Victorian gas outlet??? Any advice?

[redjam]

Sorry, I know this isn't strictly an East Dulwich topic but as there are so many late-Victorian properties in the area I wondered if anyone has seen anything similar in their house and can advise.

We have what looks like an old gas outlet on the back wall of our daughter's bedroom which we'd like to remove, but we weren't sure whether it's safe to do so. Do I just call a registered gas engineer to check it out? And is it definitely a gas outlet or might it be something else? It's at floor level so maybe electricity but it doesn't look like any electricity outlet I've ever seen!

Has anyone had any experience of dealing with something similar?

 

[Penguin68]

It is most likely gas, with what looks like a stop cock, and although the pipe may well have been isolated later from the supply you should get in a gas safe engineer to remove it. At worst it might need to be capped off beneath the floor boards. Don't interfere with it yourself. 

[redjam]

Thanks, that's very helpful to have that confirmed! Really wasn't sure what we were dealing with. Will look into a gas engineer...

[malumbu]

Call National Grid and say you have a problem with a gas pipe  0800 111 999  and with luck they will fix it for free.  Most likely my diagnosis.   Some nutter had done their own gas plumbing in my house and National Grid blanked off both a supply to an old gas fire and a wrought iron pipe in the bathroom that supplied to the old bathroom water heater originally in the house.

Extremely unlikely to be connected, may be from the days of gas lighting (mainly over by the 1920s) .  Gas connection will have long since been modernised.  If it hasn't been blanked off then just turn it on and sniff, or if you are like me light it.  This is how gas fitters did it in the past,  Although at your own risk (you are more likely to asphyxiate from natural gas, it is not poisonous, and the smell is an additive, so you can smell leaks. Chances are you are old enough to have used Bunsen burners at school.

The end of the video is great, the biggest source of gas is your boiler, and if you house hasn't blown up already......

 

[Penguin68]

Absolutely do not follow the advice to turn on and check the outlet yourself, but the previous part of the post above about contacting the gas authorities. Amongst other things it us illegal for those not trained and certified to interfere with gas supplies. Which you can only check (if it should be live) by breaking the law!