Gas Line Installation
Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
- Who should I call to put a gas stove in?
- Related page: Gas shut-off installation (seismic)
- See also: Plumbers
Who should I call to put a gas stove in?
Sept. 2002
This is perhaps a silly question, but I can't figure out who to call to have a gas stove put in. We currently have an electric stove, but our water heater is gas powered, so we need to find someone to run the line to the kitchen. Will a place that sells me the stove (like Sears or Home Depot) do this or do I need to call someone specific or can I call any handyman? If someone has had this done, is it very expensive? and do you recommend anyone specifically or have warnings about someone else? Thanks very much! Shahana
Plumbers usually install gas lines. Our plumber moved the gas line and shut off valve for our stove. You need to have the gas line installed before your new stove is delivered. Our plumber is Albert Nahman: 843-6904, and we've been happy with their work. Karen
Feb 2000
Our old electric oven finally died, and I'd really like to replace it with a gas oven. Does anyone know what type of professional to contact in a situation like this? For some reason I keep thinking I need a plumber to run a gas line up from the basement, but I have no idea if that's right. Also, I don't know any plumbers! Someone please clue me in. Thanks!
Diana
What you need is someone who can install a gas line. This can be done by a plumber or by someone who does general handy-work and is experiensed with gas lines. It is a simple job. I don't know what city you are in but most likely your city requires a permit for gas line work. You can call your city building department to ask the process and the cost. If you get a city permit they will send an inspector out to look at the job and make sure it was done correctly -- and to current code. Depending on the last time gas lines were worked on, you might have 1/2 or 3/4 lines. The cost of the job will depend on how far they have to take the line and how difficult the access it (time=money). Bottom line: as far as skill required this is a plumbing 101 type of job.
Sojeila
This isn't the same as your situation, but we are doing a project right now that requires us to move our gas meter, so maybe this will be helpful. We put in the request in October to get on PG&E's schedule, and it is now almost 8 months later and we still do not have a date when they are coming out, which means our contractor is on hold till they give us a date. PG&E did finally send us a contract a few days ago for a mind-blowing $20K which has to be paid before they will schedule us. We had no. idea. it would be this expensive.
The worst part is that we originally thought PG&E would just be capping off and then reconnecting the gas line that runs from our house, where the meter is, under the driveway and down to the street. We need to replace a failing retaining wall and excavate part of the driveway, so we needed PG&E to come out and cap off the line while the work was being done. It never occurred to us that the gas meter would have to be moved. For one thing, the work we are doing is down at the street level, and the meter is uphill on the house. But the other thing is, PG&E replaced our gas meter less than a year ago to try to fix a different problem, so presumably it's to code (and there are multiple electric and solar boxes). Nevertheless, during the past 8 months as we have waited to be scheduled, there have been dozens of emails and phone messages between us and PG&E, with lags of several weeks between responses, telling us different things: meter can stay where it is, meter needs to move a foot away from where it is, meter must be located down at the street, meter must be installed in the driveway. This last suggestion came with a sketched meter + bollards superimposed on top of the architectural plans we'd given them. It stuck out into the driveway such that a car would still fit, but the doors could not be opened all the way (!!!) We even had a visit from a PG&E engineer who measured everything and assured us the meter could stay on the house. But that was eventually overruled. Finally we came up with a plan to create an alcove in one of the retaining walls for the meter, just next to the sidewalk, which satisfied PG&E, at which point they eventually sent us a contract.
Our understanding is that PG&E prefers the gas meter to be as close to the gas main as possible, partly for better access, but also because it is the homeowner who is responsible for maintaining the line that runs from the meter to the house. PG&E is only responsible up to where the meter is. So that's why, when they need to do anything to the gas line, they want to move the meter closer to the street at the same time. It's more economical for them since they are no longer responsible for that stretch of gas line between the street and the house.
Anyway, back to your issue, I would definitely ask the solar installer about their experience with this - it seems like something they must run into all the time. I would explore every possible other option before moving a gas meter.
We had this issue dozens of years ago. Not concerning solar, but simply the requirement of the space between the gas meter and the electric meter. The solution was to build a box with a door around the gas meter. You could ask to see if this solution is still feasible.
Wow! PG&E is just making it more and more difficult to go solar. Here is a great post on the Tesla community board that might be helpful:
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/summary-of-options-for-3-foot-r…
We recently put in solar and were warned that our gas meter is too close to the main electrical panel; however, PG&E did not say anything about it, approved our installation, and we just flipped the switch yesterday! If you are willing to risk it, you could go that route and keep your fingers crossed...