Essential Safety Tips for Installing Gas Appliances
If you've recently purchased a gas appliance, you need to be extremely careful whilst installing it. Allowing gas to escape could lead to a serious injury. Here are some of the most important safety tips to keep in mind.
1. Turn Off the Gas
Do not do anything until you have turned off the gas to the home. If you have never done this before, double check that you actually turned it off correctly by trying to light the pilot on the existing gas appliance. If the gas is truly off, you shouldn't be able to light the pilot light.
2. Replace Old Fittings
If your old appliance is connected by steel tubing, you should get rid of that. Instead, you want to use flexible, sturdy stainless steel gas piping. You can get that type of tubing in a gas appliance connection kit.
Additionally, if your home has old style gas valves, you should replace them as well. They are prone to leaking, and the ball valves are much more efficient. Ball valves are available at many plumbing supply shops.
3. Use Right Angle Fittings if Pushing the Appliance Against a Wall
Once you have the flexible, stainless steel gas line, you need to connect it to the gas fitting that comes out of your wall. Before connecting it, visualise the path from the tubing to the appliance. If you have a fitting that sticks straight out from the wall, the tubing may become crimped when you push the stove or dryer against the wall. That can lead to damage, which in turn can lead to a gas leak.
To prevent that, you may want to replace the standard fitting with a right angle fitting. These fitting extend slightly from the wall, and then, the metal bends at a 90 degree angle. As a result, when you attach the gas piping, the first section runs parallel to the wall, and that allows the piping to create an s-shape as it runs toward the appliance. Those gentle curves protect the piping from damage.
4. Tighten the Seal
To ensure the seal is tight between the gas piping and the gas fixture, you need some compound or tape. You can buy these items from a plumbing supply shop. Either apply the compound before twisting the two components together or add the tape after they are connected.
To be as safe as possible, you may want to turn this job over to the pros. Contact a gas fitter today about installing your gas appliances.
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