Do you have LP Gas appliances installed in your home? Have you checked if your LP Gas installation is legal and compliant with regulations? It’s essential to ensure the safety of your household, and Your Own Energy can help you with that.
Certificate of Conformity (COC)
First, let’s talk about the installation’s Certificate of Conformity (COC). Do you have one, and does it cover all the appliances installed in your home? If yes, then great! As long as no modifications or alterations have been made to the installation, you’re good to go.
Keep your COC safe and file a copy with your insurance company for future reference. If you don’t have a COC, it’s highly recommended that a certified installer check your installation and issue you a COC as soon as possible.
It’s important to note that the information provided here is only a summary of a few of the basic regulations. There are many other regulations that we can’t cover on this website. The only way to ensure your installation is compliant is to have it checked and tested by a certified gas installer and obtain a valid COC.
Inside & Outdoor Gas Installations
Moving on to the diagrams, here are some crucial aspects you need to check for inside and outdoor installations:
For inside installations, ensure that the installation conforms to specific requirements such as proper ventilation and that the stove electrical isolators and plug points are far enough away from the hob and LPG cylinder as per SANS 10087-1 requirements. If not, an electrician must move the electrical points to suitable locations in consultation with a certified gas installer.
For outside cylinder installations, ensure that the containers are at least 1m away from any opening below the level of the container valve, 2m away from any drain, pit or manhole, and 3m away from the property boundary. The 3m distance from the top of the cylinder, valve connection or manifold to the bottom of the window(s) may be reduced to a minimum of 300mm if certain conditions are met.
Additional Gas Requirements To Keep In Mind
Lastly, here are some additional requirements you need to keep in mind:
- The Regulation is very specific about a number of safety distances from sources of combustion (such as geysers, plug points, electric fences, etc.) as well as distances from the property boundaries.
- There are onerous safety distances in the vicinity of thatched roofs.
- Only Class 1 or 2 gas copper piping may be used, and copper pipes are required to be sleeved/protected where it enters through a wall, concrete or underground to avoid corrosion.
- Orange flexible gas hose may be at most 2m long, may not be used outside at all, and may not pass through ANY partition, wall, or divider at all.
- A shut-off valve/isolation valve is required at the main gas line coming from the cylinders on the outside of the house, as close as possible to the appliance if the gas line exceeds 5m in length, and for every appliance connected to the gas line where there is more than one appliance connected to the system.
- If LPG containers are permanently installed or stored in a building, the type of building and corresponding regulations need to be followed:
- Flats: a maximum of 9 kg per flat.
- Houses (including cluster housing and group housing not exceeding two storeys) total 19 kg per unit.
- A maximum of 100kg of LP Gas is allowed outside per ERF/Stand number. If a property has more than 100 kg, the property will require approval from the fire department.
- Domestic installations do not always require that the cylinders be placed in a cage. Still, they shall be secured on a LEVEL CONCRETE BASE in such a manner so as not to accidentally fall over.
- However, where public access to the cylinders is possible, the cylinders and manifold, if fitted, shall be in a locked cage or fenced area that meets the requirements as per SANS 10087-1.
- It is, however, common practice to install a cage to avoid tampering with the gas valves and connections by unauthorised persons, children and uninformed persons.
We hope this information has been helpful to you. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your LP Gas installation. Make sure to have it checked by a certified gas installer and obtain a valid COC to ensure the safety of your household.
Consult with us today should you need LP Gas installation advice or a COC.
Werner le Roux