What to do when water gets into the gas pipe: a review of options for resolving the problem and possible consequences

More than once squinting or an unjustified hope for one's own strength cost people a lot of money. For example, the owner made the absolutely correct decision to replace the old gas column: all devices will ever fail, this one is no exception. But independent connection led to an emergency.

In our article, we have examined in detail the most common result of amateur manipulations by an amateur in the gas industry. We will tell you what to do when water gets into the gas pipe. We will show you what to do when a problem occurs and in order to prevent it.

Man-made emergency

Enough to read the news to make sure that the penetration of water into the gas pipe of the column is not so rare. So that we ourselves won’t be in a similar situation, we’ll figure out how others get into it.

Let's say the old gas water heater is out of order or just stopped pleasing to the eye. Of course, it must be changed so as not to be without hot water.

Today, in an era of healthy trading, it’s easy to buy a new gas heater, there would be money. But it’s not enough just to purchase a new household appliance, it must also be correctly installed in the gas circuit of the apartment.

The work of replacing the geyser may seem simple only to a lay person who, as a rule, does not even read the instructions for this household appliance

The average home craftsman does not see any problem in such a situation. After all, he has just successfully dismantled the old equipment and is ready set a new column in its place.

He does not want to seek help from gas specialists for a number of reasons:

• it is necessary to clarify which organizations in the city carry out this type of work legally - have the appropriate license;
• it is necessary to provide the selected contractor with a set of documents;
• will have to wait for the coordination of technical conditions;
• you need to pay for the connection service.

People just bought an expensive gas water heater, they do not want to pay for the services of representatives of the gas structure, and even wait for their arrival for a while. After all, the old device is already, as a rule, turned off. The prospect of living for several days without hot water is crazy and pushes to the decision to do everything independently and “in a quick way”.

Such an unexpected and unpleasant surprise can be expected not only by an unlucky self-taught master, but also by his neighbors below: water is pouring directly from a gas pipe

And here, when the new column is already practically installed, it is so easy to make a fatal mistake: to mix up water and gas connections between each other. So, the connection happened, the water is open, and the master went to call on the household to evaluate the improvement in the quality of life of their family.

However, it is not necessary to be distracted for a long time, so that in this situation water already enters the gas pipe. While the craftsman froze in anticipation of warm water from the tap, she rushed into the gas pipeline with a stream, since the pressure in it is lower than in the water supply.

Likely consequences and ways to eliminate them

As a rule, the first signs of concern about the situation are not the culprit of the accident. One can only assume that he is in a state of shock, because not noticing that something went wrong is simply impossible.

Complaints begin to come from other residents, whose gas stoves suddenly ceased to function and heaters, and water rises from the burners.

Such an impromptu fountain of water from a gas burner cannot please a neighbor, because she was left without gas for the entire duration of emergency work

Emergency services have to shut off the gas supply and begin repair work of various difficulty levels. Water will need to be removed from the gas pipe over its entire length.

If the culprit of the accident lives on the top floor of a multi-storey building, gas workers will have to check the gas appliances of all its neighbors, who, in turn, are required to provide access to their apartments.

It would be a mistake to think that such accidents occur only in apartment buildings: craftsmen who can organize such a water extravaganza also live in individual buildings

Frosty weather can further complicate an emergency. After all, it is easier to drain the water than to break through the ice plugs formed in the gas pipeline. If the pipeline passes along the facade of the building, it is heated with gas burners. This is a dangerous and painstaking job.

In the winter time, the pipe running along the facade of the house should be warmed up, punctured, drained water and only then make a drain hole

If the water is in pipes located underground, they will have to be dug out and then drilled into them drain holes.

Ice plugs are punched with special cables, after which all the crumbs formed are carefully removed. Sometimes it’s easier to cut entire sections of the route and change them to new ones than to take a chance, leaving part of the frozen water inside.

Before freeing the water pipes that are in the ground from the water, they must be dug up, and then drained through technical holes or replaced part of the pipe if there is ice that cannot be removed

Now you can weld the holes, check the gas pipeline for leaks and only then dig a trench.

What will the originator of the accident have to pay?

On average, work on eliminating the consequences of improperly connecting a flowing gas water heater can take 2-3 days. All this time, fully or partially, the craftsman’s neighbors can remain without gas. One can only imagine how much their gratitude will have no boundaries.

Do not even try to correct and aggravate the emergency yourself in any way: you’ve already worked out - relax and trust the professionals

In addition to the national anger that has befallen his head, the troublemaker will also experience financial losses.

Voluntarily or through court he will have to pay the cost of:

• emergency work using construction equipment;
• gas lost in the process of opening pipes;
• gas pipes, which have to be changed in case of formation of ice caps.

The total amount of these costs can reach several tens of thousands of rubles. In order not to fall into such a situation, it is necessary to comply with the Rules approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 410 of 05/14/13, and to attract specialists for the safe installation of instantaneous gas water heaters.

Administrative responsibility and its size

Of course, that the direct damage caused by the accident, the identified culprit will have to be repaid. But will he be fined for water found in a gas pipe?

And if so, in what size and on what basis? Answering this question, we will proceed from the assumption that the result of an error when connecting the column was only the ingress of water into the gas pipeline.

In this case, most often we are talking about the sanctions provided for in Article 7.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation “Unauthorized connection and use of electric, thermal energy, oil or gas”.

This article provides the following fines:

• 10000 - 15000 rubles for citizens;
• 30,000 - 80,000 rubles for officials;
• 100,000 - 200,000 rubles for legal entities.

For officials, the fine may be replaced by a disqualification for a period of 1-2 years. Repeated violation exacerbates guilt and increases liability.

This could end the discussion of the topic of fines, if not for one nuance: lawyers disagree on whether article 7.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation can be applied in the situation under consideration. Since such a discrepancy exists, we consider the arguments of both sides.

Unauthorized connection is a sidebar

There is an opinion, which, as a rule, is expressed by the advocates of the accident, that it is unauthorized to connect for personal gain, the purpose of which is to steal gas. It is carried out in addition to metering devices for unaccounted consumption of this resource.

Such a connection can be made using one of two possible methods:

• insertion into the trunk line located underground or on the street;
• insertion into the domestic line, which previously functioned, but was disconnected by the resource supplying organization for non-payment or upon termination of the contract for other reasons.

Obviously, both of these connection methods involve a tie-in, that is, connection in a place where there is no corresponding technical branch to which, for example, a flexible rod could be screwed.

The gas water heater was connected in a place that was technically provided for in the household scheme of the current contract with the gas supplier. That is, such a connection cannot be considered an insert, such a connection is not arbitrary, and article 7.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, in this case, cannot be applied.

There has been a violation of the Fuel Use Rules, the penalty for which is provided for in Article 9.11 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation. Penalties in this case (in rubles):

• 1000-2000 for citizens;
• 2000-4000 for individual entrepreneurs or officials;
• 20,000 - 40,000 for legal entities.

For entrepreneurs and legal entities, administrative suspension of activity is possible.

Any arbitrariness is unauthorized

There is an opposite opinion, based on different interpretations of the concept of “unauthorized connection”. Proponents of this decision believe that it is not only a tie-in that is unauthorized, but also the replacement of one household appliance with another in violation of the existing Gas Use Rules.

Paragraph 10 of these Rules (approvedDecree No. 410 of 05/14/13) stipulated grounds for replacing gas equipment and that only a specialized organization can carry out this type of work. Therefore, self-conducted work is considered unauthorized.

It should be noted once again that civil liability in accordance with Art. 1064 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, as well as compensation for the costs associated with calling the emergency service, the offender is threatened, regardless of the administrative penalty.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The following video material will introduce you to the consequences of an unsuccessful unauthorized reinstallation of a water heater with water entering the gas pipeline:

Sometimes it’s not so easy to establish the source of the leak. And the consequences of water entering the gas pipe can be fatal, since household appliances do not always turn off automatically when there is no gas. This is indicated by the heroes of the following video:

Obviously, if water accidentally gets into the gas system, the perpetrator of the accident is in serious trouble. Even if administrative responsibility is avoided or reduced, the moral and material costs will be substantial.

It turns out that it’s cheaper not to break the Rules and seek help from a specialized organization than to trouble yourself and your neighbors.

Do you want to share your own experience in resolving problems with water entering the gas supply system? Do you have useful information on the topic of the article? Please write comments in the block form below, ask questions and post photographs.