Washington Gas serves much of the District, and gas ranges are standard in older rowhouses and many prewar apartment buildings. When a range is replaced, the gas side of the job looks simple: a short connector from the wall to the back of the range. The installation guide asks for more than that, including a pipe size, a specific kind of connector and a shutoff valve you can reach without pulling the range out.
What the Amana guide specifies
Every figure in this section comes from Amana's paperwork for one model, the AGR4230BA 30-inch freestanding gas range.
Supply line. The AGR4230BA dimension guide W10620420 calls for 3/4-inch rigid pipe run to where the range will sit, and warns that a smaller pipe on longer runs may result in insufficient gas supply. With LP gas, piping or tubing can be 1/2 inch minimum.
Joints. Pipe-joint compound that resists LP gas must be used. The guide says not to use Teflon tape.
Connector. Where local code allows it, the final link can be a new flexible metal appliance connector, CSA design-certified, 4 to 5 feet long and 1/2 or 3/4 inch in inside diameter. The range's pressure regulator needs a 1/2-inch male pipe thread, and the guide says not to kink or damage the connector when moving the range.
Shutoff valve. A manual shutoff is mandatory. It belongs in the same room as the range but not inside the range opening; the guide's example is the cabinet next door. It has to be easy to operate and kept unobstructed.
Fuel. The range leaves the factory set for natural gas. Only a qualified service technician should convert it to LP, and no conversion should be attempted without consulting the gas supplier.
Power. It needs a 15-amp, 120-volt circuit, ideally one that serves only the range, and plugs into a grounded three-prong receptacle.
Level. The range must be level after installation, and the guide says the cooktop is not a reliable reference for leveling.
A later revision of the guide for the same model, W10821262, repeats the supply, connector and shutoff rules but lists the rating plate on the left side of the bottom of the broiler. The earlier revision puts it on the oven frame, behind the upper left corner of the door opening. If you can't find it in one spot, check the other.
The reasons behind the rules
Volume. Several burners plus the oven draw a lot of gas. If the pipe is too small for the distance, flames sag when the whole range is running.
A reachable shutoff. A valve hidden behind the range is hard to use in an emergency. Putting it in the next cabinet means anyone can close it quickly.
New, certified connectors. The guide asks for a new connector, not a reused one. An old connector that has been flexed through earlier moves can crack or corrode at the fittings.
Correct fuel setting. Each fuel has its own orifice sizes and regulator setting. Run a range on the wrong one and you get tall, yellow or sooty flames.
A look-only checklist
Keep your hands off the fittings; this is a visual check.
- Find the rating plate (see the two locations above) and confirm it lists natural gas.
- Find the shutoff. Check the cabinet next to the range first, then the drawer space under the oven, then behind the range.
- Look over the connector for kinks, crush marks or corrosion.
- Make sure the plug sits directly in a grounded receptacle, with no adapter.
- Check level following the range's instructions, not by eye on the cooktop.
- Check the anti-tip bracket. If the range came with one, it should be engaged as its instructions describe.
Things we see in DC kitchens
- •Shutoffs behind the range. Common in older rowhouse kitchens. The range has to come out before anyone can close the gas, which is the opposite of what the guide asks for.
- •Old connectors reused during a renovation. A new range on an old connector is a frequent shortcut.
- •Tight galley kitchens. In narrow rowhouse and apartment kitchens, the connector may get crushed when the range is pushed back. Measure before sliding it into place.
- •Licensed work. The DC Department of Buildings issues gas fitting permits only to licensed contractors. Its instant permits cover replacing not more than one gas appliance on a residential project.
If you smell gas
Washington Gas says to leave the building right away, then call 911 and the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from a safe place. Don't smoke, light flames, flip switches or use anything that could spark, including phones, before you're out.
Warning signs after an installation
- •Weak or uneven burners when several are on at once.
- •Yellow-tipped flames, soot on pans or a sharp odor.
- •An oven that heats slowly or unevenly.
- •Any gas smell near the range.
Who does the work
- •Hooking up or removing a gas range, swapping the connector or installing a shutoff is licensed gas fitter work in DC.
- •Switching the range to LP is reserved for a qualified service technician under the guide.
- •A new 120-volt outlet for the range is for a licensed electrician.
If the hookup is right and burners still light poorly or the oven won't hold temperature, the problem is in the range itself: igniters, valves, the oven safety valve or the thermostat. Book gas stove repair or oven repair with us. The cabinets around the range have their own rules; see how much space a range needs around it.
Documents referenced
- •Amana AGR4230BA dimension guide W10620420: pipe size, joint compound, connector, where the shutoff goes, fuel conversion, power, leveling.
- •Amana AGR4230BA dimension guide W10821262: later revision, alternate rating plate location.
- •Washington Gas: Natural gas safety: what to do if you smell gas.