Installing a gas range or water heater is a straightforward task that requires only a few basic tools and widely available materials. You can also complete the job safely yourself if you use the correct supplies and follow the instructions carefully. For a hook-up, a professional may charge as much as a few hundred dollars.
In this post, we’ll teach you how to hook up a gas range with a flexible, corrugated connector (a gas clothes dryer is similar), and how to hook up a water heater with threaded black steel gas pipe.
Most home centers and well-stocked hardware stores carry flexible corrugated gas connections as well as gas pipe and fittings (black). Flexible connections made of stainless steel or coated brass are the only ones marketed these days, and the only ones you can use safely and legally. Corrugated connectors constructed of uncoated brass or other metal, which were sold until the 1980s, have been shown to be dangerous. Do you have one in your home? Now is the time to replace it!
The most crucial step in ensuring a secure installation is to get the appropriate connector. Here are some things to keep an eye out for:
- Purchase a connector that is clearly labeled “range” or “dryer” for the equipment you’re connecting. A range connector’s corrugated tube is usually 1/2 in. dia. i.d. (inside diameter), while a dryer connector’s corrugated tube is 3/8 in. dia. i.d. These measurements are not always printed on the package, but they will be for either the range or the dryer.
- Purchase a connector that includes the end connector fittings you require (see Photo 3). The gas line into your kitchen is usually 1/2-in. black threaded pipe, with a male (external threads) or female (internal threads) 1/2-in. fitting connecting it to the stove. Use a black gas pipe fitting on the line to accommodate the end connector fitting if you can’t find a connector package with end fittings that match what you need for the gas line. On the gas line, for example, we show a 1/2-in. x 3/4-in. coupling to accommodate the 3/4-in. end connector fitting in Photos 2 and 3. (See How to Connect Gas Pipe Lines for further information on possible connections and how to connect to soft copper supply lines.)
- Use a long connector to give yourself enough of room to work between the gas stove and the wall. They are available in lengths ranging from 24 to 60 inches.
- A flexible connector should not be reused; if you obtain a new appliance, you should also purchase a new connector. Follow the connector installation instructions to the letter. Our photos 1 through 5 show how this is done in real life. Here are a few more guidelines:
- Avoid kinking or forcing the corrugated connector into abrupt bends, as this could cause it to break.
- Always look for leaks in your work (Photo 6). Gas leak detectors can be found in home improvement stores, hardware stores, and on the internet.
- Although it is not always necessary to have a range hookup tested, we strongly advise you to get your work checked by a local gas company or plumbing inspector.
How do you calculate the length of a propane gas line?
For each fitting, add around 5 feet of pipe. For a 20′ run of LP, a machine with a burner that consumes 440,000 BTU would require a 1″ pipe. The flow of natural gas (NG) is measured in thousands of BTU/hr. – 1000 BTU per cubic foot of LP gas Natural gas has a nominal pressure of 3.5″ of water column at the burner.
What is the finest propane gas line to use?
The service plumbing, also known as the yard line, is the gas line that travels between the tank and the structure that houses the gas appliances. Copper tubing or plastic polyethylene piping are commonly used in propane yard lines. For the entire exterior section of the installation to be safe and serviceable, the service piping must be installed appropriately and legally in conjunction with the propane tank.
The visible portion of the yard line is where it emerges from the ground adjacent to the tank, as well as where it enters the structure or links to a source of usage, such as a generator or pool heater. For any section of a propane gas service line, only certified materials and fittings should be utilized. PVC, rubber hose, and flex lines are prohibited and should not be utilized in any component of the gas service line.
I’m not sure what size gas line I’ll need.
Divide the appliance input by the average Btu (kW. h) heating value per cubic foot of gas to get the cubic feet per hour of gas required. The Btu per cubic foot average is 1,100. Method of the Longest Length.
Is it possible for a gas line to be overly large?
Overloading your gas lines with appliances isn’t safe or efficient, since it can lead to pressure concerns, which can result in gas leaks or appliance failure. Because this is a conventional size for sustaining major appliances, some homes only have gas lines that are 3/4 inch (“) in diameter. Other residences may have a mix of 1-inch, 1/2-inch, and 3/4-inch gas pipes.
How do you calculate the capacity of these gas pipes for appliances? Use these safety recommendations whether you’re using propane or natural gas…
Is the size of natural gas and propane pipes the same?
Let’s begin with BTUs (British Thermo Units). The heat produced by a cubic foot of propane is approximately 2,500 BTU. Natural gas produces about 1,000 BTUs of heat every cubic foot. Propane is approximately 1.5 times the weight of air, whereas natural gas is around.6 times the weight of air. So, how do you interpret all of this? It means that propane and natural gas pipelines will be different sizes. Because propane burns hotter than natural gas, propane systems require smaller pipe diameters.
When changing from propane to natural gas, a house with propane-sized gas piping will most likely need to upgrade to a bigger pipe size diameter to achieve the same BTU as with propane. When it comes to gas application, propane orifices are smaller than those used for natural gas. These orifices, as well as the jets and pressure regulators, will need to be replaced.
To convert your propane furnace to natural gas, we recommend hiring a professional HVAC contractor. Water heaters are not often convertible and must be replaced. Conversion kits are commonly used to convert gas log fireplaces and gas range stoves.
For propane, what size copper tubing is used?
Table 1 lists the many varieties of copper tube that can be used in fuel gas distribution systems in the United States, as well as their identification and availability. For many years, Types K and L copper tube (ASTM B 88) and ACR tube (ASTM B 280) with outside diameters up to and including 1 inch have been employed in fuel gas systems. Type L is typically used for interior distribution systems, while Type K is typically utilized for any underground lines. Seamless copper tube Type GAS (ASTM B 837) is routinely used and needed in Canada for gas distribution systems, despite not being widely used in the United States.
Table 2 shows the size of copper tubing used in gas systems. Outside diameter (O.D.) is used to identify tube and fittings in fuel gas systems rather than nominal diameters. In their references and when ordering, designers and installers should be explicit about size designations.
If the gas contains more than 0.3 grains of hydrogen sulfide per 100 standard cubic feet (scf) of gas (0.7 mg/100 L), copper and copper alloy tube (excluding tin-lined copper tube) should not be utilized.
Is it possible to use black pipe for propane?
Running black iron pipe for propane use may appear to be a difficult process, and you will pay a professional to complete it. The truth is that this is a great do-it-yourself project if you have the necessary tools and some basic pipe fitting knowledge.
This can be done in an afternoon depending on how much pipe needs to be installed, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars in installation fees.
What kind of propane pipe is used inside the house?
Propane gas is transported from its storage tank to the first regulator via copper or black iron pipe. These pipes are non-corrosive, non-flammable, and can withstand high pressure. From the first regulator to the second regulator to the furnace, more copper or black iron piping is utilized to complete the supply line. Both above and below ground, the pipe can be employed.
For gas lines, which pipe is the best?
CSST tubing, also known as corrugated stainless steel tubing, is ideal for gas appliance installation. Because these corrugated pipes can bend around curves, fewer joints and fittings are required.