Gas Plumber and Repair Services
Trying to be a gas plumber is definitely not a job for the handyman.
To work on anything to do with gas pipe installation gas heating maintenance or gas heater installation you have to be fully qualified and registered with the plumbing industry board as a gas plumber. The technical side of gas work for a new dwelling and renovations is the calculation of the BTU rating of the appliances you are installing in the building how far they are situated from the gas meter all this is necessary in order to calculate the size of the pipe from the gas meter to the first appliance then the calculation of the pipe size to the second heater and so on to the heater that is furthest away from the meter.
If the pipe size is not calculated correctly and it is under size then the pipe will not be able to carry enough gas that the heater needs to operate at the capacity it was manufactured to do. After all installations are completed the gas plumber must test the gas line and appliances for any gas leaks in the pipe line and heaters, this is a very critical part of the operation involving special equipment to register the pressure in the gas line to hold that pressure for a set period of time in order to guarantee that the line is leak proof before it is connected to the gas meter and put into service. If there is a leak the gas plumber has to check all the joints with a soap and water solution until the leak is located, fixed and another test applied until it holds pressure on the manometer and only then can it be put into service. All pipe work should be fixed securely to bearers and floor joists under the house if the dwelling has a wooden floor and securely fixed to the ceiling rafters and walls if the house is built on a concrete slab. The gas heaters and gas hot water unit have to be installed according to manufacturer’s specifications and a Certificate of Compliance must be issued to give a description of the job under taken by the gas plumber and that all of the work has been done to plumbing industry standards
Gas Repairs
If a repair is to be carried out on the gas service pipe maybe a smell of gas is detected in a certain part of the house, if the dwelling is on a wooden floor the chances are that a galvanized iron pipe has been used for the service pipe from the meter and it is touching the ground under the house and as a result in the progress of time the moisture in the ground has permeated the galvanized coating on the pipe exposing the metal underneath and over the years it has rusted away and a gas leak has occurred. In this situation the gas plumber has no other option than to crawl under the house with some soap and water and a torch and a small brush and lather each screwed joint and section of pipe he suspects until he discovers with the lather where the gas is bubbling.
Once this is found the gas is turned off and the section of pipe or fittings is replaced and after that before the meter is reconnected and turned on the service is tested with special equipment to make sure the leak is fixed. Under no circumstances should any open flame be used in the process of finding a leak. With gas storage hot water units over the period of their life a pressure relief valve or a thermos couple may need to be replaced and this can be done by turning off the gas cock at the side of the unit for the thermos couple and the water stop tap for the PTR valve. If a hissing noise is heard in the unit when investigating a hot water problem then it usually means that the hot water units’ tank has developed a leak and unfortunately the whole unit has to be replaced. With the heaters in the house or central heater if they stop working it is usually the thermos couple or the fan that has to be replaced.
Important to call your DBF gas plumber if you have concerns about your gas units or pipes.
Liquid Petroleum Gas
The plumbing principles and procedures for the installation of liquid petroleum (bottled gas) are the same as for the installation of natural gas appliances .The heaters and hot water units have smaller size jets and work at different pressures than natural gas but apart from that the installation principles and standard of workmanship is at the same high standard for all.
The heaters and hot water units for LP gas are always marked FOR LP GAS ONLY.
This page has been provided as a service to customers by DBF plumbing, DBF has the experience and know how to repair or replace any gas units or attend to gas leaks, it is just a matter of calling us and we will attend to your problem quickly and save you the anxiety of searching for a gas plumber to do the job properly.
At DBF plumbing we are fully licensed and registered with the plumbing industry board so your job is done professionally.
Always hire a professional gas plumber, call now if you have questions,
0411 442 042