What You Need To Know About Upgrading to Gas Cooking
- Lewis New
- Nov 6
- 5 min read
Upgrading your kitchen with a gas cooktop is one of the best ways to improve your home cooking experience, offering instant heat and precise temperature control. While the benefits are clear, the installation process is a serious job that involves much more than just plugging in an appliance. It requires a licensed professional to ensure it's done safely and to Australian Standards.
This includes guidance on:
The Benefits of Upgrading to Gas Cooking
The Installation Process: What's Involved?
Compliance & Safety: Your Legal Obligations
Gas Supply: Natural Gas vs. LPG Bottles
A key part of the installation is the final safety check, which we cover in our guide to Gas Compliance Certificates For Landlords & Homeowners.
At Oakland Plumbing, our licensed gas fitters are specialists in kitchen upgrades and new cooktop installations across Cairns. We handle the entire process, from planning the gas line to final testing, ensuring a safe, compliant, and perfect result for your renovation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
As licensed gas fitters in Cairns, these are the most common questions we get from homeowners who are planning to upgrade their kitchen.
Q1. Can I convert my existing electric cooktop to gas?
Yes, you can, but it is a job for a licensed professional. It involves running a new, dedicated gas line from your gas meter or LPG bottles to the kitchen, which is often a key part of our work during kitchen plumbing renovations.
Q2. How much does it cost to install a gas line for a cooktop?
The cost varies significantly depending on your home's construction (e.g., "slab on ground" vs. raised) and the distance from the gas supply to your kitchen. We provide a detailed, fixed-price quote after an on-site inspection.
Q3. Do I need special ventilation for a gas cooktop?
Yes. Queensland regulations require mechanical ventilation (a rangehood) for a new gas cooktop installation. This is a critical safety feature to remove combustion gases and ensure healthy air quality in your home.
Q4. What is a gas compliance certificate and why do I need one?
A compliance certificate is a legal document proving your cooktop was installed by a licensed gas fitter and that the installation is safe and leak-free. This is a mandatory, non-negotiable part of our Cairns Gas Fitting service.
The Benefits of Upgrading to Gas Cooking
The primary benefits of upgrading to a gas cooktop are superior cooking performance and precise temperature control. Unlike electric, gas provides instant heat and allows you to change the flame level immediately, giving you professional-level control that is hard to replicate with an electric element.
From our experience installing these units in Cairns kitchens, the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Chefs and passionate home cooks prefer gas because it's fast, responsive, and reliable, even during a blackout. Furthermore, gas is often a more cost-effective energy source for cooking, potentially lowering your home's overall utility bills compared to a standard electric stove.
Instant Heat and Precise Control:
You get an immediate heat response, not the slow warm-up and cool-down of an electric coil.
Better Cooking Results:
The ability to fine-tune the flame allows for better searing, simmering, and wok cooking.
Potential for Lower Running Costs:
Gas is often a cheaper cooking fuel, which can lead to long-term savings on your energy bills.
Works During Blackouts:
Your gas cooktop (with a manual ignition) can still function during a power outage, which is a major benefit in Cairns.
The Installation Process: What's Involved?
The installation process for a new gas cooktop involves four key stages. First, we conduct an on-site consultation to plan the gas line route. Second, our licensed gas fitter runs the new, dedicated gas pipe. Third, we install the appliance itself, ensuring it fits perfectly. Finally, we test the entire system for safety.
This is a complex job that should never be a DIY project. Running a new gas line is the most critical part. This may involve routing a pipe from your gas meter or LPG bottles, often under the floor or through the ceiling cavity. We coordinate with your cabinet makers and electricians to ensure the entire installation is seamless and meets all legal and safety standards for your renovation.
On-Site Assessment and Planning:
We first visit your home to determine the safest and most efficient route for the new gas line.
Running the New Gas Line:
Our licensed fitters install a new, dedicated pipe from your main gas supply to the kitchen.
Appliance Installation and Connection:
We carefully fit the cooktop into your benchtop and make the final connection to the new gas line.
Testing and Safety Checks:
The final step is to test the appliance and the entire line for leaks and correct pressure.
Compliance & Safety: Your Legal Obligations
Yes, but only when installed by a licensed gas fitter. In Queensland, it is illegal for an unlicensed person to install any gas appliance. The law requires that upon completion, the licensed fitter must test the installation and provide you with a Gas Compliance Certificate to prove it is safe and leak-free.
This is not just a piece of paper; it's your assurance that the work is safe for your family. This legal requirement protects you, your property, and your home insurance. An uncertified installation can void your insurance policy and poses a serious risk of fire or gas leaks. This is why ongoing checks are also important, as detailed in our guide to gas system maintenance.
Must Be Installed by a Licensed Gas Fitter:
It is illegal and extremely dangerous to attempt a DIY installation or hire an unlicensed handyman for this job.
A Gas Compliance Certificate is Mandatory
We are legally required to issue this certificate, which proves your new cooktop is 100% safe and compliant.
Ventilation is Also a Legal Requirement:
Your kitchen must have a rangehood or other mechanical ventilation to safely remove combustion fumes.
Insurance and Warranty Protection:
A compliance certificate validates your home insurance and the manufacturer's warranty on the appliance.
Gas Supply: Natural Gas vs. LPG Bottles
Your new gas cooktop can be fuelled in two ways: by natural gas or by LPG bottles. If your Cairns street has a natural gas main, we can connect your home to it. If not, which is common in many suburbs, we will install a system that runs off LPG gas bottles located safely outside your home.
Natural gas is piped in by your energy retailer and is generally the most convenient and cost-effective option if it's available. LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) provides the exact same cooking performance but is stored in large bottles that you exchange when empty. We can assess your property and advise on the best, safest, and most practical supply option for your home.
Natural Gas (If Available):
This is the most convenient option, piped directly to your home. We can facilitate the new connection.
LPG (Gas Bottles):
This is the most common solution in Cairns suburbs that do not have a natural gas network.
Same Cooking Performance:
Both fuel types provide the exact same high-performance cooking experience; the only difference is the supply method.
Professional Installation is Key:
We ensure the safe installation of all pipework, regulators, and bottle change-over valves for LPG systems.
Upgrading to a gas cooktop will transform your cooking experience, but it's a project that must be done right. From running the gas line to ensuring proper ventilation and legal compliance, the entire process requires a licensed expert. This ensures your investment is not only high-performance but also safe for your family and compliant with all Queensland laws, which is a core part of our professional Cairns Gas Fitting service.
If you're planning your kitchen renovation, trust our expert Cairns Gas Fitting team to handle your cooktop installation safely and professionally. Contact Oakland Plumbing today for a consultation and a detailed quote.
