Do Gas Meters Need to Be Earth Bonded in the UK?

Gas and electricity are both essential for homes. For safe usage in homes, both these energy sources require separate but specific safety protocols. While gas appliances require correct and safe installation through a Gas Safe Register engineer, electrical appliances can only be installed by a qualified and certified electrical engineer or an experienced electrician. On the other hand, gas is made available through a network of pipes, whereas electricity is distributed to the entire home through an integrated electrical wiring system; electrical earth bonding is a crucial part of this system.

Apparently, there seems to be no direct relation between gas and electrical installations in any household, but in reality, there is a close connection between them. “Electrical Earth Bonding" or "Main Protective Bonding" is one of those essential electrical requirements of a home, where gas pipes, or to be more precise, the gas meter, also becomes a part of the safety protocols. Here comes a very common question: "Does my gas meter need electrical earth bonding?". Although the simple answer to this critical question is "Yes," the more important part of it is how and why it is required.

This blog will guide you through everything you need to know about electrical earth bonding of your gas meter.

Electrical Earth Bonding – An Overview

Before we delve into why a gas meter needs to be connected to the main protective bonding, it would be beneficial to understand what "electrical earth bonding" entails. Electrical Earth Bonding refers to a safety measure that prevents accidental or sudden electric shock. 

Electricity is transmitted through electrical wires, which are mainly metallic, often made of copper, as metal is an excellent electrical conductor. It means that if a live electrical wire touches anything made of metal, it will pass through it. Accordingly, if due to any fault or error, a live wire inside an appliance, such as a cooker, loosens and touches its metal casing, the casing also becomes live. If, for any reason, you need to touch this cooker and a nearby metal tap at the same time, electricity would find an easy passage to earth through your body. Resultantly, you would receive a severe, potentially fatal, electric shock. To prevent such an accidental electric shock, homes are equipped with Electrical Earth Bonding, also known as “Earthing.”

An earth wire, typically a green and yellow-colored cable, is essentially laid alongside the electrical wiring. It can be seen in almost all electrical plugs and sockets. The earth wire in the plug and wiring is designed to provide a straightforward path for stray electricity, allowing it to flow safely down the earth wire back to the consumer unit and into the ground. It causes a fuse to blow or a circuit breaker to trip instantly, preventing any chance of accidental electric shock.

Importance of Electrical Earth Bonding of Gas Meter

Gas is supplied from the mains, through a gas meter, to the home appliances, via a network of pipes. These pipes are typically made up of metal. If the loosened electrical wire, as mentioned in the above example, touches any of the metallic gas pipes or even the metallic casing of any gas appliance, the entire pipe network might become live, like a live electrical wire, including the gas pipes leading to the gas meter.

Typically, if there is a difference in electrical potential between two metal surfaces, an electrical spark may occur. Now, in the above scenario, the voltage in the water pipe and the gas pipe are potentially different, hence, there is every possibility of an electrical spark. If, at this stage, there is a gas leak, no matter how small, the electrical spark may ignite it, resulting in a large explosion.

However, suppose the gas meter is connected to the Main Protective Bonding. In that case, the possibility of an explosion can be averted, as the circuit breaker is designed to trip before an electrical spark occurs. By connecting all the primary incoming metal services, whether gas, water, or even oil, in some cases, to the main earthing terminal of the electrical installations with an earth wire, usually a thick green and yellow cable, it is ensured that they are all at the same voltage or the same “electrical potential”. In this case, even if a fault occurs, every metal rises to the same voltage together; hence, no dangerous spark can occur between them.

That means, bonding the gas meter is not about the gas; rather, it is about making the metal pipework safe from causing an electrical hazard. Therefore, bonding a gas meter to the earth is significant in protecting your home from any possible or accidental electrical spark and gas explosion.

Legal Framework Governing Electrical Earth Bonding

In the UK, Electrical Earth Bonding is a legal requirement, which is governed by various regulations, as follows:

• Wiring Regulation (BS 7671), also referred to as "IET Wiring Regulations", though not a direct law, is the national standard and compliance requirement, ensuring that the electrical work is safe.
• The Building Regulations (Part P) states that electrical installations in residential units must be designed to protect against any risk of fire and electric shock. It requires that every new electrical circuit be correctly bonded with the earth.
• The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 are the primary legislation governing the use of gas in homes and businesses. Accordingly, if the inspecting engineer detects a gas meter that is not correctly connected with the electrical earth bonding, they may label this meter as "At Risk" or "Immediately Dangerous". In this case, they may disconnect the gas supply until the fault is removed.

Hence, the gas meter must be properly connected to the main electrical earth bonding of the property. 

Check if Your Gas Meter is Correctly Connected with Earth Bonding 

It is pretty easy to check and confirm whether your gas meter is correctly connected to your property's main earth bonding. You need to spot the following:

• The earthing cable is a green and yellow insulated single-core copper wire.
• The bond must be applied within 600mm of the meter outlet, towards the consumer side of the meter, which means it should be on the pipe leading into your property, instead of on the pipe in the main street. 
• The earthing cable must be attached using a dedicated earth bonding clamp, often made up of brass and marked with the universal earth symbol (⏚).
• The earthing cable must run neatly but securely back to the main earthing terminal (MET), which is often located next to the consumer unit or the "Fuse Box".

IMORTANT

If you notice a thin, loose, or missing cable, a clamp that is rusty and loose, or a cut cable, your bonding is incorrect and needs immediate attention.

Things to Remember 

• If you detect or observe any problems or issues with the electrical earth bonding of your gas meter, do not attempt to fix it yourself. This is a technical matter that requires attention from a qualified electrician.
• Do not touch any cables or wires, even if you are sure they are faulty. It can be a risky affair. Instead, call an electrician to handle the problem.
• You can perform a visual inspection, without touching anything, to confirm that your gas meter is connected to the electrical earth bonding. You can prove it by noticing a thick, green and yellow-coloured cable attached with a sturdy clamp. It should be secure and free of apparent corrosion.
• It is crucial to verify whether your gas meter is connected to earth bonding, particularly when preparing your property for an annual gas safety inspection. If you have any doubts or are certain that your gas meter is not connected correctly with earth bonding, call an electrician to do it on an urgent basis, before the arrival of a Gas Safe registered engineer for the annual gas safety inspection. Failure to do so might result in the cutting of the gas supply to your property.

Remember, electrical earth bonding of your gas meter is the sole responsibility of the homeowner or the landlord. While it may not have a direct legal consequence, it is more relevant to the safety of your home and family.

Conclusion

Gas and electricity are the primary energy sources of any home. The safety of the house and family is the primary responsibility of homeowners and landlords in mitigating potential risks associated with gas and electricity. While the safety protocols for both energy sources differ and are separately managed by qualified engineers, one aspect is common to both, which is the correct connection of the gas meter to the main electrical earth bonding of the property. In fact, this should be done by a qualified electrician, rather than a gas safety engineer.

The gas meter must be properly connected to the central earthing system of the entire property. It is essential to protect the property against the risk of a gas explosion or fire that may occur if a live electric wire comes into contact with any metallic surface of a home appliance, potentially causing an electric spark. Therefore, connecting the gas meter to the main electrical earth bonding is essential for every home.