Feel physically sick

[jaydebruyne]

I did a job recently, posted on here actually as had to get national grid out 3 times..

Anyway, everything got sorted and went back out Wednesday to service the boiler and do a GSC. Everything was fine.

Just had a text from custard saying there's a gas leak. Said I don't see how since I tested it and there was no drop, completely solid. She said national grid there now and its my pipework.

We speak on the phone and she clarified the pipe that was leaking was a steel pipe.

After a bit of deciphering and a photo what had happened was, a bit of flux must have got onto the anaconda when I heated up a fitting nearby without me realising and ate away at it.

Reading was 53 LEL. [emoji15]

I'm still shaking. I didn't realise I'd got flux on it otherwise I'd have cleaned it. Luckily nothing bad happened and I've learned a valuable lesson here. But Jesus, I feel absolutely sick to my stomach!!!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

i wouldnt worrie too much, least she found it and everything is ok

always put a towel over it to save things like this, there too thin i think, also they look like flux spatter (when you heat up the flux its sometimes spatters )

same with trac pipe also

 

[jaydebruyne]

i wouldnt worrie too much, least she found it and everything is ok

always put a towel over it to save things like this, there too thin i think

same with trac pipe also

Yeah I'm gonna from now on!!! I'm glad she is understanding enough to realise it was a simple mistake! Lesson learned..

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yeah I'm gonna from now on!!! I'm glad she is understanding enough to realise it was a simple mistake! Lesson learned..

it happens, thats why you always if you have a leak spray it with leaky first

also dont set the rag on fire tho

 

[Killy Bing]

I've done it.
Accidents happen mate
I used to wrap them up with carpet roll when I was soldering
Now I press so one less headache

 

[hammers4spanner]

Happens mate least it was found ,
Just chuck rags over it next time prior to solderinh

 

[Last Plumber]

Is that a new anaconda ?

How do you know it was your flux ?

I know flux will do that quickly, don't get me wrong but it could be caused by other things.

If someone in the past sprayed it with soapy ( washing up liquid ), water for eg, that would rust it too.

Just saying !

 

[jaydebruyne]

Is that a new anaconda ?

How do you know it was your flux ?

I know flux will do that quickly, don't get me wrong but it could be caused by other things.

If someone in the past sprayed it with soapy ( washing up liquid ), water for eg, that would rust it too.

Just saying !

Was new last year and no works been done down there since I upped the run.. I soldered an elbow that was prob right near there so it prob was me.. but who's to know for sure.. maybe it wasn't me :/

Either way, just glad the house didn't blow up!!!

 

[Last Plumber]

You live and learn !
Nothing bad happened.
Customer was understanding.

 

[cr0ft]

I had this happen to me on my first gas job of all jobs. A joint that was held with a pinhole of flux (very difficult to see and in boxing up high) passed the tightness test with flying colours. I'd called Transco out to check the regulator on that job as well and it passed their tightness test too.

Led to British Gas capping off the gas supply and ID'ing it. Gas Safe Register were very pragmatic about it, the assessor says it happens fairly frequently.

Why we don't test new gas pipework to much higher pressures is beyond me to be fair. I don't know any other industry that's so safety critical where pipework would be tested just to normal working pressure.

Lessons I learned very quickly. Buy a portable mirror. Double check everything. Most importantly, keep all records of tightness tests. I actually photograph the screen and save it to my iPhone. This way they are all date/time stamped. This is your due diligence. As long as you do this you are very unlikely to be prosecuted down the line as you have complied with industry testing standards.

Was incredibly stressful though and reminds me why I won't do gas work for the same price as plumbing work!

 

[jaydebruyne]

I had this happen to me on my first gas job of all jobs. A joint that was held with a pinhole of flux (very difficult to see and in boxing up high) passed the tightness test with flying colours. I'd called Transco out to check the regulator on that job as well and it passed their tightness test too.

Led to British Gas capping off the gas supply and ID'ing it. Gas Safe Register were very pragmatic about it, the assessor says it happens fairly frequently.

Why we don't test new gas pipework to much higher pressures is beyond me to be fair. I don't know any other industry that's so safety critical where pipework would be tested just to normal working pressure.

Lessons I learned very quickly. Buy a portable mirror. Double check everything. Most importantly, keep all records of tightness tests. I actually photograph the screen and save it to my iPhone. This way they are all date/time stamped. This is your due diligence. As long as you do this you are very unlikely to be prosecuted down the line as you have complied with industry testing standards.

Was incredibly stressful though and reminds me why I won't do gas work for the same price as plumbing work!

Yeah the national grid guy told my customer that they go to these type of situations every day where a 'plumber' does gas work and doesn't realise he's got flux on the service or anaconda..

 

[Last Plumber]

I had this happen to me on my first gas job of all jobs. A joint that was held with a pinhole of flux (very difficult to see and in boxing up high) passed the tightness test with flying colours. I'd called Transco out to check the regulator on that job as well and it passed their tightness test too.

Led to British Gas capping off the gas supply and ID'ing it. Gas Safe Register were very pragmatic about it, the assessor says it happens fairly frequently.

Why we don't test new gas pipework to much higher pressures is beyond me to be fair. I don't know any other industry that's so safety critical where pipework would be tested just to normal working pressure.

Lessons I learned very quickly. Buy a portable mirror. Double check everything. Most importantly, keep all records of tightness tests. I actually photograph the screen and save it to my iPhone. This way they are all date/time stamped. This is your due diligence. As long as you do this you are very unlikely to be prosecuted down the line as you have complied with industry testing standards.

Was incredibly stressful though and reminds me why I won't do gas work for the same price as plumbing work!

I agree. In commercial we do test new installations to a higher pressure, ( strength test).
We should do the same on all installations IMO.
There would be differences of course due to avoiding damage to component parts but it is possible and would be safer. IMO

 

[billybob150811]

I did a job in Portsmouth 80 flats all meters in a communal cupboard the firm I worked for got the trained monkeys to fit the meters and me to commission them they took loads of photos for their portfolio,s but about a dozen leaked Transco guy was calm as you like just found it and fixed it I would have been livid but they see it every day there will be plenty more squeaky bum moments before your done

 

[Harvest Fields]

I try to cover the meter if I am soldering close to the meter. But sometimes it is easy to forget.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

How you doing jay, hope your well and not stressing out too much

 

[kris]

Yeah the national grid guy told my customer that they go to these type of situations every day where a 'plumber' does gas work and doesn't realise he's got flux on the service or anaconda..

I mean honestly if theyre having to visit jobs frequently then at the end of the day its there fault for using carp anacondas,, they should be using materials that can withstand chemical reactions from compounds that maybe in close proximity ie flux ,

 

[Dan]

Bloody hell that was a close one. You gain experience by making mistakes. Wont happen again i bet you.