The house had a gas stove. It was capped and replaces with an electric. I want to go back to gas. is it a big deal? Can I do it myself or do I need a contractor?
Quote from: Bert and his Porous Underpants on January 23, 2011, 08:28:51 PM
The house had a gas stove. It was capped and replaces with an electric. I want to go back to gas. is it a big deal? Can I do it myself or do I need a contractor?
You may need to check with the Gas Co. as each state has there own ways of doing thing.
Quote from: Bert and his Porous Underpants on January 23, 2011, 08:28:51 PM
The house had a gas stove. It was capped and replaces with an electric. I want to go back to gas. is it a big deal? Can I do it myself or do I need a contractor?
If you already have a gas service that you are paying for, then by all means, use it.
You will want to turn off the gas to the house first, then install a shutoff valve where the cap is, and use soapy water in a squirt bottle after you turn the gas back on to look for tiny bubbles, there should be none whatsoever.
Also you will most likely have to vent the line after you install the new stove, seeing how it will have air in it, making it difficult to light the unit.
One other point, make sure the stove you buy, matches the gas, either propane or natural gas, it will come with a kit with tiny jets to match the type of gas, but tell the sales person what kind of gas your house has.
That way you won't have an extra headache on your hands, most are already setup for natural gas.
Let us know how it turns out.
Coupla other pointers...
You don't say where it's capped. If you have to extend the gas piping and you use iron pipe, be sure to get BLACK iron, NOT galvanized. That goes for fittings like ells and tees too. Also, make sure your shutoff valves are rated for gas; water valves do not qualify.
At threaded joints, use the proper thread-sealing material. Regular waterline teflon tape (usually on a blue spool) is NOT approved for gas. Get the stuff on a yellow spool -- clearly labeled for use on gas lines -- or use a thread-sealing compound (paste) such as Harveyseal or Rectorseal.
At flare joints -- usually brass or iron nipple to brass or copper flare, used for final supply lines -- do NOT use teflon tape or thread-sealing compound. If you can't get a gas-tight seal with the bare metal fittings, discard one or both pieces and replace with new ones. (Every maker of these appliance supply lines recommends that they are for one-time use only.)
Some of us old timers use a match to check for leaks.
It is way safer than it sounds, believe me. ;)
So what's the update Bert?
Quote from: Solar on August 24, 2011, 08:49:22 AM
So what's the update Bert?
He blowed up real good? I knew my private recommendation to remove the gas cap with a cutting torch might have been wrong...
Quote from: Shanghai Dan on August 24, 2011, 09:35:44 AM
He blowed up real good? I knew my private recommendation to remove the gas cap with a cutting torch might have been wrong...
:D :D :D :D :D
That explains the lack of a response.
I don't know if the comment using a match was a joke or serious?
You take your life in your hands using a match in a basement environment.
Or at the gas Stove.
Gas can collect in pockets. In a Gas Stove the Oven can fill with enough gas that when ignited can blow the door off the stove or worse.
Occasionally you will read of a house ending up as a pile of toothpicks because someone lit a match in the basement. Yes on one occasion the owner lived to tell about it!
That is due to a peculiar phenomenon of some explosions. If you are within the corona you may survive. It happens in combat occasionally where a soldier was within the initial explosion ring.
There is / was a picture of a location beneath a house that had a main gas line adjacent. The main line leaked and the gas filtered into the house. The explosion left a massive hole in the ground and no house.
I used to own a 28' Chriscraft sea worthy fishing boat.
It was a 60s era boat and very well made and sealed.
Sold it off due to the rising cost of docking fees and about a year later it was in the news.
The guy that bought it didn't service the exhaust fan in the bilge and the stove was not turned off and leaking propane.
He fired up the engine and was launched, from witnesses on the scene, 300' into the air, the boat was totally destroyed.
Quote from: Solar on August 24, 2011, 08:49:22 AM
So what's the update Bert?
The reason I wanted to switch to a gas stove (I still do) was because I thought I had to replace the electric one we have. Any road i fixed it. it only cost me 50 quid. A lot cheaper and less hassle than uncapping. I will switch to gas if we keep the house and extend the kitchen. We may sell and buy a condo in Baltimore and a flat outside of London.
Just remember that a cutting torch is really effective at removing the cap on your gas line.
And removing your own "cap" as well! :))
Quote from: Shanghai Dan on September 06, 2011, 05:35:18 PM
Just remember that a cutting torch is really effective at removing the cap on your gas line.
And removing your own "cap" as well! :))
I'm not falling for that again...
Quote from: Bert the S O B Barbarian... on September 06, 2011, 07:27:27 PM
I'm not falling for that again...
I know, you'd think one would catch on after the 4th or 5th time....
Quote from: Solar on September 06, 2011, 07:32:17 PM
I know, you'd think one would catch on after the 4th or 5th time....
I'm a slow learner...