Gas line installation for Kalamazoo homes

Every gas appliance in your home is fed from one meter, and the piping from that meter has to carry enough gas for all of them at once. Adding a new appliance to a line that was sized for a furnace and water heater decades ago can leave both starved on a cold morning, with weak flames, poor ignition or a furnace that locks out.

Our technicians size new gas piping by the total load of every appliance and the length of each run, then install black iron, corrugated stainless steel or approved outdoor piping with proper shutoffs, sediment traps and bonding. Every new line is pressure tested before it goes into service, and each appliance is checked for proper pressure once it is connected.

Signs you need gas line installation

Sizing the line for every appliance in the house

Gas pipe sizing is based on load, measured in BTUs per hour, along with the length of the longest run and the pressure delivered by the meter or regulator. A typical home might have an 80,000 to 100,000 BTU furnace, a 40,000 BTU water heater, a range and a dryer, and the piping has to carry all of them running at once. Adding a large garage heater or generator raises that total considerably.

Our technician adds up the full connected load, measures the run lengths and checks the existing main line size before choosing pipe sizes for the new work. If the existing main is too small, we may need to upsize part of it or run a separate branch from the meter. In some cases the utility has to change the meter or regulator for larger loads.

Black iron, CSST and outdoor piping

Black iron pipe remains common in basements and for main runs. It is threaded and assembled with approved sealant, and it is durable once installed, which is why it has served Michigan basements for generations. Corrugated stainless steel tubing, called CSST, is flexible, jacketed and quicker to route through finished spaces with fewer joints. CSST requires proper electrical bonding to protect it from damage during lightning-induced electrical surges.

For buried runs to a detached garage or an outdoor appliance, we use materials rated for direct burial, at the correct depth, with tracer wire so the line can be located later. Exposed outdoor piping is coated or painted to resist rust. Every appliance gets its own accessible shutoff valve, and furnaces and water heaters get a sediment trap to catch debris before it reaches the controls.

• Black iron for basement runs and main lines
• CSST with bonding for finished spaces
• Burial-rated pipe with tracer wire for underground runs
• Accessible shutoff valve at every appliance
• Sediment trap at furnaces and water heaters

Natural gas and propane homes

Most homes in Kalamazoo, Portage and the surrounding towns are served by Consumers Energy natural gas. Many rural homes across the region heat with propane stored in an outdoor tank, especially in the countryside of Van Buren, St. Joseph, Barry and Cass counties. Propane is delivered at a different pressure and carries more energy per cubic foot, so pipe sizing and appliance orifices are different.

When adding an appliance in a propane home, our technician checks the regulator setup and tank capacity along with the piping. Appliances often ship set up for natural gas, so a conversion kit with new orifices and a spring change in the gas valve may be needed. We make that conversion and set the propane furnace or other appliance to the correct manifold pressure.

Pressure testing and lighting the appliance

Every new section of gas piping is pressure tested before any gas is introduced. The technician caps the line, pressurizes it with air and holds it on a gauge to confirm there are no leaks. Once the test passes, gas is turned on, the line is purged of air and every joint is checked again with leak detection solution or an electronic detector.

Then the appliance is connected and lit. We measure inlet and manifold pressure, check the flame and confirm proper venting where the appliance has a flue. For garage heaters and generators, we confirm the appliance runs at full output without starving the rest of the house. If a new appliance brings questions about combustion, a CO safety check can be added to the visit.

How a gas line installation visit works

1. Call and describe the applianceTell us what you are adding or moving, where it will go and whether your home uses natural gas or propane.
2. Load and route checkThe technician looks at the meter or tank, measures run lengths and adds up the full appliance load.
3. Written priceYou receive a price covering pipe sizing, materials, routing and any utility coordination needed for larger loads.
4. Piping installationWe install the new line with shutoff valves, sediment traps and bonding, then pressure test it on a gauge.
5. Gas on and appliance startupThe line is purged, joints are leak checked, the appliance is connected and its pressure and flame are confirmed.