If there isn't a fire there won't be anything to product CO.

I wouldn't fancy taking out a fire myself I would get a man in.

wiggly

if a firre has been disconnected, and is in front of an old open fire place (and the opening sealed off)

what danger can I come to removing it? what am I likely to find behind the fire?

olly300

Behind the fire- dead birds, dead mice, rubbish and nice tiling. (This was behind some of the fireplaces in the house I was brought up in.) Plus you will get a draught which will be cold in winter.

Danger - depends on who disconnected it.

A corgi guy just has to certify that the gas fitting is ok, he doesn't have to do the work.

Either:
1. Disconnect the fires and get the guy who certifies your boiler to certify the fires are ok. Then Transco can't shaft you.

2. Get the guy who fits the new fires to remove the old ones.
However your chimney's may need sweeping.

caleyles

When working on a gas appliance the only safe test to ensure gas tightness throughout the house is by using a manometer or u guage. The problem arises that if you disconnect a gas pipe and cap off the end, all very well, you can test with soap or gas leak detector but can you be 100% sure that while working on this bit of pipe you haven't disturbed something else possibly under the floor? Testing at the meter tests all the pipework throughout the house, competent or not can you be really sure of what you can't see.

Be safe not a statistic:)

ashli_2

Thanks for all your replies. I have decided to do the senisble thing and pay a proffessional...one can only take moneysaving so far!:rotfl: