Mains Gas in the City, LPG Beyond It
Plymouth itself is on the mains gas network. Travel a few miles in any direction and that changes. Much of rural Devon and Cornwall has no mains gas, so pubs, hotels, holiday parks, farms and food producers rely on LPG stored in bulk tanks or cylinders.
The two fuels behave differently. Natural gas is lighter than air and rises. LPG is heavier than air and sinks, collecting in low places such as cellars, pits and drains. That affects where appliances and pipework can go, how rooms are ventilated and how a purge is vented.
Our gas testing and purging service covers propane as well as natural gas. If your site is off the mains, tell us which fuel you use when you call.
Which Commercial Gas Services Do We Offer?
We cover the full range of commercial gas work in Plymouth and the surrounding area.
Commercial Gas Installation
New and altered pipework for process heat, ovens, steam, heating and catering. See commercial gas installation.
Tightness Testing
Carried out on new pipework, after alterations and repairs, and when a leak is suspected. IGEM/UP/1 and IGEM/UP/1A set out the method.
Gas Purging
Air is displaced from new pipework and vented safely outdoors, with nitrogen used on larger systems. With LPG, the vent position needs extra care because the gas will fall, not rise. See gas testing and gas purging.
Commissioning and Decommissioning
Working pressures and safety controls are checked on new work. Redundant pipework is isolated, purged, capped and labelled.
Catering Gas and Certificates
Kitchen pipework to BS 6173 and annual gas safety inspections.
Heating
Boiler plant, warm air and radiant heating for workshops, sheds and public buildings.
Who Uses Our Commercial Gas Services?
Marine, Defence and Manufacturing
Devonport is the largest naval base in Western Europe, with a cluster of marine engineering firms around it. Industrial areas include Estover and Belliver, Newnham and Langage at Plympton, and the wharves at Cattedown.
Restaurants, Bars and Hotels
The Barbican, the Hoe and Royal William Yard. Kitchens are busiest from Easter to September, so planned work is best booked for winter.
Hospitals, Campuses and Schools
Derriford Hospital, the two universities and the city schools. Work is phased so that heating and hot water are maintained.
Rural Pubs, Hotels and Holiday Parks
Sites on LPG, where we check tank and cylinder positions and pipework routes, and that no LPG appliances are in rooms below ground level.
Why Does Coastal Pipework Need Closer Attention?
Salt air speeds up corrosion. External steel pipework near the sea, on rooftops and in exposed yards loses its coating faster, and rust starts at threads, clips and wall sleeves.
Left alone, corrosion leads to leaks. We check exposed pipework carefully during inspections. Where it has deteriorated we replace the section, protect the new pipework properly and carry out a tightness test before returning it to service.
Waterfront sites around Sutton Harbour and Millbay are the most exposed, but the same applies to any building within reach of sea spray.
Why Choose Our Engineers?
We work only on commercial and industrial gas systems, on both mains gas and LPG. We are Gas Safe registered, number 568617, and available seven days a week.
Royal William Yard and much of the Barbican are listed, so visible pipework and flues may need consent from the city council. We raise that at survey stage, along with access and timing. We work with business owners, contractors, facilities managers and property operators across Plymouth, and quotes are free.
What If You Have a Gas Emergency?
If you smell gas, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. For LPG, also contact your LPG supplier, who is responsible for the tank and its supply. If it is safe, turn off the supply at the emergency control valve, or at the tank or cylinders for LPG, and ventilate the area.
Our emergency repair team is available at all hours to repair the installation, then test and purge it before gas is restored.
Safety and Compliance for Mains Gas and LPG
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 apply to both fuels. Employers must keep pipework and appliances safe, and an annual inspection is the accepted way to show it. Tightness testing and purging follow IGEM/UP/1 and IGEM/UP/1A, with different figures for LPG than for natural gas.
Wales & West Utilities operates the mains gas network in the South West. It owns the service pipe and the emergency control valve, and deals with new supplies and disconnections directly or through your supplier.
Plymouth City Council is the highway authority within the city. Devon County Council covers Ivybridge, Tavistock and the South Hams. Across the Tamar, Cornwall Council covers Saltash, Torpoint and Liskeard. The Tamar Bridge and the Torpoint Ferry are the only direct road links into south east Cornwall, which is worth allowing for when timing a visit.
Which Areas Around Plymouth Do We Cover?
We cover the full PL postcode area. In the city that includes the centre, Devonport and Millbay (PL1), Cattedown and the Barbican (PL4), Derriford and Estover (PL6), Plympton and Langage (PL7) and Plymstock (PL9).
Beyond it we cover Torpoint (PL11), Saltash (PL12), Looe (PL13), Liskeard (PL14), Launceston (PL15), Callington (PL17), Tavistock (PL19), Yelverton (PL20), Ivybridge (PL21) and Bodmin (PL30 and PL31). We also cover Exeter, Torbay and Truro, and work across the rest of the UK.
Booking a Commercial Gas Engineer in Plymouth
Call 08000 855 077 or send an enquiry. Let us know whether the Plymouth site is on mains gas or LPG, and what you need done. We will provide a free quote with no obligation.
Discuss Your Requirements With Our Team
Business owners, contractors, facilities managers and property operators in the city and the surrounding area are welcome to get in touch at any stage of a project.