Gas cooktop

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bonnay, Mar 7, 11:54pm
Do I have to have to have it attached by a professional or can we do it ourselves?
We are replacing an old one not installing the whole thing from scratch.
I'm just worried that if we do it and somthing goes wrong that the insurances I'll be void because we did not use a professional.
Husband says no worries ,can do ,which is a good attitude ,but I worry when messing with electricity and gas.

buzzy110, Mar 8, 12:51am
Ask the retailer you are buying it from. They should know all the requirements. Personally, I'm with you. I understand that men are handy and quite capable but I'd want a professional and a certificate of compliance once the job is done. I'd sooner pay the extra and be safe. You are the one who will be working in the closest proximity to the cook top and the one most at risk if something goes wrong. Just my opinion.

carter19, Mar 8, 1:18am
Better yet, ask your insurers what they think. They will tell you that it is unlawful for anyone other than a currently licensed gas fitter to do the work. Don't forget about the woman who was killed after opening her front door in Ruakaka 2013. Her landlord had installed the hob incorrectly and illegally and it caused her death. If you google that incident it states that DIY gas is illegal

merrigj, Mar 8, 3:33am
I wanted to replace a faulty regulator for our cook top when I went to buy one I got a lecture about how only gas fitters should do it and he wouldn't sell me one.

annies3, Mar 8, 4:22am
Does this mean that although a gas fitter has installed the gas fitting and stove, fully complied with all regulations, that the owner can't exchange one stove for another ?

andrewcg53, Mar 8, 4:45am

annies3, Mar 8, 6:18am
Thanks.
That pretty much answers my question, so long as there is no alteration to pipe work the replacement can be DIY as I understand the regulations above, correct ?

wembley1, Mar 8, 6:53am
No, no, no - *all* gasfitting is prescribed work and must be carried out by a licensed person. The definition of gasfitting may be found here:
www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2006/0074/latest/DLM397067.html The consequences of unlicensed work may be found here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11282101

carter19, Mar 8, 7:31am
People only ever see what they want to Wembley.

annies3, Mar 8, 9:21pm
Well I haven't read your information but I did read the initially posted advice, my comprehension is not too bad so how did I get it wrong ?
I will read yours now.

laspaz, Mar 8, 9:25pm
We have a gas cooktop and I got the line off TM that runs under the house and outside to a 9kg gas bottle. Lasts about 6 mounts usually.

No more complicated than hooking up to a BBQ.

annies3, Mar 8, 9:30pm
Well from the description of "Gas Fitting " as described in your information there are at least 7 instances where despite section 1 they are not "gas fitting" so can hardly be "ALL" maybe plain English would be a far better option.

wembley1, Mar 9, 12:01am
I guess that's what the guy in Ruakaka thought and now he is responsible for a young woman's death. Have you read the Herald article?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11282101

carter19, Mar 9, 12:03am

laspaz, Mar 9, 12:07am
It doesn't say what the fault was just that gas leaked from the stove. People die from freak accidents everyday. Him installing the stove could have been against the law, but perhaps it was a fault with the stove itself?

I can't afford to call gas fitter and pay them a stack of cash to screw a fitting together. If it kills me, then so be it.

aj.2., Mar 9, 12:09am
I pick up on your ( Lasts about 6 months usually ), and you sure are playing with fire there.
If it is running under your House you would be better to install copper pipe, and copper fittings. You can buy all you need from a gas fitters shop.

laspaz, Mar 9, 12:09am
How often do folks have a qualified gas fitter in to maintain their cooktops?

My guess would be never after install.

laspaz, Mar 9, 12:10am
The amount of gas in the bottle lasts 6 months before running out.

annies3, Mar 9, 12:23am
That is certainly a clearer description, very little or no comment regarding replacing a cooker appliance unfortunately.

redhead96, Mar 9, 12:25am
We replaced ours. We had to get in a gas fitter. They gave us a gas certificate which is needed by the maker of oven for warranty purposes.
Also we had to get our gas pressure upped. That is done by someone else through power company at no cost.
This is also a good time to get your gas connections checked for leakage.

aj.2., Mar 9, 12:36am
Well I sure am glad you got that sorted out, because if you were using poor quality line , that was breaking down in 6 months time, it would not be good.

laspaz, Mar 9, 12:40am
Haha no sorry A.J., I was not clear. It's a flexi type line that BBQ's use, but longer. Has regulator etc. Had it about 3 years now and going well.

wembley1, Mar 9, 12:49am
Perhaps its a matter of perspective but I think anyone with any knowledge of the gas industry would never consider the exceptions listed in the statute to gasfitting in the first place.

Attaching a cylinder to your BBQ (subsection 2c); turning up the knob on your hob (subsection 2e).

Those exceptions are there to make the law clear rather than to cloud it.

wembley1, Mar 9, 1:01am
At the time of the prosecution, I heard an interview on the radio from the chap from ESS mentioned in the Herald article. He said that the sentencing Judge's starting point was 20 months imprisonment, comparable to a manslaughter charge.

I don't think they would have laid such serious charges if it had just been unlicensed work.

Let's hope nothing ever happens in your case eh?

laspaz, Mar 9, 1:02am
Oh ok, yeah that changes things.

I wouldn't be the first guy to screw a gas fitting together and live to tell the tale.