Gas Line Installation for BBQs, Ranges, Dryers and More

A new gas line runs from your existing gas piping, usually near the meter or furnace, to the new appliance, with a shutoff valve at the end. Done right, it's a straightforward job; done wrong, it's a safety hazard.

We install gas lines in homes across Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge and Guelph and the surrounding townships. Your gas comes from Enbridge Gas in most of the region, or from Kitchener Utilities if you're in the City of Kitchener. Either way, the piping inside your home and to your appliances is your responsibility, and it has to be installed by a qualified gas technician.

In Ontario, gas piping and appliance work must be done by a certified gas technician working for a TSSA-registered contractor. The work must meet the CSA B149.1 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code, under Ontario's gaseous fuels regulation.

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) registers contractors, certifies gas technicians and audits their work. You can confirm a contractor's registration with TSSA before hiring. Depending on the job, your gas utility or TSSA may also inspect the installation. Unlicensed gas work can create leak and carbon monoxide hazards and can cause problems with your home insurance.

A natural gas BBQ line gives you a permanent connection on your deck or patio, so you never run out of propane mid-cook. It's the most common gas line we're asked about.

The line runs from your existing piping, often through the rim joist, to an outdoor quick-disconnect outlet with a shutoff valve. Your BBQ must be made or converted for natural gas: propane and natural gas use different orifices and regulators, so a propane BBQ can't simply be hooked up. Conversion needs the manufacturer's approved kit. If the line runs underground to a patio, kitchen or pool area, the route has to be located for buried utilities first through Ontario One Call, and the pipe has to be suitable for burial.

Every appliance needs a line sized for its gas input and a manual shutoff valve nearby.

• Gas ranges. Usually a line run through the basement ceiling to a shutoff behind the range, with a flexible appliance connector. Many range swaps from electric to gas also need a 120V outlet behind the stove.
• Gas dryers. A shorter line in the laundry area with a shutoff valve. The dryer also needs a proper rigid or semi-rigid vent to the outside.
• Gas fireplaces and inserts. A line to the fireplace location plus the right venting for the unit.
• Garage heaters. A line run to a ceiling-hung unit heater, with venting and clearance from vehicles and combustibles. A popular upgrade for workshops in Waterloo Region winters.

If you're adding a new gas appliance or replacing a water heater at the same time, we can plan the piping together; see water heaters.

Before adding an appliance, we add up the gas demand of everything in your home, including the furnace, water heater, range and any new appliance, and check the existing pipe sizes. Undersized piping starves appliances of gas when several run at once. In some cases the meter or service may need an upgrade from your gas utility.

A typical BBQ line in the region often costs in the high hundreds to low thousands of dollars, and range, dryer and garage heater lines vary widely with distance and access. That's a typical market range, not our price; your quote depends on line length, finished ceilings, outdoor runs and whether the existing piping needs upsizing. Larger projects can be spread out with financing.