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Message 1 of 5

Entry point in Garage and has a 'gas seal'

Today a cityfibre engineer informed me that they couldnt install fibre as my entry point was internal and contained a gas seal. The entry point was in my integral garage (now converted to a room) The gas seal was there to prevent gas entering the property in the event of an external leak. They said if they fed cables through it the seal woud break and they cant touch it. Is this something openreach or BT can overcome? very confused. Anyone experienced this?

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Message 2 of 5

Re: Entry point in Garage and has a 'gas seal'

The gas seal in a garage is to prevent exhaust fumes or petrol fumes entering the house. Another reason is if the garage  previously or still has a gas boiler installed in it. If it did/does that is why you have the gas seal. If the boiler is no longer in the garage/converted room and obviously you are not parking a car in the room there is now no need for a gas seal.

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Message 3 of 5

Re: Entry point in Garage and has a 'gas seal'

Exhaust fumes from the road?

The seal is on the entry point from the street. Garage/room still has boiler. Can this be overcome?

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Message 4 of 5

Re: Entry point in Garage and has a 'gas seal'

Not exhaust fumes from the road. It will be be because it was a garage and it was to stop exhaust fumes from any car  that had the engine running when entering, leaving or running while parked in the garage. 

If it still has the boiler in the room it could be argued that it would also stop any carbon monoxide fumes from entering the house should the boiler become defective although as the majority of houses have the boiler in the house it seem a bit over the top. As long as you have a carbon monoxide detector in the room you would get an alarm going off if there was a problem.

Personally I would just drill a hole myself or get a contractor to do it, fit suitably sized ducting and have the Openreach fitter push the cable through that. You can then seal around the hole and cable with "FILOform fill and seal"  which will reinstate the gas seal if you feel it is necessary.

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Message 5 of 5

Re: Entry point in Garage and has a 'gas seal'

Although unusual in a domestic setting , and more common in a business setting , if the duct from outside actually enters the building, it needs to have a duct seal , not just to stop any potential ‘gas’ in the underground network entering the property, ( an explosive risk) but  also should the underground network flood with water , that won’t enter the building via the duct either.

TBH , posting here on a BT forum is pointless , this has nothing to do with BT , as far as Openreach ( presumably this company have tried to use OR ducts ) because it’s  not Openreach installing the service ,they quite correctly will have no interest dealing with your issues with City Fibre , so if this competitor company doesn’t have the ways or means to re-seal the duct after installing their cable , then presumably that’s it , it’s not BT or OR ‘fault’ that this company that is allowed a parasitic relationship with OR by leeching on OR ducts , don’t appear to have the necessary solution to this issue, which as stated is unusual but not unique, especially since they also do business installs where ducts inside premises is very common.

I would suggest that  this Alt Net need to employ whatever process they would use if your property didn’t have a duct at all , or if the existing duct were blocked inside your curtilage, by installing their own duct from the footpath to the external wall of your property, but if they only do ‘cheap’ installations that don’t require them to pay for extra work  , they may simply decide not to provide to  you with service, and walk away , if that’s the case that is between you and them and nothing at all to do with BT.