I can smell gas............

[esox]

A neighbour phoned us to inform us that he could smell gas from my wife`s fathers house.
My wife went over and sure enough evidence of the obnoxious odour could be detected emitting from the gas meter cupboard on the outside of the house. She turned the gas off at the valve and she is sure that the leak stopped and the smell was no longer present.
Before we inform the relevant authorities tomorrow (and in preparation of the possibility of having my pants pulled down by tradesmen/the gas company capitalising on the fear of blowing up the whole neighbourhood) does anyone know where my responsibility starts with regard to repairs and maintenance, ie: the supply pipe to the meter from underground, the meter itself, or does it start at the meter supply outlet pipework? The meter belongs to the gas company so i wouldn`t expect to have to pay for maintenance on that i would think?

 

[clk320x]

See below:

If you smell gas, think you have a gas leak or have any concerns regarding carbon monoxide, immediately open all windows and doors and extinguish any naked flames including cigarettes, then call the Gas Emergency Services free on 0800 111 999(1). This is a national number and is available to all areas.

 

[Mr. B]

You need to notify the gas emergency service now. They will decide on the next course of action. Don’t second guess with gas, pick the phone up and make that call

 

[pmcgsmurf]

A neighbour phoned us to inform us that he could smell gas from my wife`s fathers house.
My wife went over and sure enough evidence of the obnoxious odour could be detected emitting from the gas meter cupboard on the outside of the house. She turned the gas off at the valve and she is sure that the leak stopped and the smell was no longer present.
Before we inform the relevant authorities tomorrow.............

You should have done this by now, do not wait do it straight away.

 

[moonloops]

Before we inform the relevant authorities tomorrow

!!KABOOM!!

Will be my best guess at the outcome.

 

[markjay]

As far as I know, the utility company (energy provider) is responsible up to and including the meter, the landlord is responsible from the meter onwards.

 

[markjay]

100% the gas emergency line needs to be called ASAP.

That said, I live in a block of flats and we had smell of gas around the meters a few times in the past, the gas people came did some tests and said all was well. So I guess it isn't always a sign of a problem, but obviously it's not your call - it's for them to decide.

BTW the gas emergency people will deal with ANY gas (or CO) related emergency, even if it is inside your own property, though they will obviously only take urgent action to make the equipment safe (in most cases shut off the gas supply) but won't actually repair faulty appliances or pipes.

 

[whitenemesis]

20yrs ago we moved into our new house only to smell gas quite strongly around the meter/garage area. Reported it to the gas board and within 7 days they had dug up all our neighbours block driveways trying to find the gas pipe.
Builders had neglected to mention they had to reroute and didn't mark it on any plans!
We weren't flavour of the month....

 

[GeeJayW]

Google Image Result for https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/163F4/production/_109342119_explosion-site.jpg

 

[14emerc]

Wife could smell gas at our meter under the stairs in our house, i could not. So to be safe, I called the emergency number and got the safety information and did as asked, shut off the gas supply at the gas ****.
Same day, gas engineer arrive, tested, and removed the gas **** and refitted a new one. He said the gas **** had ”dried out” . No cost, all part of the safety plan.
why is **** being changed to stars?

 

[MCFastybloke]

If you isolated the supply and the escape stopped then its a job for a Gas Safe plumber, householders responsibility.

 

[saff]

Wife could smell gas at our meter under the stairs in our house, i could not. So to be safe, I called the emergency number and got the safety information and did as asked, shut off the gas supply at the gas ****.
Same day, gas engineer arrive, tested, and removed the gas **** and refitted a newone. He said the gas **** had ”dried out” . No cost, all part of the safety plan.
why is **** being changed to stars?

Are you trying to say "male chicken"? I dont think you can say "gas ****" on here.

 

[190]

The gas mains are currently been replaced in our neighbourhood and I've watched them do it with interest. At no point have they isolated the supply, which I understand is a problem as you don't want air in the pipe work and have to purge it out in every household. Everything has been done live, I talked to the guys to understand how they could possibly manage that. They made live connections by boring a hole in the plastic pipe and inserting a balloon which when inflated produced a temporary isolation while they connected a new length of pipe which was then welded in place by applying an electric current to two electrodes. The balloon is then removed and the hole patched or used as an off take to supply a house. Gas is very low pressure so they seemed to get away with drilling into a live pipe and I suppose safe enough outdoors where there is plenty of ventilation. It's inside confined spaces like a house when it becomes a potential bomb.

 

[Bert_W164]

Wife could smell gas at our meter under the stairs in our house, i could not. So to be safe, I called the emergency number and got the safety information and did as asked, shut off the gas supply at the gas ****.
Same day, gas engineer arrive, tested, and removed the gas **** and refitted a new one. He said the gas **** had ”dried out” . No cost, all part of the safety plan.
why is **** being changed to stars?

A lot of swearing at 08:45...

 

[Darrell]

The gas mains are currently been replaced in our neighbourhood and I've watched them do it with interest. At no point have they isolated the supply, which I understand is a problem as you don't want air in the pipe work and have to purge it out in every household. Everything has been done live, I talked to the guys to understand how they could possibly manage that. They made live connections by boring a hole in the plastic pipe and inserting a balloon which when inflated produced a temporary isolation while they connected a new length of pipe which was then welded in place by applying an electric current to two electrodes. The balloon is then removed and the hole patched or used as an off take to supply a house. Gas is very low pressure so they seemed to get away with drilling into a live pipe and I suppose safe enough outdoors where there is plenty of ventilation. It's inside confined spaces like a house when it becomes a potential bomb.

In a nutshell... it’s easy.
We use fusion welders on our MDPE temporary pipework on certain jobs because some builders stipulate it.

 

[esox]

Blimey, there`s a lot of drama queens on here!
Calm down, calm down, i already said that the leak stopped when the gas valve was closed so leaving it until today was perfectly safe.

The man came out this morning and found the leak(s) and it`s all fixed now.

 

[zipdip]

Well you have to call the national number if you smell gas,some years ago I bought a one bed flat as a investment as always I put a new bathroom and kitchen in,I had just finished when I thought I smelt gas,still I went home the next morning I got into the flat and there was no mistaking there was a lot of gas,so I called the number and in 20 mins the engineer turned up I explained I had not touched the gas,he put his probe down the gas pipe coming out of the concrete floor and said there a hot spot down there I said well the young guy lives in the ground floor flat and he has learning difficulties ,well the engineer went down and knocked on the door it opened and the engineer ran in and came out coughing,he said the lad had left a gas ring on without lighting,he said that there was so much gas in that flat that it had gone past the explosion point,he must have made a report because his parents knocked and said sorry,I suggested they bought him a electric stove it would be safer for everybody.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

The gas mains are currently been replaced in our neighbourhood and I've watched them do it with interest. At no point have they isolated the supply, which I understand is a problem as you don't want air in the pipe work and have to purge it out in every household. Everything has been done live, I talked to the guys to understand how they could possibly manage that. They made live connections by boring a hole in the plastic pipe and inserting a balloon which when inflated produced a temporary isolation while they connected a new length of pipe which was then welded in place by applying an electric current to two electrodes. The balloon is then removed and the hole patched or used as an off take to supply a house. Gas is very low pressure so they seemed to get away with drilling into a live pipe and I suppose safe enough outdoors where there is plenty of ventilation. It's inside confined spaces like a house when it becomes a potential bomb.

I'm currently constructing an extension which involved re-siting the gas meter. They turned up and simply clamped the yellow pipe with a vice grip to isolate whilst extending the pipe and making a new connection. It was a surprisingly quick and simple job considering it cost me £565.00

Obviously 3 men turned up. 1 man doing. The other 2 P!ssing about on their phones

 

[Darrell]

I'm currently constructing an extension which involved re-siting the gas meter. They turned up and simply clamped the yellow pipe with a vice grip to isolate whilst extending the pipe and making a new connection. It was a surprisingly quick and simple job considering it cost me £565.00

Obviously 3 men turned up. 1 man doing. The other 2 P!ssing about on their phones

When I had my own construction firm we often needed gas meters moved and so got charged the Earth for not a lot of work. I then bought one of these.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

When I had my own construction firm we often needed gas meters move and got charged the Earth for not a lot of work. I then bought one of these.
View attachment 102335

I have one in the van ‘just in case’ for when I’m digging founds. Works well on gas and water (so I believe ) but it’s rubbish on mains electric.