[Non-period property question] Boxing in a gas meter

[Mart]

Hi all,

I have a non period problem on my period property so hopefully this will be ok!

We have inherited a gas meter (Itron UP6) with a very bodged cover - a plastic box held down by some slate tiles.

The problem is that we would like to get a smart meter installed which we can't have done until the meter is properly boxed in.

1. It is possible to install a box yourself or is this a task for a gas engineer?
2. The very close condenser pipe means that fitting a standard box with a back plate would be impossible without cutting holes in it, it's also very low to the ground.
3. Could I go for a more custom approach? there appears to be leftovers of a small brick structure which I could in theory re-use and build a very "period" brick box for the meter with a roof and wood door for access. This is very much overkill and my concern would be that smart meter engineer/ gas engineers in general would disapprove.

I guess my question is - what would you do in my position to box in the meter in a way which would meet gas safety standards and allow future maintenance/smart meter installation?

 

[a twig]

DIY install is fine.

Putting your meter in a dedicated compartment / structure is fine, so 3 is definitely an option.

Smart meter uses a mobile phone signal though so bear that in mind when choosing construction materials.

Personally I would consider re-routing the condensate pipe if possible.

 

[paulc]

A couple of bricks are in need of repointing behind the condensate pipe, so good reason to move it out of the way.
Your standard wall mounted meter box just clips to a rail fixed to the wall (or at least mine does). Have a look for a "Mark 1" box, and if you need a bracket for it to clip to, a short length of 35mm DIN rail (from an electrical wholesaler) should do the job. Or a wooden batten spaced out slightly from the wall. If you were to build your own box for the meter, do bear in mind that it needs air vents at the bottom to allow any build up of gas to escape.

 

[david10]

I was a bit concerned about whether it would meet safety standards, but I got the local gas engineer to take a look, and they gave it the green light.

The thing about those smart meters is they're pretty nifty but can be a bit finicky about their setup. You're spot on to think about future access for maintenance or upgrades.