Trac pipe, does it need a fire rated duct??

[seanadams121]

Hi Peoples,

came for some wisdom,

currently pricing a job that involves gas mains running through communal corridors underneath the floor and branching off into apartments feeding the meters.
Now i know the regs regarding the pipe has to be welded/threaded steel OR in a fire rated duct and iv told the developer such but hes insisted on tracpipe, hes been advised elsewhere that tracpipe is the most cost effective and best way of this. Now my question is, is tracpipe counted as being exempt from the fire rated duct, i.e in the same bracket at the steel pipe. I know its sleeved stainles steel. I cant seem to find any info online. Any advice will be appreciated,

thanks in advance

 

[Scott_D]

What do you mean by underneath the floor?
In screed?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Gas tite/ trac pipe is fine just need to be run in a sleeve if going through an unvented void / not the same property and fire collar it through any fire walls / floor by floor

They both are fire rated / hold certs

if you give me some time I will upload them

 

[Brambles]

Sean,

I (we) have been caught out (quite rightly) with Flexigas pipe. On two runs the outer covering was slightly damaged ( abrasion where it had rubbed on the ground during installation). The certification for the pipe is that the outer covering is completely in tact and undamaged - to allow the outer plastic coating to act as a duct for a gas pressure of up to 2bar in the event of a leak. The Certification for Omegaflex - Tractpipe is the same. We had to replace two complex 30m runs ! - They could not be jointed.

Also bear in mind that all joints must be accessible and in a ventilated space - the “self ducted“ certification ends at the point the outer plastic covering is cut.

With the benefit of hindsight we sent two people to the Omegaflex training day - very well worth the time and cost. If nothing else, the tips and techniques given resulted in all subsequent joints (to date) being right first time and completed faster.

I am not advocating that Tractpipe is any better than other products in the market - but the installer needs to understand and know the vagaries of the product he / she is installing.

Apologies if this sounds tedious, but the mistakes we made cost our insurer nearly £5k

 

[seanadams121]

cheers Brambles, i wasnt aware of that with regards to the sleeving! Thanks for the heads up. Im going back to site tomorrow for a meeting. See what the other options will be.
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Gas tite/ trac pipe is fine just need to be run in a sleeve if going through an unvented void / not the same property and fire collar it through any fire walls / floor by floor

They both are fire rated / hold certs

if you give me some time I will upload them

hi shaun,

so if i was to run a gas main at high level down a communal corridor in tracpipe it would definitely need to be houses in a duct? Or would it be ok? It wouldn't fall under the same classification as the steel pipe?And if it does require a duct does it need to be accessible? Im aware il need to vent it but will i need hatches wherever there is a fitting? The fittings are compression so im assuming they will. Im goin to site tomo to see all the options available
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Brambles has answered that about the joints being accessible, i think i might suggest copper if we are going to use a duct anyway! Alot lot cheaper and probably easier all round. The developer was insistent but il have another look tomorrow

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Where are the meters going normally do a single length to each flat (meters communal or external)

 

[Brambles]

Sean,

Please don’t read my comments as a negative. My view is that coated corrugated stainless pipe is very good and better that a “ducted” pipe installation - but you need to detail on an itemised basis the specific routings / access points / all the fittings / required ducts and fire stops before you price the work - assuming it is lump sum.

As a guide, our pricing in Oxon to supply and install a 28mm Trac Pipe straight coupling is £58 - so your take off needs to be spot on.