How to turn off the gas stove during repair: is it possible to do it yourself + procedure
Overhaul in an apartment or cottage is fraught with many problems. It is necessary not only to think over the design and purchase materials, but also to find sensible electricians, plumbers and finishers. Plus, the rearrangement of furniture and a temporary relocation somewhere to the relatives of the family.
And, you must admit, it does not bother to think about the safety of the repair and decoration works themselves. This is especially true if the house has gas-using equipment, and the situation is decided to partially or completely update with your own hands.
Further, in all the nuances, we will analyze how to turn off the gas stove during the repair and whether it should be done at all or not. There are many pitfalls in this matter, it is best to study them in advance.
The content of the article:
How should it be by law?
The procedure for inspections, as well as connecting or disconnecting at any time (period) of the gas stove is regulated Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 410 from 05/14/2013
This document describes all the rules for the use and maintenance of home gas (VGGO) and intra-apartment (VGGO) gas equipment.
Regular inspections and any work related to the repair or connection / disconnection of a household gas stove should be carried out exclusively by a specialist in a specialized company. If everything is done according to the rules, then you cannot change anything in gas-using equipment yourself. Any manipulations with the gas hob should only be done by a gasman called to the house.
If, during the annual inspection, the visiting master detects signs of interference in the construction of the gas stove, he has every right to disconnect the subscriber with violations from the gas pipe. After a series gas explosions in apartment buildings Now the situation is extremely strict. It is unlikely that it will be possible to agree on the spot.
If for the time of repair the gas stove must be turned off and removed from the kitchen, then by law, for this, you will have to contact the gas workers in the organization with certified employees and the necessary equipment for the work. It is only permissible to move the hob or the gas-fired oven on its own, only if the appliance is connected to the pipe using a flexible gas outlet.
In practice, in the case of a gas cylinder, it is almost always connected to the stove by the landlord following pattern. By law, this is a violation. However, in fact, no one is tracking such unauthorized connections.
Only firefighters come to private households with regular checks, who inspect the kitchen for proper ventilation and compliance with the installation standards of gas-using equipment. And all other issues are the responsibility of the owner of the cottage. The inspector actually only checks for draft in the hood and the absence of gas odor.
What is happening in reality?
A gas stove is usually connected to a pipe in the kitchen by means of a flexible hose, in front of which there is a shut-off valve. That is, to disconnect the gas-using household appliance from the gas pipeline, it is enough to close the valve and unscrew the nut on the branch with a key.
The operations of disconnecting for a while and then reconnecting are extremely simple. However, before you turn off the gas stove yourself, you should think again. If everything then after repair is returned to the place and again properly connect the stove back, the gasman will not even notice anything. It is enough to tell him that nobody touched the stove, it was simply pushed to the side.
The auditor will not be able to present any claims to such a landlord for arbitrariness. The stove is in its old place, there are no gas leaks - everything is working properly.
But the gasman every time has to pay about 500-1000 rubles just for the fact of coming. However, no one wants to pay excess. How much such savings are justified is up to you to decide.
Often, repairs in the kitchen occur as follows:
- the owner of the house arbitrarily disconnects the gas stove from the pipe with a wrench;
- after repair work is carried out in the room;
- then again the master independently connects the stove back to the pipe.
No extra spending for calling a gasman. And everything, in principle, is absolutely illegal.
Then the master comes with an annual check, sees arbitrariness, but can do nothing. There are no gas leaks, but it is impossible to prove unauthorized actions.
Seals are placed only on the counters. Moreover, if during the inspection problems are found, then the employees of the inspection organization will invoice for disconnection / connection and correction of the identified deficiencies.
Shutdown Procedure
Before deciding to disconnect the gas stove from the pipe, you should once again think about how much this is actually necessary. Typically, the length of the flexible hose allows you to move the furnace to the side by a distance of about half a meter.
For the vast majority of work when repairing a kitchen, this is more than enough. It is often necessary to disconnect equipment from the gas pipeline only when pouring screed, when the room must be completely vacated.
If you want to save money (if you decide to disconnect yourself), you should remember that the tenant or the landlord will be responsible for any subsequent emergency.
If there is no experience in servicing gas equipment or there is even the slightest doubt in your competence, then you need to use the services of a master gasman. It’s better to think about security once again than to regret it very much later.
Option # 1 - by the rules
If the stove or gas pipeline is old, then it is recommended to disconnect it exclusively according to the rules, with the involvement of gas workers. With arbitrariness in the case of cotton, then proving innocence will be difficult. Damage to the pipe during the investigation must be revealed.
The correct procedure for turning off the gas stove for the time is as follows:
- Contacting a gas service company.
- Coordination of the arrival time of the master.
- Overlapping the gas in the kitchen and disconnecting the stove.
- Pipe Installation.
- Coordination of the gasman’s re-arrival to reconnect the stove.
After the repair is completed, the master will come again to connect the plate to the pipe and draw up a certificate of serviceability of the equipment.
Option # 2 - without calling the wizard
Before you start disconnecting the stove from the gas, you must turn off the electricity in the kitchen and open the windows for additional ventilation of the room.
And if there is even the slightest suspicion of a leak, any gas-hazardous work should be stopped until the methane (or propane) from the room is completely weathered.
The procedure for self-shutdown is as follows:
- Closing gas pipe. To make sure that the gas is shut off, you can try to light the burner.
- Disconnecting a flexible branch wrench connected to the pipe immediately after the valve.
- Closing the end of the gas pipeline under the tap with a threaded plug (costs about 50 rubles) using FUM tape.
- Check with soapy water that there is no gas escaping from the closed pipe - if there are no bubbles, then you can remove the stove from the room and begin repairs.
To ensure additional safety, it is recommended to wrap the end of the pipe with the plug installed with a plastic bag, fixing it with electrical tape. This will prevent any dust from getting into the threaded connection and into the gas pipeline, which will not be superfluous.
After finishing work, the gas equipment is put back and connected to the pipe with wrenches. And here again, it is important not to forget to check the tightness of the compounds with a soap solution. Only in the absence of bubbles is it permissible to re-open the valve to supply gas to the device.
Connection during plate replacement
If it is decided to change the gas equipment to a new one, then there is no sense in independently manipulating it with disconnecting it and connecting it to the pipe. The supplying organization must ensure that there is an act on the serviceability of the plate and its commissioning.
Plus, the master’s note on the date of connecting the stove to the gas pipeline should also be made in the passport of the device.
If an unauthorized use of natural gas is detected from a domestic gas pipeline, fines will follow.And the gasmen will again supply fuel only after the owner of the house has paid off the debts that have formed.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Rules and regulations for connecting a gas stove:
Is it worth it to independently connect the gas equipment:
From a technical point of view, you can turn off the gas stove yourself at any time. There is nothing fundamentally difficult about this. But we must remember that it will still have to be connected back to the gas after. If there is a seal on the tap from the gas supplying organization or the furnace will be replaced during the repair, it is best to do everything in accordance with the rules by calling the master.
Is there a positive or negative experience with gas workers? Share it in the comments on the article below. He will definitely help someone else to make a decision - whether it is worthwhile to personally disconnect the stove from the gas pipe in the kitchen or is it better to call the master.