Gas pipes
On 1 July 2022, the Leeuwarder Courant newspaper carried an article about the possibility of rusty gas pipes in Aldlân. An installer found rusted steel gas pipes at a number of homes in the district. Rusty gas pipes can leak. That is dangerous. You may be concerned about this. What can you do to prevent dangerous situations?
What is this about?
Steel gas pipes were used in many homes and buildings built before 1986. That is the case for a large proportion of the homes in the Aldlân district. Steel pipes have been banned in the Netherlands since 1986. These can rust. For example, in a damp crawl space or in concrete. The pipes could start leaking if they rust for too long. Urgent advice to home owners is to have the gas pipes checked by a certified installer. This is not only important for you as an owner, it is also important for the safety of your environment and your neighbours.
What to do?
You rent your home
Your landlord is responsible for the maintenance of your home. Contact your landlord if you have any questions. Rental via WoonFriesland, Elkien of Vesteda These landlords have informed the local authority that the pipes are regularly checked or have previously been (fully or partly) replaced.
You are a home owner
Homeowners are always responsible for the condition of their own property, including the pipework in their home. Owners are therefore responsible for their own safety, and the safety of their surroundings.
- Want to know if the gas pipes in your home are safe? Then we urgently advise you to have the pipework checked by a certified installer. Are you going to insulate your home? If you are having your home insulated, you should always check that the gas pipe can still be reached afterwards.
- Are the gas pipes always dry, in sight and above ground? In that case, they are unlikely to have rusted. Was your home built after 1986? If so, you need not worry: steel gas pipes were probably not used. Doubts? If in doubt, seek advice from a recognised installation company.
Questions and Answers
What does the local authority do?
The municipality has informed residents of the neighbourhood through resident letters, newsletters and information evenings about steel gas pipes in homes and about the urgent advice to have them checked by a certified installer. The municipality did this in consultation with the Fryslân Safety Region and the Aldlân district panel.
Random check
The local authority conducted a random check of homes in Aldlân in autumn 2022. We found steel pipes in 13 of of those 25 addresses. Three homes had slightly rusted pipes and required maintenance by a recognised installer.
Do you have any questions, or is there any information you want to pass on to the local authority?
Send an email to gasleidingen@leeuwarden.nl. Also if you want to report the condition of steel gas pipes in your home.
Have you already had the gas pipes in your home checked by a recognised installation company?
If so, we would like to receive this information or the installation company’s inspection report. Send an email to gasleidingen@leeuwarden.nl. Do you have photos? If you have any photos, please enclose them. Also note your name, address and phone number. We will not use this information for any other purposes.
What is done with your information?
This information gives us an idea of the magnitude of the problem. We are also looking into whether other districts and villages may have used a lot of steel gas pipes before 1986.
What is this about?
Steel gas pipes were used in many homes and buildings built before 1986. That is the case for a large proportion of the homes in the Aldlân district. Steel pipes have been banned in the Netherlands since 1986. These can rust. For example, in a damp crawl space or in concrete. The pipes could start leaking if they rust for too long. Urgent advice to home owners is to have the gas pipes checked by a certified installer. This is not only important for you as an owner, it is also important for the safety of your environment and your neighbours.
What to do?
You rent your home
Your landlord is responsible for the maintenance of your home. Contact your landlord if you have any questions. Rental via WoonFriesland, Elkien of Vesteda These landlords have informed the local authority that the pipes are regularly checked or have previously been (fully or partly) replaced.
You are a home owner
Homeowners are always responsible for the condition of their own property, including the pipework in their home. Owners are therefore responsible for their own safety, and the safety of their surroundings.
- Want to know if the gas pipes in your home are safe? Then we urgently advise you to have the pipework checked by a certified installer. Are you going to insulate your home? If you are having your home insulated, you should always check that the gas pipe can still be reached afterwards.
- Are the gas pipes always dry, in sight and above ground? In that case, they are unlikely to have rusted. Was your home built after 1986? If so, you need not worry: steel gas pipes were probably not used. Doubts? If in doubt, seek advice from a recognised installation company.
Questions and Answers
What does the local authority do?
The municipality has informed residents of the neighbourhood through resident letters, newsletters and information evenings about steel gas pipes in homes and about the urgent advice to have them checked by a certified installer. The municipality did this in consultation with the Fryslân Safety Region and the Aldlân district panel.
Random check
The local authority conducted a random check of homes in Aldlân in autumn 2022. We found steel pipes in 13 of of those 25 addresses. Three homes had slightly rusted pipes and required maintenance by a recognised installer.
Do you have any questions, or is there any information you want to pass on to the local authority?
Send an email to gasleidingen@leeuwarden.nl. Also if you want to report the condition of steel gas pipes in your home.
Have you already had the gas pipes in your home checked by a recognised installation company?
If so, we would like to receive this information or the installation company’s inspection report. Send an email to gasleidingen@leeuwarden.nl. Do you have photos? If you have any photos, please enclose them. Also note your name, address and phone number. We will not use this information for any other purposes.
What is done with your information?
This information gives us an idea of the magnitude of the problem. We are also looking into whether other districts and villages may have used a lot of steel gas pipes before 1986.