..
min read

Table Of Contents

Do Plumbers Do Gas Fitting?

There are several gas appliances used in Australian homes, but gas stoves are among the most common ones in this country. Gas appliances use highly inflammable gases as fuel, including liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, propane, syngas, and butane.

Risks associated with gas stoves include explosion, gas poisoning, and fire outbreak. Your appliance should only be installed, repaired, replaced, or maintained by a professional. This issue has prevented many people from acquiring gas stoves because they simply do not know who to turn to for help.

Do not install a gas appliance yourself unless you are a registered gas-safe professional. If your career is not along this line, hire an expert. Plumbers may fit this bill, but they are not always the right people to handle this task. Installation of a gas appliance in Australia must be done per Australian Standards.

Find The Right Expert For Gas Stove Installation

Knowing the kind of work plumbers can handle will put you on the right track in ascertaining whether they can install your gas stove for you. Plumbers are experts who design and conduct assessments on plumbing systems to ensure that local rules and regulations are followed.

A qualified and licensed plumber should be able to handle the following plumbing works relating to water supply, gas connection, and sanitation systems:

  • Unclogging a blocked drain
  • Unclogging blocked toilets
  • Installing a gas stove
  • Installing a hot water system
  • Bathtubs installation and repair
  • Installation and repair of sinks

Category Of Plumbers Qualified To Do Gas Fitting

Not all plumbers are qualified gas fitters. Gas fitting and plumbing deal with enclosed pipes and gas fitting projects like gas stove installation. These tasks require professionals who will execute them to go for special training and be licensed. Individuals must meet specific training requirements before engaging in commercial plumbing work.

Only licensed gas fitters are allowed to install gas appliances in Australia. This requirement is meant to ensure that you or a professional will install appliances safely in homes and that the components of the gas connection will work safely and efficiently.

Compulsory Gas Stove Installation Requirements

You may be unable to do more than a new gas cooktop and stove installation. Although this may not add any severe effects to your kitchen's aesthetic, if you upgrade your gas cooker, it can significantly enhance cook time for you.

However, there is more to installing a gas cooker than just connecting the device to a gas line. There are many minimum clearances that a new gas stove installation should meet, including:

  • A distance of 600mm from a combustible surface that is vertically above
  • A 200mm clearance distance horizontally away from a combustible surface
  • If it is not possible for the above two clearances to meet along the entire length of the cooktop, a non-combustible material needs to be applied to a 150mm height.
  • There must be a 600mm distance between rangehood and cooktop
  • There should be a 750mm distance away from the exhaust fan

All the instructions that come with your appliance should be followed to ensure that you are adequately protected if necessary. Neglecting any of the minimum clearances or essential specifications may cause complications when seeking repairs.

It is best you ask a licensed plumber who has been in the business for an extended time and knows the ins and outs of these regulations. Such professionals, without doubt, are experienced enough to know what is expected of them and how problems that may emanate in the future from plumbing work can be avoided.

FAQs Before A Plumber Installs Your Gas Stove

Even if your plumber is willing to wave a licence in your face, you want to ensure they'll be able to sustain the appliance they're installing. Before agreeing to any work, you should ask about their experience with the product and whether they can provide inspection certificates.

With so many questions to answer, how you ensure the experience of your gas stove professional depends on how well they are able to answer those questions. Although gas plumbing can be dangerous, you need to know how long your plumber has been performing the job.

Depending on your appliance's make, it can take a month or two for that plumber to certify they're competent with something. So be sure to ask them if they've had enough experience with that specific utility in their career before agreeing to hire. With many years of experience, they've accumulated plenty of insight and advice.

Plumbers say they are licensed, but it is not enough to take them at their word. It is better to see documentation and see if they are licensed. If a plumber is required for a job and does not have the proper qualifications, we recommend insisting on some valid documentation. You are then better positioned to know what you're going to get.

Many professional plumbers are willing to care for their old clients on top of their current customers, mainly when an emergency arises. However, others just might not be too interested in caring for their old clients once they have received new clients from them.

Having a steady pair of hands, you can depend on gives you some rest of mind in case of any uncertainties. You want to know how long your plumber will take. This information is essential so that you can plan other activities and not be delayed by the work.

A final important question to ask a plumber is what the difference in the time it will take them and if they offer warranties on their work—asking these questions before a gas stove installation will prevent complications.

Valuable Tips For DIY Gas Stove Installation

If you feel confident that you can install a gas stove on your own, some tips and guidelines may help along the way. You will need to acquire the necessary materials first to do this job. These include a wrench, gas leak detector, flexible corrugated gas connector, Teflon tape, etc. To complete the process, you should follow these steps:

Buy a new connector that can work with your gas line

Reusing a gas stove connector is unsafe if you want to ensure a safe installation of your new gas stove. While buying the connector, confirm that it is marked "for the range" and be sure it is compatible with your gas line. Connectors need to be long enough that there is available space between the stove and wall.

Pull the range out and shut off the gas cock

It is essential for you to shut off the gas cock because this increases the level of safety. You will usually find the shutoff somewhere behind the range, or it may be inside your base cabinet. In case you do not have a shutoff, you can arrange to add it while installing the gas stove.

Wrap up with Teflon tape

Ensure you wrap the correct Teflon pipe joint with the aid of the right tape twice along the pipe threads. You should remember to do the wrapping in a clockwise direction.

Link gas stove connector with gas line

Remove the end connector fitting, and use Teflon tape to wrap up the unbevelled end. After this, screw the connector in place to the gas line. Connecting a gas line is significantly more difficult without the right fitting. Do not screw it into a black pipe or gas fitting to avoid long-term damage to a connector pipe or fitting. Do not force a connection or let it form a kink around sharp bends.

Connect a street elbow and range gas port with a screw

A 1.3 cm X 1.3 cm screw size is what is recommended for an elbow. Once the street elbow is screwed into the range, screw the other end of the connector onto the street elbow. Use Teflon tape on each of these fittings, but do not over-tighten.

Ensure connector nuts are correctly tightened to end fittings

At the point of carrying out this step, ensure the tube is held straight up against the fitting but never use Teflon tape on these threads because that may destroy the seal.

Check to see if there are gas leaks

Check to see if there is any gas leak by first turning on the gas and lighting the burners after installing a gas stove in your home. Leave the burner on for roughly a minute to ensure the air trapped in the gas line is sent out.

Get a gas leak detector and spray it on all joints. If you don't have one, use warm soapy water and check for bubbles anywhere along the joints. If there are bubbles, this confirms the gas is leaking.

Move your new stove around to stabilise it

Move your stove around to find the right place for it. When you have confirmed there is no gas leaking, ensure that the stove has a firm sitting and everything is level and stable. This is important because you wouldn't want anything titling while cooking. This can lead to accidents in the kitchen.

What Is The Cost Of Installing A Gas Stove?

There is no fixed cost for installing a gas stove. The cost varies depending on different factors. Generally, installation cost ranges between $400 and $3000 depending on the following factors:

It should take roughly two hours to have a gas stove installed, including checking to confirm there are no gas leaks.

Hire A Qualified Gas Plumber

There are copious benefits to having a gas stove installed yourself. You will install your gas stove at a lower cost and save some money during the process. However, it can take countless hours of research and effort to ensure you've got the right components to install the stove properly.

There's no guarantee that you will do it well enough on your own. However, there are reputable plumbing companies that are qualified and licensed to offer you gas fitting services within your locality in Australia.

Plumbing Services in Canberra

Blueline Plumbing & Gas are your local specialist for all domestic plumbing and gas fitting needs.

Get in touch for a quote or speak with a qualified plumbing specialist. We will help you find a solution for your emergency plumbing or plumbing repair needs.

More from Our Blog

You Might Also Like

See All Posts