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View the thread, titled "Pipework regulations." which is posted in Gaining Plumbing Experience on UK Plumbers Forums.

R

richardd

The other day I had to repair a section of 22 mm copper. The pipe was buried about 100 mm in the customers garden and the builder had hit it with his spade.

I looked in my case book for reg regarding pipes in garde areas or soil and found nothing regarding depths or sleeving . So I just repaired the pipe with two 22 mm soldered straights. I then wraped the new section of pipe I installed in denzo tape. The builer is going to cover it in

I then tight tested and purged.

Is this the correct procedure.
 
Hi, I assume you were talking about a gas pipe! I'm sure in the front part of the regulations book there is a reference to pipe depths of cover.

Burying copper is fine as long as it has the appropriate protection i.e denso or a factory applied plastic wrap etc. I actually work on the distribution side of the gas but have the Gas Safe Qualifications as well, When putting pipe across a gardens if it's in a grass or flower bed area it should be deeper, usually about 350mm/18in to stop people hitting it with forks and spades etc, under a solid layer e.g slabs concrete tarmac etc an outlet/downstream pipe can be shallower but i can't remember off hand the exact depth if I find it out i'll post it. good luck.
 
external gas pipe needs to be at 375mm under soft ground or where there is vehicular access, or 40mm under slab, concrete, monobloc or where there is only pedestrian access
 
Refer to "Installation of pipework and fittings" sections. You will find as kirkgas mentioned a minimum of 375mm cover on open ground is required or a min of 40mm bellow slabs.
Ideally MDPE should be used for buried pipework but factory sheathed copper or steel may be used ensuring all fittings are fully protected.
 

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