Gas Line Installation, Repair & Replacements

When installed and used correctly, natural gas is a very safe and efficient source of power. The overwhelming majority of incidents involving natural gas are due to not following the correct procedures, especially when it comes to connecting and disconnecting natural gas lines. When you have your natural gas line installed by licensed professionals such as those at Drain Pro Plumbing Services, you can rest assured that your natural gas system is safe. Call us today if you are interested in installing a natural gas system in your home.

Believe it or not, natural gas smells like rotten eggs to keep you safe. Because natural gas on its own is odorless, a harmless and safe chemical called mercaptan is mixed with the gas so we can smell if there is a gas leak. Most people describe the smell of natural gas mixed with mercaptan as similar to rotten eggs or sulphur. If you have a natural gas in your home and notice a smell of rotten eggs, you might have a natural gas leak. If you suspect you do have a leak, vacate your home and call Drain Pro Plumbing.

There are many different types of pipes that work together in your natural gas system. Their lifespans vary depending on the material they are made of:

• Copper Pipes: 70-80 Years
• Brass Pipes: 80-100 Years
• Galvanized Steel: 80-100 Years

Damage to these pipes can still happen at any time across their lifespan due to faulty components, corrosion, improperly moving gas appliances, tree roots near underground lines and more. It is important to have your pipes inspected every so often to ensure they are in working order.

Aside from the obvious rotten egg smell, or alarm from your home’s carbon monoxide detector, there are a number of things you can look for and notice that will tell you if your gas line needs to be fixed:

• Pipes are starting to crack or look like they will at any moment.
• Hissing noises near your gas pipes.
• Rust or corrosion on your gas pipes
• Gas appliances slowing down
• Dying house plants or grass around buried gas pipes despite regular watering
• Drastic increase in your utility bill

All of these are easy ways to tell if there is (or soon will be) a gas leak somewhere in your gas line that urgently needs to be fixed.

Yes, but only under certain conditions. Certain grades of polyethylene pipes like PEX are capable of being used for gas lines. However, due to the fact that it is plastic that expands easily near heat, they are not recommended to be connected directly to any heat producing appliances like a gas furnace, water heater, stove or BBQ. Doing so is an easy way to spring a gas leak.

PEX pipes are great to use in gas lines when you are transporting natural gas from one point in your home to another because it is flexible and doesn’t require as many directional connections. The pipes should connect to metal pipes near appliances in such a way as it isn’t exposed to extreme heat.

PEX pipes also work well as buried pipes used to connect detached buildings such as sheds and garages that are on your property.

Gas line work is fully regulated under the BC Safety Standards Act. These regulations state that unless you have an emergency such as a gas leak, you need to have a permit before having any work done on your gas line. This work could be:

• Installations
• Alterations
• Extensions
• Preventative Maintenance

Our team of experts will help you with permits every step of the way so there is no need to stress.