Gas installation pipework

[Bushwacker]

I've just had some external gas pipework fitted to my house. It runs around the garage at low level and serves the kitchen. It's been run in copper, has no protection (which is a little worrying) and looks pretty awful. I'm thinking of re-routing it underneath my pathway and patio. Are there any specific underground trenching and pipework material requirements I need to take account of to do this? Thanks.

[gucciman]

apart from the fact that your not meant to do it unless your a corgi registered engineer there are specific requirements to be met involving the depth the pipe is required to be buried below different materials i.e. slabs, concrete, tarmac etc and also the pipe needs to be laid on a sand bed and either wrapped in a suitable material to prevent corrosion or better still plastic coated copper should be used.
i don't know all the regulations off the top of my head, they are contained in the appropriate british std for pipework which i do not have a copy of at the moment.
pipework run around the outside of the house above ground level does not need any protection. i know it looks ugly, perhaps you could paint it to blend in with the brickwork or put it in trunking of some sort?

[persianlady]

I would not paint it. As the previous post said, it will weather pretty quickly and not look as bad as it does now.

[Bushwacker]

Thankyou for all who've answered. I'm going to let it weather a little to see how it looks then. I still find it strange that copper gas pipes can be run externally with no protection - it's just feels (and looks) wrong! Cheers.

[gucciman]

hi mr bushwhacker

it doesn't need protection because copper isn't ferrous and doesn't rust or really corrode. all that happens is as it weathers the pipe oxidises and forms a protective layer on the surface to prevent corrosion.
if it was sitting in a trench full of water however then the water will eventually attack the pipe and especially any joints.
the biggest danger of outside pipework is your missus reversing the car into it (a little sexist joke there! lol) or some pikeys knicking the copper for scrap which believe me has happened and they don't give a monkeys about the fact there's live gas coming thru it!