A gas installation is everything between the cylinder and the burner: where the cylinder stands, the regulator, the pipe, the valves, the connection to the appliance and the leak test at the end. In South Africa it must be done by a gas practitioner registered with SAQCC Gas, who issues a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) when the work is finished. That applies to a stove piped to a cylinder outside, a gas geyser, a built in braai or a fireplace. Describe the job and registered installers near you will send free quotes, with no obligation.
What happens on a gas installation job
A good installer starts with a site visit or a clear set of photos. They look at where the appliance goes, where the cylinder can stand outside and the route the pipe will take between them. Then the work usually runs in this order:
- a cylinder position agreed, upright on a firm level base in the open air, away from drains, openings below it and electrical points
- a regulator made for LPG, often with a changeover valve when two cylinders are used
- copper or another approved gas pipe, clipped and sleeved where it passes through a wall
- an isolating valve close to each appliance so it can be shut off on its own
- a pressure and leak test of the whole system, then the CoC
Stoves, hobs, geysers and moving an appliance
The most common jobs are connecting a gas stove or hob to a cylinder outside, and fitting a gas geyser with its water and gas lines and the correct flue or outside position. Built in braais and gas fireplaces piped from outside are installations too.
Moving an appliance, adding a second one to an existing line or swapping a stove for a bigger hob counts as a change to the installation. The new work needs testing and a fresh certificate, so do not let anyone extend a line informally.
What a fair gas installation quote lists
Ask each installer to break the quote down so you can compare like with like. It should name the length and type of pipe, the number of valves and fittings, the regulator, any cage or slab for the cylinder, labour, the leak test and the CoC. It should say whether the appliance itself and the gas are included. Ask what is guaranteed, in writing, and confirm the installer's SAQCC Gas registration before work starts.
The rules behind the work
LPG installations fall under the Pressure Equipment Regulations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and SANS 10087-1 is the code for homes and small businesses. It sets where cylinders may stand and how far they must be from openings and ignition sources; the installer applies those distances on site. Estates and body corporates often add their own rules on cylinder positions and cages, so check them before the quote. More on the certificate itself is on the gas compliance certificates page.
What to include in your request
- Which appliances must be connected
- Where the cylinder can stand outside
- Rough distance from cylinder to appliance
- Estate or body corporate rules on cylinders
- Ask for the CoC and registration number
Gas Installation for different clients
- Homeowners: a gas hob or geyser piped from a cylinder outside, tested and certified
- Complexes, estates and body corporates: installations that follow body corporate rules on cylinder positions and cages
- Restaurants, takeaways and bakeries: commercial ranges, fryers and griddles piped from 48 kg cylinders on a changeover
- Guest houses, lodges and venues: gas geysers and kitchens in guest houses and lodges far from the grid
- Farms and smallholdings: a farmhouse kitchen and geyser piped from cylinders delivered by bakkie
- Factories, warehouses and workshops: staff canteen kitchens and process burners piped by a registered practitioner
- Campers, caravanners and event hosts: built in braais and outdoor kitchens on a stoep or entertainment area
- Gas installers, plumbers and dealers: plumbers and builders bringing in a registered gas practitioner for sign off
Frequently asked questions
How much does a gas installation cost?
Can I install a gas stove myself?
How do I find a gas installation near me?
How long does a gas installation take?
Gas Installation by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg