Gas meter unearthed. Problem?

Competsoph

Hi everyone,

Im looking for some advice regarding the property I am purchasing.
The survey has highlighted the gas meter isn’t earthed, this meter is indoors. Unfortunately I have very little understanding of electrics and asked my very DIY savvy dad, who says this is a small job for an electrician.
I believe as the meter is indoors, this is the responsibility on the home owner not the gas company.
Is this issue urgent? (My surveyor feels not) Does this have any impact on the use of the property? And approximately how much could this cost me?

TIA 😀

FreeBear

Even if the gas meter was outside, it would still be the homeowner's responsibility to "earth" the gas pipe. When the meter was installed, it is quite likely that the regulations in force at the time did not require an earth. Certainly not an urgent issue that needs to be resolved before moving in.

My gas meter ^ pipework isn't earthed either. Has been that way for <mumble><mumble> years, and I really can't be a**d to fix it.

Risteard

Bonded - NOT Earthed. 

GDB2222

Risteard said:

Bonded - NOT Earthed. 

Alright. I’ll rise to the bait. What’s the difference?

Jonesya

The pipework is likely already earthed, by being in contact with the soil it is buried in. The bonding is need to ensure that it is electrically tied, bonded, to the electrical earth inside the house, holding it all at the same potential.

This is necessary because during an electrical fault or certain fault conditions on the electricity supply, the electrical earth can rise in potential above that of true earth, to voltages high enough to cause injury. If during that fault you were to touch something connected to the electrical earth like the casing of an appliance, electrical equipment etc and touch something at true earth potential (like an unbonded gas pipe, gas appliance or unbonded plumbing), bridging the two then you could receive a electric shock. 

Going back to the Op, yes fitting some bonding should be a small job but it's a flag to check what state the rest of the electrical system is in because if there really is no bonding on to the gas and it's not just become disconnected, then bonding is something required for probably over 50 years, so how's that been missed? What other issues are there lurking?

Ectophile

If the gas and electricity supplies are in the same meter cupboard, then it's simply an metal clamp on the gas pipe leaving the meter, and a bit of green and yellow stripy wire from that to your main earth terminal.  An easy job for an electrician.

If your gas and electricity supplies are at opposite ends of the house, it could be a rather fiddly awkward job.