GAS LINE LEARNING LIBRARY / SALT LAKE VALLEY
Gas connections for every appliance
The gas line is one part of an appliance installation. Learn what changes with the equipment, which details to collect and where other trades or the utility enter the job.
Try the interactive gas-system lessons ↗Gas words, in plain English No trade vocabulary needed.
- Demand / load
- How much gas the equipment needs. An appliance label gives its fuel input in BTU per hour; add the relevant appliances when assessing a shared pipe.
- BTU/h / input rating
- British thermal units per hour: the rate of fuel energy going into an appliance. Heat output is what it delivers after losses, so use the input rating for gas-supply calculations.
- Flow / CFH
- How much gas passes a point over time. CFH means cubic feet per hour. A cubic foot is a volume, like a box one foot on each side.
- Pressure / pressure drop
- Pressure is the push on the gas. A pressure difference moves it along a pipe. The reduction in pressure along the route while gas flows is called pressure drop.
- Capacity
- How much gas a pipe, meter or other part can deliver at the specified pressure. The connected appliances determine how much capacity is needed.
- Branch / upstream / downstream
- A branch takes gas from a shared route to part of the system. Upstream means toward the supply; downstream means in the direction gas travels toward the appliances.
- Meter / regulator
- The meter measures gas use. A regulator controls pressure.
- Shutoff / sediment trap
- A shutoff is a valve that stops supply to a section. A sediment trap is a capped pocket arranged to catch debris before it reaches an appliance’s gas controls.
- Inlet / manifold
- The inlet is where gas enters an appliance. The manifold distributes it to the burners inside. Pressure requirements at these two places can differ.
- Combustion air / venting
- Combustion air is air needed to burn fuel. Venting carries the resulting exhaust away.
- Clearance / access
- Clearance is required space around equipment or piping. Access means being able to reach a part for inspection or service.
- Code / commissioning
- Code means installation rules adopted for the job’s location. Commissioning means checking and starting equipment according to its instructions, then confirming that it operates as required.
KITCHEN / LAUNDRY
Stoves, cooktops
and gas dryers.
A range combines burners and an oven. A cooktop has burners without the oven underneath. Either may need a new line, an extension to a new location, or an assessment of an existing connection.
The new model’s installation drawing shows where its gas connection sits and the space needed behind it. That determines whether the existing shutoff and connector fit. Delivery companies often limit their hookup service to an existing, ready-to-use connection.
Replacing a gas appliance?
Bring the new model number. The installation includes disconnecting the old unit, checking the supply and shutoff, connecting the replacement and checking its operation. Confirm which of those tasks your delivery service includes.
Switching from electric?
Plan the gas route as well as the electrical supply and ventilation. A gas dryer still needs electricity and an appropriate exhaust arrangement.
Moving the location?
Finalize cabinet and appliance dimensions early. Leave room for the required connection, shutoff access and the space needed around equipment for service.
HOT WATER / SPACE HEATING
Water heaters, boilers,
furnaces and fireplaces.
Changing a heating appliance can change the gas demand even when it occupies the same space. A tankless water heater heats water as it passes through; it may use much more gas while running than the tank it replaces. Its fuel input rating shows how much gas energy it uses per hour. That is the rating used to plan its gas supply.
A boiler heats water for a heating system. A furnace heats air. A fireplace has its own fuel, combustion-air and venting requirements. Combustion air is the air used to burn fuel; venting carries exhaust away. Include combustion air and exhaust in the equipment installation plan.
- Identify the equipment model and the fuel shown on its label.
- Include other appliances using the same piping in the supply assessment.
- Establish who handles the appliance, gas work, venting, electrical work and startup.
- Discuss any future heating or water-heating changes before approving the route.
Explore boilers and heating that circulates hot water ↗ · Water heater service ↗
Appliance upkeep, air supply and venting: Enbridge appliance safety guidance.
YARD / PATIO / DECK
Grills, fire pits
and patio heaters.
The outdoor appliance, its location and the route back to the supply belong in one plan. An existing patio can make access and restoration more involved than a yard that is still under construction. Tell us whether the route crosses concrete, landscaping or a future structure.
Natural gas and propane are different fuels. The appliance must be approved for the fuel supplied. Choose a model built for the available fuel. A convertible model needs its manufacturer’s specified conversion parts and adjustments.
Before excavation, arrange the required Blue Stakes locate request and establish whether private lines need a separate locate. A gas pipe running from your meter to a patio may be customer-owned and may not be marked by the utility. Blue Stakes explains private lines.
From an actual Salt Lake City job
One homeowner planned an outdoor connection for a temporary multi-fuel generator and a future fireplace. The recorded job included tracing the existing piping and evaluating the added demand before choosing the route.
See the job photos with the parts explained ↗POOL HEAT / BACKUP POWER
Plan the gas supply
before equipment arrives.
Pool heaters and generators can add a large demand to the gas supply. Plan their piping and meter capacity before ordering equipment. A generator project also includes its pad, electrical connection and transfer switch—the device that switches the house between utility and generator power.
The model’s fuel-supply specifications show the flow and pressure it needs. We compare those with the existing piping and the other appliances using it. If the meter needs more capacity, the utility handles that change.
Generator exhaust: a permanently installed standby generator needs the clearances and exhaust orientation specified for that model. For a portable generator, CPSC calls for outdoor operation at least 20 feet from the home, with exhaust directed away from doors, windows and vents. Both produce carbon monoxide. CPSC portable generator safety.
One project brief.
All the planned appliances.
List the appliances going in now and those planned for later. Their combined demand determines the capacity needed in the shared piping. Planning that capacity while walls or trenches are open can save another round of access work.
For propane properties, identify the supplier and intended fuel before discussing a conversion to utility natural gas. Conversion approval is specific to the appliance. Some models cannot be converted.
Try the heater-replacement and grill-addition example ↗
Build a project brief for any gas appliance ↗ · Learn how shared demand affects sizing ↗
PUT THE INFORMATION TO WORK
Tell us about
your project.
Mountain Man Plumbing is based in Sandy and serves the Salt Lake Valley. Send the appliance model, where it will go and your timing. For a repair after a shutoff, include the utility or inspection notice.