A guide to installing a cooker's gas hose

You've just had your new cooker delivered. Unfortunately, it came without the gas hose. In this case, you will be expected to use the hose fittings from your old cooker. There are a few considerations to take into account, including the strict regulations that apply. This article will simplify the task of fitting the cooker’s gas hose.

What the job involves?

As well as simply screwing the hose to the cooker, you will need to wrap all the threads with tape. For this, you will use special gas PTFE tape. This special gas tape is yellow in colour and while similar to the usual water type tape, is in fact much thicker. When the hose has been screwed onto the cooker, the threads will have to be entirely wound with the PTFE tape until they are completely covered.

Regulations

It is certainly not recommended to install a cooker's gas hose on your own. However, if you are going to do this job yourself, then you will need to adhere to the strict regulations that have been set out regarding any kind of gas installation tasks, especially with regards to cookers because they are ‘open-flued’ type appliances. Gas soundness test You will need to carry out a ‘gas soundness test’. This involves checking for any signs of leakage as well as carrying out a pressure drop test by using a special manometer.

Shutting off the gas supply

Moreover, before the job can be carried out, you will need to shut off the gas supply. For this, you will need to find out the location of your gas shut-off valves. The main valve is usually found near the gas meter - you will need a wrench to turn it off. You should also know where the manual shut-off valve is for all the gas equipment in your house - in this case the one that supplies the cooker. To shut off a manual valve, turn its handle until it is perpendicular to the pipe.

The law

In reality, The Gas Safety Regulations make it illegal for anyone to carry out work relating to gas supply and fittings who is not competent. In practice, this means leaving all the work on your gas system, including fitting gas cooker hoses, to an accredited professional. Always choose a qualified gas fitter who is registered with Gas Safe.