The Big Six energy companies have had a tough time of late. Npower has lost 62,000 customers this year, EDF has been ordered to pay £3 million after mishandling complaints, and British Gas has been blamed for pretty much anything and everything. We at 1Gas wanted to understand why a lot of the population aren’t happy with the Big Six, so that we can make sure we do the exact opposite! Here’s what we managed to find out…
Smart meters will be appearing across the UK over the coming years, but what are they and can they really save us money? Read this post to find out more.
Fitting a new gas meter is a skilled job due to natural gas being a dangerous substance; It is highly flammable and explosive. Just one small spark can be enough to cause huge damage and harm to life.
Fitting a new gas connection isn’t always as straight forward as you might think. That’s why 1Gas exists, to help make the process smoother. In this guide, we’ll offer hints about what we think you need to know to make the process as stress-free as possible.
There are many factors that affect the cost of a new gas connection. They include, but are not limited to: Location Size of gas supply required Number of appliances at site Pressure in the gas mains Distance from the mains to the gas meter position Complexity of the works Health and safety issues Number of engineers required, and more Example of costing Below are costing estimates for a domestic and non-domestic setting: A typical domestic gas supply of less than 40 metres would be around £300-1000 excluding VAT. This cost is normally heavily subsidised based on certain criteria. A non-domestic / commercial / business gas connection of around 10-15 metres could be priced around £1500-£2500 excluding VAT. Please note that these prices are for guidance only and factors such as geographic region can affect costs on a site by site basis. What could increase the cost? Factors that could significantly increase the cost of a gas connection quote include large users of gas (perhaps 1000 kW (kilowatts) or more) and those sites where the mains are more than 100 metres away. For sites located in busy city centres, two or three way traffic management systems are often […]
Costs for a new gas installation can start at around £300 for a domestic property and can rise up to hundreds of thousands of pounds for larger commercial or industrial sites. Here are some suggestions from the 1Gas team to help keep costs down.
Unlike electricity, where a small number of meters will accommodate most users’ power consumption needs, there are many different makes, models, and sizes of gas meter specifically designed for the maximum usage a customer requires. How to determine gas meter size To establish the size of meter you require depends on two main factors: The first is the pressure in the gas mains (low or medium). The second is the peak demand of gas you require at any given moment. This is also known as a gas load or maximum capacity (in kilowatts, cubic metres/feet per hour, and occasionally Therms or BTUs (British Thermal Units). Most sites in the UK have a low or medium pressure. If a new gas connection is being laid soon or has recently been installed, the quote paperwork from the works provider should confirm the mains pressure. If you are unsure about this or the pipe was laid some time ago, 1Gas can arrange a free check, also known as a GT1. More information about a GT1 Gas meter size calculation To calculate what size gas meter you require will depend on two things. You may however need […]
Installing a gas pipe and a meter is just the first step in being able to obtain a gas supply. For domestic consumers, where a live gas pipe connection already exists, it’s normally simply a case of asking a domestic gas supplier (also known as a shipper) for their unit rate prices & standing/daily charge, and a new gas meter (which is often free of charge). Domestic supply contracts are usually flexible whereby you can leave for another supplier providing 30 days notice, subject to bills being paid and up to date. An exception might be where a fixed term deal is agreed to fix rates for a longer period of time.
As gas comes ashore in Great Britain from a gas field (such as the North Sea or Morecambe Bay) it will enter a natural gas processing plant where the gas is purified. The gas is cleaned and contaminants such as water, sulphur and mercury are removed so that it can then be safely distributed around the country to homes, factories and offices. Processing plants in the UK include: Rampside (Barrow-in-Furness), Easington (East Riding), Bacton (Norfolk), and Theddlethorpe (Lincolnshire).
Where a gas meter is required and in an external location, a meter housing (also known as a box or kiosk) is required. This is for two primary reasons, to protect the gas meter from the weather and to help secure it from being tampered with or damaged. There are a range of different gas meter housings on the market which vary dependant on pressure in the gas mains, the location, and the size of the meter. The different models available include: semi-concealed (also known as semi-buried or ground box), surface mounted (also known as wall mounted or bolt-on), built in (also known as recessed or cavity box), and freestanding (also known as wall adjacent). Most meter housings are made from plastic which doesn’t rot or corrode and is very weather resistant. Some models are also made from glass-reinforced plastic. We talk about the specific meter boxes in more detail below: Semi-Concealed Designed to be discrete, the semi-concealed meter housing is usually brown in colour and can be installed at the base of a wall or building and has a tapered lid. It is not suitable where the top of the box could be an obstruction, trip hazard, […]
