St Albans has one of the widest mixes of housing in Christchurch: old mid-density workers' cottages, council flats, modern high-density flats and apartments, and large low-density sections of various ages. It came through the September 2010 quake mostly with fallen chimneys, but the February 2011 earthquake brought liquefaction and damage that led to houses and shops being demolished. Lowered ground and damaged drainage later caused chronic flooding in the Flockton Basin. There is no natural gas network in the South Island, so gas in St Albans means LPG, from 45 kg bottles, a bulk tank or, on some Christchurch streets, a piped LPG supply.
St Albans gas fitting across cottages, flats and flood-prone streets
Few Christchurch suburbs pack in as many housing types as St Albans. On one block you can find a workers' cottage, a row of council flats, a modern apartment building and a large older home on a wide section. Each needs a different approach to LPG, from a simple bottle station beside a weatherboard wall to a body corporate approval process for a unit in a newer complex near Edgeware Village. Council flats and rentals add another layer, since the owner, not the tenant, has to approve the work.
The ground matters here too. The February 2011 earthquake brought liquefaction, and lowered land around the Flockton Basin meant some streets flooded regularly for years afterwards. On those properties we set the regulator and bottles on a raised, secured base, well clear of where surface water has pooled before, and we use flexible connectors where rigid pipe meets the house, since quake-affected sites can still move a little.
In older cottages with suspended floors, a new gas run to a hob or heater normally goes underneath, which keeps it hidden and protected. For flats and apartments, we check whether gas is permitted, where a flue can discharge without affecting the unit above, and whether existing supply pipe is shared. Whatever the building, the system is sized for a frosty morning with every appliance running, pressure tested, and handed over with the gas certificate.
Local tip: If your St Albans street flooded in past years, mention it when booking, so we can plan a raised bottle stand from the start.
Gas Fitter in St Albans: Local Factors
On rebuilt homes we fit gas pipe with flexible connections at the appliances and where the pipe enters the building, so it copes with some movement.
For anything else, see our plumbers in St Albans.
How We Handle Gas Fitter in St Albans
If we find an unsafe appliance or old pipework at your St Albans property, we make it safe and explain the options before doing anything more.
Pricing: quotes are free, and every job gets a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Gas Fitter Jobs We Do in St Albans
- New gas pipe run
- Gas leak test
- Install LPG continuous flow hot water
- LPG bottle changeover regulator
- Cap redundant gas pipe
Gas Fitter St Albans FAQs
My St Albans property is in the old Flockton Basin area. Does that change where gas bottles go?
It can. We keep bottles and the regulator on a raised, anchored base away from low spots where water has collected, while still meeting the clearance rules.
Do I need a licensed gasfitter in St Albans?
Yes. Gas work is restricted work and must be done by a licensed gasfitter, who certifies the job when it is finished.
What gas certificate will I get?
You get a gas certificate for the work, which is required for certain gas installations.