Are you looking on to add a new gas stove to your household? No doubt, natural gas is a superb source of affordable and clean energy. You will save huge cash when you replace electric appliances with gas ones. As you think about moving to gas energy, you will require the installation of new pipelines. The electric installation cannot work for gas power.
Sometimes, you will need a gas fitter to do the work for you. These professionals have superb experience in gas line piping or installation. However, you may have these installation skills. So, you are finding ideas on how to go about this process. If this is your case, here are several steps on how you can install a gas stove in your home with zero challenges:
Get the right pipes and fittings
No doubt, improper installation of gas lines poses a high risk in your household. Gas is a highly flammable substance. A little leak can cause a fire that will burn down your entire house. For this reason, the first step in the installation process is getting the right fittings and pipes. Each stove has a label of the pipe range and fittings needed.
When you visit a hardware or a home centre, you need to find the right pipes and fittings. Check for several aspects to determine you choose the right installation materials. First, ensure connectors have the word “range.” This mark means it is the right element for connecting your gas stove.
Also, ensure you go for ones with end to end fittings. The connector should have extended fitting threads on both sides. Otherwise, you can consider the black pipe fitting in case you fail to get connectors that have end-to-end fittings. The next thing to consider here is the length.
Do not get a short pipe or an exact one. Having a long pipe will offer you an opportunity to work well without much struggle in your installation process. With this aspect, you will be good to go.
Ensure your gas is off
After getting the right installation materials, it is time to kick off your process. The first thing is to turn off the gas. As noted above, gas is a highly flammable substance. A small leak can be a source of huge and unmanageable disaster. You do not want to experience such circumstances during your installation process. Your dream is to have a new gas stove that will serve your family well.
Head to your gas valve. This valve is next to your gas meter on the side of your house. Then, turn it off and ensure it is tight. You can confirm there is no gas flow by ensuring no counting in the meter when you turn on a gas appliance. This way, you can be sure that you are working in a safe and secure environment in your backyard.
Fit the pipes and valves to extend them to your new gas stove
Now, it is time to get your hands on the job. You need to fit the pipes and valves up to the new gas stove. Before doing so, coat the pipe thread with pipe dope. This material plays a crucial role in realizing your airtight objective. Sometimes, gas fitters use piping tape.
While it can work for other pipes, it comes with huge packages of risks. For instance, it will become loose with time and it is likely to cause a clogging issue on your gas pipes. This aspect can lead to hurtful results.
When fitting the pipes, you can do it at your workshop or garage area. You can then move them to the wall for fixing. Remember, always avoid 90-degrees turns or bends. Such made harden your work when you want to tighten your pipes. So, ensure no pipe has right-angled bends.
Consider a flexible pipe
When connecting water, you may not require flexible pipes. But the case is different in gas installation. Flexible pipes are a priority in your installation process. These pipes make your work easier for several reasons.
First, the pipes can snake through the walls and circumvent around any obstacle. This aspect means that you will not require numerous joints on the pipe. As you know, few joints translate to low leaking issues. Also, the few joints save your money as you do not need to purchase a range of joint connectors.
As well, it is easy to install compared with the traditional black and threaded pipes. You can fix a flexible pipe in a place where a threaded pipe cannot fit or will require you to cut it. As such, always go for the flexible pipes and particularly if your country is prone to earthquakes.
The frequent shaking can break the traditional pipes. With the flexible pipes, they will adapt to the movements. So, no leaking possibilities.
Assess your gas line’s airtightness
Airtightness is a crucial aspect of the gas line installation. Your pipeline should be airtight meaning no gas is leaking. Assessing the gas line is essential to enhance the safety of your household. Having a zero gas leakage is an assurance that your home is safe from gas-related fire. You can only achieve this by ensuring that your gas line is airtight.
To assess linking issues, make a mixture of dishwashing liquid or soap with water. Apply this mixture on the pipe joints and fitting points. Zero bubbling means no air is flowing out. If you notice some bubbling, you are certain that your pipeline is leaking.
In this case, what you need to do is to tighten your fittings further. Now check whether the issue is persistent. If the is remains unresolved, consider undoing the connection. Apply additional pipe dope on the threads and re-fix it. If nothing works, you have the wrong pipes and fittings. So, all you will need is to get a new set of pipes and fitting material.
For you to avoid such cases, it is recommend to work with a professional gas fitter. The fitter has knowledge and experience in this field. As such, they will never make the mistake of choosing the wrong pipes and fittings. This way, you will save money and time.
Turn on your gas and test the flow
When certain that your pipeline is airtight, it is now the time to test the gas flow. You need to be sure of your work. This confirmation is only possible by testing the flow. So, turn on your gas and check whether it is flowing to your newly installed stove. If the gas flow is okay, your work was a success. Congratulation!
In case you notice there is an issue with the gas flow, you need to check whether the cause is your piping or the gas stove itself. Otherwise, your process is complete when your gas system is working properly.
Wrapping up
As you can see, installing a gas stove is not a big challenge. You can do it yourself at home and save on the labour fee. However, you should never try it if you do not have the right permits and skills needed in gas installation. Trying to perform the task without the required skills comes with a huge risk.
For instance, your installation will be prone to numerous leaks. These leaks can cause a fire that will lead to substantial damages to your home. Also, you do not have a safety guide on handling gaseous elements. You may ignore the idea of switching off the gas before kicking on your installations. So, always work with a gas fitter if you do not have the right skills.
In a word, gas is a reliable and affordable source of energy. Whether installing a new stove or gas appliance, such a step is recommendable. Following the above steps will make your installation process seamless and with few or zero obstacles.
