Are you confused about how to get a gas connection to my new property? Don’t worry, we’re here to make connecting your new home or business to natural gas as smooth and simple as possible through this guide. Many people ask how long does it take to connect gas when moving into a new home. While timelines vary, this guide breaks down the average wait times and steps involved.
After having the power connections, we hope you are now moving forward to the gas connection to your new property. No doubt use of natural gas has become one of the most popular and efficient options for heating, hot water, and cooking in homes around Australia. The benefits of gas are undeniable.
If you’re in need of an emergency replacement or just looking for a new setup, connecting the piping and gas in your house can be as easy as following these steps.
Please read on and make your gas connection easy.
Ensure Gas is Available
The availability of gas may not be universal. Even if a home is surrounded by other houses connected to natural gas, it doesn’t automatically mean that the house has access to natural gas. The availability is limited by factors such as the distance from the nearest gas main.
You can verify gas availability by:
- You can contact and consult with your gas connecting team
- Contact your energy retailer for more information.
If you’re in Victoria and you want to get natural gas connection. Who will do you contact? You need to get in touch with one of the two major energy retailers: AGL, or Origin Energy. If you’re looking for natural gas in Tanunda, South Australia, you’ll have to contact Origin Energy.
Lodge a New Connection Request
If you’re looking to connect to a new gas supply in South Australia or Queensland, you can call your connections provider team with the following details:
- Detailed information about your installation address
- Your contact information
- Details of your preferred gasfitter (including PGE number)
- Information regarding the appliances to be installed (which determines what size metre should be installed at your property).
If you are in VIC or NSW, make your request to an energy retailer with an established connection process.
Set Up Your Inlet
An APA contractor will install an inlet pipe from the gas main in your street to the metre position. The job usually takes about 20-30 days and it’s often helpful to build in a little leeway when you plan for it.
Include Your Outlet
It is important for your gas fitter to correctly identify the pipes between your metre, and your household appliances. They can do this by following a series of simple steps.
Set up an account with your energy retailer and request a metre installation
You have all your ducks in a row and now it’s time to get the gas metre installed at your property. To do this, contact your chosen energy company, set up a billing account with them (if you haven’t already), and then call to set up a date for the installation (called a “metre fix”) for when the installation will happen. You will be asked to make sure there is someone present at the property either in the morning or afternoon.
You’ve got a gas metre that needs to be fixed. But how can you find a contractor? Don’t worry, your energy provider can arrange a contractor to install the metre and be accessible for future metre readers.
You can have your gas metre installed as soon as your appliances and outlet service is done. Gas metres can take up to four weeks to be installed in New South Wales, but if you are in urgent need of a metre, the process can happen sooner.
You’ve finally done it! You now have a gas line at home. That means you are able to switch energy providers or any point in the future for that matter. Your home will be able to enjoy instant energy at all times, and be infinitely controllable.
Key point: A gas company in Australia, (Australian Gas Networks Limited) operates natural gas transmission pipelines and distribution networks in South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory. The company outsources the operation and management of their assets to the APA Group.
How Gas Connects and Metre Works
By following these steps you will surely get a tension-free gas connection to your new property.
By reading this you will know that how gas connects and how metre works. Lets briefly explore it.
How Does Gas Connect?
The gas main is in your street. What now? Simple! A gas fitter will just run a connection from the gas main to your property. Once it’s connected, their job is done and you can start using it with your appliances. The overall gas connection time includes pipe work, metre installation, and retailer activation. For new estates or rural homes, this can take longer than average.
How Long Does It Take To Connect Gas
For most homes, the full job takes two to four weeks. That covers the connection to the gas main, installing your metre, and opening your account. In some cases, a short term gas connection may be done sooner. Rural or hard-to-reach homes often take longer. It depends on your site and what’s already there. Check in with your gasfitter and provider for a better idea of your timeline.
How The Metre Works
Your gas metre is used to measure your usage and regulate flow as well. To get an accurate reading, your gas metre will be checked periodically (usually every 3 months). Where you want the gas metre installed is based on a number of factors. And we always think about where you want it to be located when we assess them.
New Homes and Gas Setup
If you’re building a house, talk to your builder and gasfitter. They will work together to connect your home once the gas main in your street is live. The gasfitter runs a pipe from the street to where your metre will go. The appliances you plan to use help decide what size metre you’ll need. It’s best to line this up with your plumbing and electricity setup. This is part of connecting electricity and gas for a full utilities setup during construction.
Short Term Gas Connection
Sometimes people need gas for just a few weeks or months. Builders, property owners, and landlords often request this during short stays or while work is being done. A short term gas connection usually lasts one to three months. You’ll need to give your address, your gasfitter’s details, and what appliances you’re using. The provider checks what’s needed and lets you know how long it will take.
| Million Cubic Ft
(MMcf) |
Global Rank | |
| Gas Reserves | 30,400,000 | 27th in the world |
| Gas Production | 2,384,328 | 16th in the world |
| Gas Consumption | 1,406,950 | 25th in the world |
| Yearly Surplus | + 977,378 | |
| Gas Import | 225,062 | |
| Gas Export | 1,202,970 | |
| Net Export | 977,908 |
FAQ’s
These FAQ’s will surely provide you a clear picture on your gas connection to a new property
Does Australia Use Natural Gas?
Australia is quickly becoming the fastest growing country for natural gas consumption. This energy source makes up 18% of our primary energy use, and is estimated to increase to 24% by 2020.
Where Does Australia Get Gas From?
One of the major natural gas sources in Australia is the Gippsland basin in eastern Australia. Other gas sources are the Perth and Carnarvon basins in Western Australia, and the Bonaparte basin in the Northern Territory.
Who Owns the Gas Network in Australia?
These days, it’s common for energy companies to offer excellent customer service online. Australian Gas Networks Limited is an Australian energy company that operates natural gas transmission pipelines and distribution networks in South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory.
Does Australia Import Natural Gas?
Liquefied natural gas exports grew by 6% and have grown by an average of 17% per year since the past decade. Australia imports most of its refined petroleum products and crude oil, but most Australian energy is generated by coal, natural gas, and renewable sources.
Does Australia Produce its Own Gas?
Australia produced a lot of natural gas in 2014–2015: 66 billion cubic metres of gas, 80% of which was produced in the Western Australian and Queensland regions.Australia also produces LNG, and in 2004 LNG exports were 7.9 million tons (10.7 billion cubic metres or 10.7 billion cubic metres), or 6% of all world LNG trade.
Conclusion
If you are lucky enough to be moving into a new house or apartment, one of the first things to do is ensure that you have gas, which will be needed in order to run your cooking appliances. You will also need to get a gas connection. This can seem like a confusing process at first, but it’s really quite simple if you follow the above mentioned steps. Further, do not forget to get up an account with your energy retailer and request a metre installation.
