Adding a Gas Line for a Stove or BBQ in the Lower Mainland: What to Know

You've picked out a gas range for the kitchen reno. Or you're tired of hauling a 20-pound propane tank to the gas station every few weeks in barbecue season. Either way, the next question is the same: what does it take to run a natural gas line to it?

For a licensed gasfitter it's familiar work. Most of what makes it go well is doing things in the right order. Here's what Lower Mainland homeowners should sort out before anyone picks up a wrench, and where these jobs tend to get complicated.

Who's allowed to do the work

Gas piping and appliance hookups are regulated work in BC. Technical Safety BC, the provincial safety regulator, lists installing a range or cooktop, installing or altering gas piping, and installing a built-in gas barbecue as work that needs a permit.

Most people hire a licensed gas contractor, and the contractor applies for the permit on your behalf. Technical Safety BC's advice is to check that a permit is actually in place before the work starts.

There is a do-it-yourself route, but it's narrow. Under BC's Gas Safety Regulation, a homeowner permit is only an option if you own a fully detached house, live in it or plan to, nobody is being paid to do or help with the work, and no part of the home is rented out. Technical Safety BC says owners of strata units and non-strata duplexes, and people running a business from home, can't get a homeowner permit and must hire a licensed contractor. That rules out a lot of Lower Mainland townhouses, plus any house with a rented basement suite.

One exception is worth knowing. Replacing an existing plug-in style gas barbecue doesn't need a permit. If there's already a natural gas outlet on your patio and you're swapping in a new natural gas grill, that's not a permit job.

Not sure which trade you need? Our post on the difference between a plumber and a gasfitter in BC breaks it down.

Your city decides who issues the permit

Technical Safety BC issues gas permits across most of the province, but a handful of municipalities handle their own. In the Lower Mainland, that's Burnaby, Maple Ridge, North Vancouver, Richmond and Vancouver. Everywhere else, including Surrey, Langley, Delta and Coquitlam, the permit comes from Technical Safety BC. Your gasfitter should know which one applies to your address.

Can your meter handle one more appliance?

Every gas appliance has a rating in BTUs (British Thermal Units), and your meter and regulator are sized for a certain total load. A house that already runs a furnace, a water heater and a fireplace adds to that total every time a new appliance goes in.

FortisBC's rule of thumb is about significant increases. If new appliances will push your gas use up enough that your gasfitter needs a bigger meter or a different regulator, someone calls FortisBC at 1-888-224-2710 and chooses Construction Services. They'll want the gasfitter's name and phone number, the delivery pressure required and the total load in BTUs. FortisBC then works out what's needed and gives you a process and timeline.

That's why a careful gasfitter adds up everything already on your system before quoting. The total load and the length of the run also decide what size pipe goes in, which is one reason two quotes for "a gas line to the kitchen" can look very different.

Running a line to a kitchen range

Indoors, most of the job is the route. The pipe has to get from an existing gas line to the spot behind the range, and how easy that is depends on your house: whether there's an unfinished basement or crawl space under the kitchen, which floor the kitchen is on, and how many finished walls and ceilings are in the way.

A few things make it go smoother:

• Have the range picked out, or at least its installation manual. It tells the fitter where the gas connection sits and what clearances the range needs.

• If you're remodelling, run the line while the walls and floors are open. It's far less work than cutting into a finished kitchen later. We plan gas work into our kitchen and bathroom renovations for exactly this reason.

• If you live in a strata, talk to your strata about alterations before booking anything.

Whatever the route, we test every new gas line for leaks as part of the job.

Running a line to a barbecue or patio

Outside, a permanent natural gas line typically ends at a shut-off valve and a quick-connect outlet on the wall or deck, so the barbecue can be unplugged and rolled away.

The hose matters more than people think. Technical Safety BC's directive on outdoor connectors says hoses for portable outdoor gas appliances must be certified to CSA Standard 8.4, and connectors for permanent outdoor appliances must be certified to CSA 6.27. An indoor appliance connector doesn't belong on the patio.

Converting a propane barbecue

Plenty of grills can be switched to natural gas, but only with the manufacturer's conversion kit for that specific model. Napoleon, for example, sells its kits by model, and describes them as built to keep the gas pressure correct for the new fuel. Everdure says its conversion kit must be fitted by a licensed gas fitter. If the maker doesn't offer a kit for your grill, you'll need a grill built for natural gas.

Lines that run under the yard

If the line runs underground to an outdoor kitchen, a patio heater or a detached garage, it's yours to look after. FortisBC maintains the meter and the service line from the street. Past the meter, the property owner is responsible, including buried lines to outdoor appliances like barbecues and patio heaters. FortisBC recommends having those buried lines inspected regularly by a licensed gas contractor or leak inspector.

It also helps to keep a sketch or photos of where your private line runs. And before you dig for fence posts or a deck, contact BC 1 Call (1-800-474-6886) at least three business days ahead. FortisBC says it's free and required by law.

If you smell gas

FortisBC adds an odourant called mercaptan so that natural gas smells like rotten eggs. You might also hear hissing near an appliance. If you notice either, FortisBC says to stop what you're doing, avoid anything that could spark (your cellphone, light switches, matches), go outside and leave the door open behind you. Once you're outside, call FortisBC's 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 or dial 911. Our post on what to do if you smell gas in your BC home covers it in more detail.

Questions to ask before you book

• Who's pulling the permit, and is it in the quote?

• Have you added up the BTUs of my existing appliances, and will FortisBC need to change my meter?

• How will the line be tested before the appliance goes on?

• For a barbecue: where will the shut-off and outlet go, and is the hose CSA 8.4 certified?

• Can I look up your licence? Technical Safety BC has a Find a Licensed Contractor tool that shows each contractor's licence and scope of work.

Ready for a gas range or BBQ line?

Ark Plumbing & Heating's licensed gasfitters run gas lines for ranges, cooktops, barbecue hookups and other gas appliances across the Lower Mainland, and we pull the permits for work that needs them. See our gasfitting installs and repairs page, or if you're in Surrey, our Surrey gasfitting page. Call 604-441-3411 or send us a message to book a quote.