As a plumbing company offering residential, commercial and new construction services, gas lines are something that we inevitably deal with on a routine basis. Furthermore, if you follow us on Facebook or Instagram, chances are you’ve possibly seen these on display at previous projects as well. They can serve a number of different purposes, but also are the perfect example of something that you want an experienced professional handling. In today’s blog post, we’re going to provide you with a rundown of several areas in which gas lines are used and why you want the right plumber taking care of any installations or repairs!
However, before we dive into more gas line talk, I wanted to say hello to anyone that may be dropping by our plumbing blog for the first time! Stine-Nichols Plumbing is a plumbing company based out of North Kansas City, MO. Since opening the doors to our business, we strived to provide fellow Kansas City homeowners and businesses with expert plumbing solutions. Whether that be in the form of water heater installations, sewer line replacements or anything else that’s plumbing-related, we’re always here to help! As stated above, this week’s blog post will be focused on gas lines and where they can be of use.
Where Are Gas Lines Used?
There are plenty of homes and businesses around the Kansas City area that utilize gas. So…where are some common places where gas lines are used or even areas where you might want to have one run?
Water Heaters
Considering water heater efforts require quite a bit of energy, discussing them is the perfect place to start. Not to mention, if you’ve visited our blog before, you likely are well aware of the fact that water heaters are a popular topic (you’re probably using it every single day, right?). With water heaters, you typically are either running off electric, natural gas or propane. Granted there are further options beyond this, such as deciding between a storage tank, tankless and so on, this is a good starting point for this blog post. Unsure of whether you have a gas or electric-powered water heater? One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between the two is to look at the top of the unit. Gas water heaters will have a flue pipe coming down towards the center of the tank’s top. The flue pipe is responsible for the venting component, as it will transport the exhaust gases out of your house. With the gas-powered heaters, you’ll also notice the controls that light the pilot at the bottom as well. On the flip side, electric heaters will have an electrical supply line that connects to the top of the tank (but likely not right in the center). Electric units will also have two thermostats on the side of the tank too.
All in all, gas water heaters are extremely common and something we come across very often as plumbers. While gas and electric water heaters are designed to serve the same purpose, gas heaters typically end up being slightly less expensive on future utility bills than its electric counterparts.
Outdoor Living Areas
It goes without saying that the outdoor living trend has continued to become more and more popular. Particularly on the residential side of things, our team has had the opportunity to work on a number of outdoor living-related projects over the years. How do gas lines play into this equation? Here are a few that instantly come to mind: fire-pits, fireplaces and outdoor grills. Each of these are examples of things that could have gas run out to them.
Let’s take a closer look at firepits. When it comes to firepits, your two most obvious options are gas-powered and wood-burning. The difference between the two is pretty straightforward, right? With a gas-powered fire-pit, one of the clear advantages is the ease of use it provides. You just turn a key and hit a button, thus resulting in a fire getting started (and turning it off is just as easy too). Furthermore, while you can’t say it’s going to guarantee 100% safety, gas fire-pits do tend to be the safer of the two. The embers and sparks popping up from a wood-burning fire-pit can potentially be hazardous, while some gas fire-pits offer added features like automatic timers to add even more peace of mind. Lastly, you can also easily make the case that gas fire-pits require less maintenance and cleaning than wood-burning fire-pits. To sum it up, gas-powered fire-pits offer quite a few unique benefits and there’s a reason why homeowners are choosing to have gas lines run out to their outdoor living renovations in their backyard.
Have an outdoor living project that you’re planning and need a new gas line run? Give us a call at (816) 348-3481 for a free estimate.
Other Household Uses
With the two areas above, we highlighted a plumbing-specific component (that’s also a necessity for any household), along with one that’s more of a luxury (outdoor living elements). However, the truth is gas can power many different appliances around the house. Ovens, stovetops, indoor fireplaces, dryers and so on. To focus on one of these items here, most people would agree that gas-powered ovens end up being cheaper to cook with than its electric alternative. While gas ovens certainly require a little more experience to install, they do tend to heat up much quicker than electric ovens too. In the end, with several appliances around the house, you’ll notice you have the option to either go with electric or gas. Both certainly have their pros and cons, thus meaning the decision usually gets made based on personal preference.
Make Sure to Hire the Right Person for the Job
As we often say with just about every plumbing project, it’s always important to hire someone qualified and experienced. The last thing you want is for the original project to be completed haphazardly, and end up resulting in more bills and headaches. After all, it’s not hard to recognize how serious a gas explosion could be! As a homeowner, you’re going to want to do your due diligence prior to hiring someone to either run a new gas line or repair an existing one. Make sure they have experience working with them and are aware of any local codes to be mindful of.
In addition, a second item worth mentioning is to never procrastinate on gas line repairs. We obviously say this about any plumbing-related problem, but the importance is heightened with gas lines. A carbon monoxide detector can be a terrific tool for monitoring any presence of carbon monoxide in the house. Also, if you ever start to notice a rotten egg smell, that could be a telltale sign of a gas leak too. In any case, if you’re concerned that something may be up, get a qualified professional out ASAP and don’t try troubleshooting the leak yourself. This certainly isn’t a plumbing project that we would categorize as a DIY job.
Professional Gas Line Installation and Repair in Kansas City
At Stine-Nichols Plumbing, we understand gas lines offer a number of benefits to a home or commercial facility. However, unless they’re installed by an experienced professional and maintained correctly, they can also result in some serious problems. We hope you found some value in this blog post and feel a little more confident in understanding how gas lines are intertwined throughout many different components of your home.
Our plumbing technicians have years of experience with both gas line installation and repair services. We work throughout the entire Kansas City area and many of the surrounding cities. If you’re ever interested in a free estimate for a gas line project, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the form HERE.