Gas Line Repair FAQ
I think I smell gas in my house — what should I do right now?
Leave the building immediately with everyone inside, including pets. Do not flip light switches, use a phone indoors, or start a car in the garage. Once you are outside and away from the property, call 911 and then SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200, or PG&E if you are in Santa Cruz County. Call us after the utility has shut off and secured the gas.
Are you actually licensed to work on gas lines in California?
Yes. Lords of Plumbing holds California C-36 Plumbing Contractor license number 914119 with the Contractors State License Board. Gas piping falls inside the C-36 classification. You can verify the number, its current status, the bond, and any complaint history yourself at cslb.ca.gov before work starts. We have been plumbing in California since 1999. Ask any contractor for that number before gas work begins.
Do I need a permit just to move my gas line for a new stove?
Almost always, yes. Relocating or extending gas piping is permitted work. In the City of Los Angeles that means a plumbing permit through LADBS. Unincorporated LA County goes through County Public Works, and Santa Cruz County work goes through its own building department. The permit brings an inspection that includes a pressure test on the new piping before it is covered.
What is that pressure test the inspector keeps talking about?
Before new or repaired gas piping is approved, we isolate it from the meter and the appliances, cap it, and hold it under air pressure on a gauge for a set period with no drop. The California Plumbing Code sets the minimum pressure and duration. The inspector wants to see that gauge holding. This is done with calibrated equipment, not something to attempt at home.
My gas bill jumped and nothing changed — could that be a leak?
It can be. A sudden rise with the same usage pattern is worth investigating, along with a sulfur or rotten-egg odor, hissing near piping, or dead patches of grass over an underground line. If you smell gas at all, leave the building and call the utility from outside first. Otherwise call us, and we bring a calibrated combustible gas detector.
What kind of pipe do you use for gas, and can I get flexible line?
Most interior work uses Schedule 40 black steel with threaded malleable fittings. CSST, the yellow or black jacketed flexible tubing, is allowed but must be bonded to the electrical grounding system per the manufacturer and the electrical code. Underground runs use coated steel or polyethylene with tracer wire. Corrugated appliance connectors are for the final few feet only and cannot pass through a wall.
Why does my water heater need that little capped pipe hanging off the gas line?
That is a sediment trap, sometimes called a drip leg. The California Plumbing Code requires one at most gas appliance connections. It is a short capped nipple below the tee that catches moisture, rust scale, and pipe debris before they reach the appliance gas valve. A missing sediment trap is one of the most common items an inspector writes up on a water heater or furnace.
Can you run a new gas line out to my patio for a fire pit or BBQ?
Yes, and it is permitted work in both LA County and Santa Cruz County. The real question is capacity. We add the BTU load of the new appliance to everything already on the meter, then size the pipe by developed length and total demand using the code sizing tables. Undersized pipe shows up as a low flame or appliances dropping out when several run at once.
Do I have to replace the whole gas line or can you just fix the bad section?
It depends on what the inspection finds. A single corroded fitting, a failed union, or one damaged section can often be cut out and replaced. Widespread rust on old galvanized gas piping, or a system that will not hold a pressure test at multiple points, usually means repiping that leg. We pressure test after any repair, so the answer is based on evidence rather than guesswork.
How much is this going to cost me?
We do not quote gas work sight unseen. Cost tracks pipe diameter and total footage, how many walls, floors, or slab sections the run crosses, whether any of it is underground, the BTU load being added, and the permit and inspection your jurisdiction requires. We diagnose first, then give you a firm written number before anything is cut open.
SoCalGas red-tagged my appliance. Can you take care of that?
Yes. When SoCalGas or PG&E shuts off and tags an appliance or a meter, they will not restore service until a licensed contractor corrects the defect. We read the tag, repair or replace the piping, connector, or venting they cited, pull the permit where the correction requires one, and coordinate the reinspection so the utility can turn the gas back on.
Can I just tighten the fitting myself or spray it with soapy water?
No. Gas piping is a pressurized system, and a partially backed-off fitting can release far more gas than it was leaking before you touched it. California licenses gas work under the C-36 classification for exactly this reason, and unpermitted repairs can affect an insurance claim after a loss. If you suspect a leak, leave the building, call from outside, and let the utility respond.