Gas cooker installation involves connecting your stove to the gas supply, so it’s essential that you hire a professional. It’s also illegal for anyone but a Gas Safe engineer to work on any gas appliance, so it’s important to find an engineer that’s registered with the Gas Safe Register. You can do this by searching on HaMuch or asking a heating engineer who you’ve used before for references. Lastly, make sure the engineer and their tools are insured before they start any work. This will protect you from any accidental damage they may cause while working at your home.
Before a heating engineer starts their work, they will check whether your new stove can be safely installed in its intended location. This will include measuring the width, height and depth of the space to ensure it’s big enough for a slide-in or freestanding stove. They’ll also check if you have the right gas pipe to run it and whether there are any other requirements for your installation, such as ventilation or minimum performance designations, that will add to the cost.
Once the stove can be installed, they will connect the gas connector or tube to the street elbow. They’ll use yellow Teflon tape to wrap the unbeveled end of the connector and then tighten the nuts on both ends. Then they’ll test for leaks by spraying the connection with soapy water or using a gas leak detector. If any leaks are found, they’ll be fixed and the area will be cleaned up.
It’s also a good idea to read the safety instructions for your appliance before you install it, as these will provide helpful tips and safety measures for your gas stove. You should also keep a copy of the instructions handy, as you’ll need to provide these to your heating engineer when they come out to do your gas cooker installation.
The average gas cooker installation should take between one and two hours to complete, although the time it takes will depend on a number of factors, including whether or not your existing cooker is being removed and how easy it is to access the supply connection. If they have to disconnect the meter or install isolation valves, this will add to the overall time and costs of the job.
If your stove is a built-in model, the professional will fit a stabiliser to stop it from tipping and a security chain to prevent the stove from being stolen. They’ll also reconnect the gas line and perform any other required checks and testing before they finish up. After they’ve done this, you can start cooking!