Cutting a gas pipe in an apartment — requirements and work

Working with gas equipment seems to be one of the most risky things in home repair. Often, users do not even consider it necessary to look into safety regulations or event standards. But these standards exist, and they strictly regulate who, how and when has the right to cut or move the gas pipe in the kitchen.

An insufficiently serious approach to this matter can lead to disastrous consequences. There is a high chance of getting a gas leak. And a large amount of gas in a room can not only have a toxic effect on a person, but also cause a major explosion. So if in doubt, do not cut yourself. It’s better to wait for the experts.

But even here it will not be superfluous to follow the work of the master and the observance of all norms. Below is the basic information about the work and the main rules for working with gas pipes. They must be observed, even if all actions are carried out not by the owner himself, but by a specially called gas worker.

Reasons for cutting a gas pipe in an apartment

Cut off the gas pipe in the apartment can for a number of reasons. The most common is the repair work associated with changing the position of the stove or other gas equipment. Here it may be necessary to shorten the initial dimensions of the gas pipe.

The reasons for the transfer of gas pipes may lie in the requirement of the management company to take the meter out into the open so that you can easily see the indicators.

Employees of the gas service can draw the attention of the owners to the need to change communications in connection with the recently entered into force operating rules. Updates to these rules are not uncommon, and apartment owners are not often notified in advance.

Legal requirements for the customer and contractor

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The high responsibility in carrying out work with gas equipment forced the management companies to put forward clear requirements for all participants in the actions. The law defines who can apply for work and who has the right to carry it out.

Who should apply

Previously, the duty to monitor the serviceability of gas communications was the responsibility of local gas services. But over time, the authorities saw that it was not possible to control all the apartments in this way. And this duty was assigned to the residents themselves. Moreover, the main responsible person is the owner.

Important! The rule is spelled out in Decree No. 410 of 05/14/2013. In 2017, some more amendments were made to it, clarifying the rights and obligations of participants in the actions.

In accordance with this resolution, an application for work with gas equipment must be submitted by the owner or tenant of the premises. In the second case, you will definitely need an officially certified rental document.

Who has the right to do the work

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The requirements for the performer of the work are spelled out in the resolution quite clearly. The contractor must be a representative of a company that maintains gas pipes in agreement with the management company. Works can be performed by representatives from the resource supplier company itself.

The organization that will carry out the work must meet a number of mandatory requirements:

• Employees of the company must have a certificate of attestation for the relevant work;
• Profile education of employees;
• A document confirming the conduct of production briefing with a certain frequency;
• Availability of specialized measuring equipment and working tools.

All tools used must be in working order and calibrated from time to time to achieve the greatest accuracy.

Thus, strict requirements are imposed on the performer, which the average user usually does not meet. Only the master knows how to cut the gas pipe without harming the overall communications system. Therefore, pruning on your own is considered illegal.

Preparatory stage — obtaining permission

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Before carrying out work, you need to make sure that it will be possible to realize the idea. To obtain the relevant information, you can contact the expert organization.

The owner writes a statement on his own behalf, in which he indicates the need for an expert assessment of the condition of the pipeline and requests permission to carry out certain work. The application form is free, addressed to the head of the organization.

After an application is received from the owner, service employees must arrive at the place of work at a certain time. The specialist will examine the gas pipes and equipment, and then issue a conclusion on the possibility or impossibility of carrying out the planned work. If a specific plan turns out to be unrealistic, then experts will try to offer an alternative.

Once a decision has been made, the field technician will create a piping layout after cutting. Then, under this scheme, the gas organization will issue an official permit for the work and provide an estimate indicating the cost of each action. The cost of the work, as well as the cost of the necessary materials, will be taken into account separately.

Gas pipeline installation standards

The owner of the apartment, before the arrival of the master, is recommended to independently familiarize himself with the basic requirements for the location of gas pipes and equipment. This will save a significant amount of time during work and control the activity of the master. Basic information on this issue is indicated in the document SNiP 2.04.08-87.

Requirements for the location of gas pipes

The document clearly spells out the requirements for the final location of gas pipes:

• It is necessary to maintain free access to the gas pipe, as well as being in the visible zone of all measuring and accounting devices.
• In an accessible place there should be valves that block the access of gas to the apartment. In no case should they be masked or left behind large cabinets. Gas shutoff must be available at any time.
• In accordance with the requirements, any gas pipe must be at least 200 cm from the floor.
• The horizontal part of the gas supply to the apartment must always remain intact. It is forbidden to shorten it, much less completely remove it. But even here there are exceptions: on the last floors of apartment buildings, some manipulations can be performed with this pipe.

Important! For residents of the upper floors, some indulgence is provided in the form of a tap located at a height of 75 cm from the floor. This allows you to somewhat simplify the process of organizing the kitchen space without violating safety regulations.

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The choice of material and the way the work is done

After cutting, parts of the pipe sometimes have to be re-combined with each other. For this, welding is used. When connecting different gas equipment. Cranes and regulators provide for the use of detachable connections.

During work with gas pipes, it is necessary to stop the supply of the resource in the entire riser for a while to avoid leaks. For this, special services are called, which are considered representatives of the gas company. It is not allowed to shut off the gas supply on your own.

Flexible hoses can be used as materials. But their use is allowed only when installing gas equipment and various measuring equipment. The maximum length of such hoses should not exceed 300 cm. The hoses are made of rubber sleeves, which are braided with a metal casing.

The remaining elements of the pipeline must be made of metal of the appropriate quality.

Main stages of work

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In order to avoid inconvenience during work, it is recommended to determine the date and time of the repair very clearly. All this must be agreed with the supplier company in advance.

Since all the time while the pipe is being cut, the gas must be shut off in the entire riser, it is necessary to warn all residents about this. Public service employees are responsible for notification. They will also announce the restoration of gas supply.

As soon as the specialist arrives at the apartment, he will have to turn off the gas, as well as ensure the proper level of ventilation in the room.

Gas pipe cutting works include the following steps:

• Direct removal of the excess piece of pipe in accordance with the established plan.
• Installing a cap on the edge of the pipe.
• Welding and connecting the necessary elements (if necessary).
• Installation of shut-off valves, having previously applied a sealing tape to the joints.
• Checking the gas pipeline for the absence of holes and microcracks.

Since there is no gas in the apartment, the integrity check is carried out using a soapy solution, which is applied to the joints. If bubbles appear, this will immediately become a signal for the master.

After work, the master must draw up a special act, which will indicate all the actions that he performed with the pipeline. The act is signed by the specialist and the owner.

Important! After completing all the manipulations, the master will notify the client about the rules for operating the gas pipeline and give recommendations regarding painting the pipes.

Choosing a tool for cutting a gas pipe in the kitchen

Cutting and moving gas pipes in an apartment is a specific procedure that will require special tools. Masters can use different devices, each of which has its own pros and cons.

The main tools to cut the pipe:

• Hacksaw for metal. An excellent tool for high-quality and accurate cutting of pipes. But the use of a hacksaw will require a lot of time and effort from the master.
• Pipe cutter. Allows you to get a high-quality perpendicular cut in a relatively short time. However, the use of a pipe cutter can be hampered by cramped conditions.

• Bulgarian. Efficient and very fast way to cut gas pipes. Sparks appear during operation, so you need to take care of the presence of protection.
• Welding machine. Suitable if large tools cannot be used. Qualitatively cuts the pipe, leaving no traces. But the fire hazard of the method often relegates it to the back rows.

The choice of tool lies entirely within the scope of the activity of the master who will come to do the work. It depends on a large number of factors, including: the volume of the room, the location of pipes, materials, etc.

In wooden houses, it is not recommended to use a grinder or a welding machine. Doing so may ignite exposed surfaces and cause a fire. If you have to work with these tools, you need to take care of protecting the entire surrounding space. Gas cutting of pipe sections will additionally require protection of the hands and face of the master himself.