ARTICLE 2, 05 OCTOBER 2010
COLD WATER MAINS - PRESSURE & FLOW RATE
The guaranteed standards scheme (GSS) sets out that water companies shall maintain a minimum pressure of water in the communication pipe serving the premises supplied with water of seven metres static head. Companies also monitor the number of properties at risk of low pressure against an indicator known as DG2. The DG2 measure is ten metres head of pressure, at the external stop tap, at a flow of 9 litres a minute. This should be sufficient to fill a one-gallon (4.5 litre) container in 30 seconds.
As a rule of thumb, if at the internal stop cock you receive a pressure less than 10 meters head or 1 bar of pressure, aproximately, (depending on the pipe diameter size from the meter to the stop cock), then contact the local water board to get a more accurate reading to hopefully get it increased if it falls below.
Flow rate is completely different and is affected by pipe diameter sizing, length of runs, poor design (too many 90 degree elbows), the siting and use of fittings (eg isolation valves) etc. This means that at your tap or shower, the pressure may be excellent but the flow rate poor. The same rule of thumb applies if you receive less than 9 litres/minute flow rate.
A good plumber should be able to take pressure and flow rate readings and then advise you. This advice should be free as they stand to inherit any possible work that may arise from it.
ARTICLE 1, 15 JUNE 2009
PLUMBING, HEATING & NATURAL GAS INFORMATION
QUALIFICATIONS
PLUMBING & HEATING
Minimum
1. NVQ Level 2 in Plumbing & Heating (or equivalent ie Guild of Plumbers Indentures), which allows work on:
Plumbing - Hot & cold water pipe work, cold water storage cisterns/tanks, hot water storage cylinders, bathroom suites, kitchen units and appliances
Heating - pipe work, CH cisterns & radiators
Recommended
2. NVQ Level 3 in Plumbing & Heating, which is an advanced qualification covering the same work as previously mentioned, but more complex systems and in more detail
3. WREG - Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS)
4. Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems*
5. Competent Person Scheme – (self certification of out-buildings work etc)*
NATURAL GAS (*/**)
Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) – Gas Safety Register
Minimum
6. CCN1 - Gas safety & pipe work (Core)
Job Specific
7. CEN1 – Central Heating (Boilers)
8. WAT1 – Water Heaters
9. HTR1 – Fires & Wall Heaters
10. CKR - Cookers
11. CPA1 – Combustion Performance Analysers (Flue gases)
12. Gas Meters
13. Tumble Dryers (Launderette)
14. Ducted Air Heaters
ALTERNATIVE FUELS & ENERGY SOURCES
15. Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG)- Orange canisters
16. Oil (Diesel) – Tanks
17. Solid Fuel (Coal & Wood) – Heating or Cooking Stoves
18. Combined Power & Heating
19. Solar
20. Ground Source Heat Pumps (Air & Water)
PROFFESIONAL BODIES
21. Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineers (CIPHE)
22. Registered Plumber (RP)
23. Association of Plumbing & Heating Engineers (APHC)
24. Gas Safe Register
25. Energy Savings Trust
REGULATORY BODIES
26. Building Regulations
27. Local authority Building Control Services
28. Water Regulations
29. Gas Regulations
NOTES
30. * Notifiable to the local authority
31. **Notifiable to the Gas Safe Register
32. Anyone may conduct work on your plumbing and heating, but if done so incorrectly, may be breaching Building/Local Authority/Water Regulations.
33. Only those engineers on the Gas Safety Register may conduct natural gas work – It is the law and if in breach, a criminal offence.
34. Engineers may belong to professional bodies, but must conform to Regulatory bodies.
35. CORGI continues to offer many services including various competency skills however they are no longer the regulatory body which governs gas safety in the UK.
