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The Advantages of Installing an Outdoor Gas Line
With electricity costs rising around Canada, Calgary homeowners are increasingly considering natural gas to power their homes.
According to the Canada Energy Regulator:
Over the last decade, the electricity component of Canada’s consumer price index (CPI) increased faster than the price index for all consumer items. In other words, on average, electricity costs have increased faster than the rate of inflation.
Natural gas is an efficient and cost-effective alternative for homes here. It can provide all the power you need for heating your home and cooking, as well as looking after your hot water and other needs.
If you just want to power a barbecue, a patio heater or a garage heater, it can do that too. So, installing an outdoor gas line comes with many advantages.
The residential and commercial gas fitters at Alpha Plumbing can help you make the change to gas with a safe and convenient outdoor gas line installation that is underground and practically invisible.
What are the main benefits of natural gas lines?
There are significant financial advantages that come with installing an outdoor natural gas line – but other benefits too.
In terms of savings, natural gas is one of the most affordable forms of energy. Homeowners who convert from electricity to natural gas to heat their homes almost always find significant energy bill reductions – 60 to 70 percent is not uncommon.
Electric furnaces, for instance, use power year-round but your gas furnace can be turned off for the season and will, therefore, consume no power at all.
Following are the other main benefits:
You still have power when the electricity is out
Power cuts can and do happen in Calgary. When it happens in winter, every home and business owner suffers.
If you switch to gas-based heating and hot water, the pain of an electricity outage is greatly minimized. Most gas heating sources do not require electricity to function, so even though your lights are out, you won’t freeze if you have a reliable gas source.
You never have to hunt for a propane tank
A gas line into your home provides gas whenever you need it. That means no hunting for a propane tank to fire up the barbecue or the gas heater. It’s always available “on-tap”.Gas provides more than just heat
Your gas pipes will power your heating, but can do much more than that. Natural gas can also power your water heater, hot tub, swimming pool, cooking appliances, barbecue, outdoor heaters, outdoor lighting, fireplace and more.Natural gas is environmentally friendly
Natural gas burns clean (unlike oil or coal, which releases nitrogen, sulfur and traces of selenium, mercury and arsenic!) It is associated with less pollution and fewer greenhouse gases than its counterparts - a factor that is becoming increasingly important for Canadian households and commercial properties.As with tankless water heaters, tank heaters also come with a variety of options and features. Work with a professional technician to ensure you are choosing the model best for your home, and to have them install the product correctly.
Your home water heater is important for your home and your family. With all the models and features out there to choose from, trust the Alpha Plumbing team for the advice and expertise to get the job done right. To learn more about hot water tanks and water heating systems, and to get the best model, style, and installation services, Contact Alpha Plumbing Today.
What to expect when your gas line is installed
Gas lines will bring convenience and cost-efficiency to the power supply in your home or business – but only if your installation is performed by fully licensed professionals.
While experience gas pipefitters will get the job done quickly and without complications, this may not be the case if you hire the wrong contractors.
The professional gas line fitters at Alpha Plumbing will first assess what you want to achieve from a new gas line. Is it simply to power the barbecue or is it going to be the main gas line into the house to fire the heating system, etc.?
Once this has been considered, we will apply for any required permits, install the equipment and run a fuel line to your meter, depending on where your gas line is installed. Safety is all-important of course.
So, before you can use the new gas line, a gas inspector from the City of Calgary will visit your premises to ensure that the installation was performed correctly.
An inspection should always happen. If it doesn’t, then this should serve as a red flag. It could mean that your contractor did not take out a permit. This, in turn, means that your insurance company may not cover you if any issues arise from the gas line installation.
Preparing for a gas line installation
Our gas fitters will analyze your home or business before beginning the installation. At this stage, they can let you know of any preparation you need to do for your gas line installation.
Generally, there are a couple of steps you can take to make life easier for the team.
- Mark any non-public utilities, like underground irrigation systems to avoid accidents with existing equipment
- Ensure that all structures and HVAC/electrical systems that will be affected by the gas line installation do not require modifications or repairs before the installation
Problems in either of these areas can slow the installation process down and cause unnecessary delays. It may also create extra expense if repair work is needed before the gas pipe installation job can start.
Most importantly, make sure that your outdoor gas line is fitted safely and professionally by qualified contractors.
The gas fitters at Alpha Plumbing are ready to help you make the transition to gas in your home or business with complete peace of mind.