Water in customer gas pipe

[Viper Gas]

Hello All,

I've been called out to a property where water has entered the gas pipe work within the property during installtion of a gas boiler.

I have been asked to remove the water but have never done this before.

The gas pipe is 22mm diameter rigid copper, runs for approximately 10m and services one 4 ring gas hob and the new boiler.
I can see that the kitchen area is slightly lower than the rest of the flat so I reckon water is trapped in this low area.

Has anyone removed water from a gas pipe before? If so what's is the best way to get it out using equipment readily available from a tool hire shop.


Thanks guys for your time and attention.

Viper Gas.

 

[Masood]

Can't you just cut it at the low point, drain it then blow through with a compressor? Or warm the pipe up to evaporate water off the pipe walls?

I don't know if there's an official method but I reckon this would work!

 

[thereisawizza]

I've had to have the supplier out before, they used to have old traps in the ground back from when it was towns gas; provided you have no pipes mixed up 🙂

 

[Chalked]

Did it once with a compressor

 

[chris watkins]

Are you / they sure that the water has not entered the gas meter or supply?, if so you must to call the network operator.

Disconnect the meter and use aqua vac on each leg to draw out what you can first.

 

[Scott_D]

Repipe if all else fails

 

[Alpha man]

Use a foot pump with a suitable fitting, or a Pressure testing pump!

 

[townfanjon]

Longshot , it hasn' t got or had a multipoint gas water heater has it !!

 

[chris watkins]

No but it does have a combi where someone crossed the gas & mains and turned it on to commission it. :stuart:

 

[townfanjon]

No but it does have a combi where someone crossed the gas & mains and turned it on to commission it. :stuart:

Lol , we have all heard the one about the guy turning the fire on and getting soaked because sombody had crossed the pipes .

Seriously I had a multipoint years ago where the diaphragm had split and filled the gas pipe with water , oops , not exactly "filled" lol

 

[king of pipes]

Remove the gas meter if water has entered it then you need to call the emergency number for transco as it may also flooded the main into the street and effect other properties, if you were lucky enough to catch it in time disconnect all the appliances and cap off cut the pipe both ends valve off one end hire or borrow a compressor and pressurise the pipework up to 1 bar ear plugs in and then open and close the valve in short bursts it will force the water out then it's a matter of reconnecting everything good luck k

 

[Allgoode]

As above check to see if fed back to meter & inform utilities as needed.
Personally I would disconnect at meter & boiler & hob & initially wet vac through for a good 1/2hr.
Obviously you would need to ensure open end was in dry area to prevent further ingestion of moisture.
If you could use a heat gun and rig up to meter end and blow through with warm air & rotate through with use of wet vac.
This should sort out for you.
Re-brief eejit who connected up incorrectly with suitable heavy tool from your van/toolbag,
Hope this helps,
Andy (Allgoode)

 

[Viper Gas]

Thank you all for your replies.

This is how I approached it.

1. Called out transco to check supply was not contaminated.
2. Hired an industrial wet vac and sucked out about 10 cups or mugs (for you coffee drinkers) of water.
3. Started up the gas hob and let it run for about an hour.

The reason why this was a bit tricky was the low point, ie kitchen pipe work was all in concrete flooring. I chose the vac as plan A since it was much lighter and readily available than an air compressor. The air compressor would have been Plan B but getting one with big enough capacity to blow out the volume of pipe needed to be ordered and it weighed a tone and would have been a difficult to transport.

Thanks
Viper Gas

 

[hammers4spanner]

Aye wet vac one of most useful tools

 

[PhoenixServices]

How did the water get in there?

 

[Darren Jackson]

As said above use compressor but also double check the pipe sizing, 10m run with elbows and branches etc running a combi and hob it may be undersized.

 

[Pssst]

I have seen jobs where the same thing has happened and the meter has been blown apart and made the house very wet. Also seen similar where the water has exited the house via the meter and service pipe and cut off supplies to several properties.

 

[bacon_sandwich]

Just a footnote, once the bulk of the water is out, if you know an a/c guy. they all have a vacuum pump that will pull just over 1Bar. I do a/c and I always vac the pipes out to remove moisture, basically as the pressure drops below ambient the water boils off and exits via the pump. Its no good for litres of water but great to get the last bit out.