Certifying gas fitter in Christchurch
Looking for a gas fitter in Christchurch? Gas is the side of the business we're best known for — leaks, hobs, fires, hot water conversions and the certificates that go with them. Registered with the PGDB, and certifying, which means we can sign off our own work.
115+ five-star Google reviewsIf you can smell gas right now: turn it off at the bottle or meter if it's safe to get to, open windows and doors, and don't touch light switches, appliances or anything that could spark. Get everyone outside, then call 027 811 5916.
What "certifying" actually means
All gasfitting work in New Zealand has to be done by someone registered with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. A certifying gasfitter is a step beyond that: certifying tradespeople can work unsupervised and can certify their own work, which is what lets us issue the gas safety certificate at the end of a job rather than bringing someone else in to sign it off.
For you that means one person, one visit, and the paperwork done properly. You can check anyone's registration — including ours — on the PGDB's public register, and we'd encourage you to check whoever you hire.
Gas fitting services we offer
- Gas leak detection and repair. The call we get most often, and the one we drop everything for.
- Gas hobs, cooktops and freestanding ranges — supply, install, connect and certify.
- Gas fires and heaters, including flueing and the safety clearances that go with them.
- Gas hot water, including continuous flow units and converting a house off an electric cylinder onto gas.
- LPG bottle installations, regulators, changeover valves and getting the bottle location right.
- Natural gas connections and appliance changeovers, including converting appliances between LPG and natural gas where the appliance allows it.
- Gas safety certificates and compliance work, including for landlords and property sales.
What we don't do. We only carry out gasfitting on installations covered by AS/NZS 5601.1 (general installations) — homes and commercial buildings. We don't do any gasfitting on caravans, motorhomes, boats, food trucks or other mobile food vehicles, and we can't certify them. For those you'll need a gasfitter who specialises in that work.
Most leak repairs are straightforward once the leak has been found. On a recent job in Hornby, leak-detection fluid bubbling up on a braided flexible hose under the floor showed exactly where the gas was escaping. We took the flexi out and replaced it with a fixed copper run, clipped to the framing, with an isolation valve.
LPG bottles or natural gas?
Christchurch has reticulated natural gas through a good part of the city, but plenty of properties run on 45kg LPG bottles instead — and in the hill suburbs and out towards Rolleston, bottles are often the only option.
Natural gas is generally cheaper to run and you never think about it. The catch is the connection: if there's no gas at your boundary, getting it there is a project.
LPG works anywhere, needs no network connection, and suits a house with one or two gas appliances. You do have to manage bottle swaps, and per-unit it costs more.
Appliances are built for one or the other. Many can be converted with the right jet kit and a proper re-commission — that's gasfitter work, not something to do off a YouTube video, because an appliance running on the wrong gas burns badly and produces carbon monoxide.
Don't forget the pigtails. On a two-bottle LPG set-up, the pigtails are the short flexible hoses that connect each bottle to the regulator. They live outside in the sun and the weather, and they don't last forever. We recommend replacing them every five years as routine maintenance, and sooner if they look degraded: cracked or perished rubber, a frayed or rusty braid, kinks, or damage at the fittings. A pigtail that's leaking needs replacing straight away — if you can smell gas at the bottles, turn both bottles off and call. If you're not sure what yours look like, we can check them for you.
Carbon monoxide is the one to take seriously. Headaches, nausea or drowsiness that improve when you leave the house, a yellow or orange flame where it should be crisp and blue, or soot marks around an appliance are all reasons to stop using it and call. Unflued portable LPG heaters put a lot of moisture and combustion products into a room — if you use one, ventilate properly and never sleep with it running.
Why people call us for gas specifically
It's what most of our reviews are about. Gas hob repairs, gas hot water conversions, gas fitting — those are the three things Christchurch customers most often mention by name. One of our Google reviews is from a household who rang five gasfitters about a weekend gas leak and got one call back. We'd rather be the one that answers.
Every gas job is tested before we leave, and the site gets left the way we found it.
Get a free quote for this job
Tell us what needs doing and we'll come back to you quickly with a price. No obligation, and no charge for a quote anywhere in the Christchurch urban area.
Quotes from photos and details are free in both zones. Quote visits are free in Zone 1 (the Christchurch urban area). In Zone 2, outside Christchurch, a quote visit is $50 + GST (travel included, deducted in full from your invoice if you accept the quote), and service jobs carry a $20 + GST travel surcharge per visit, on top of the hourly rates. We don't do quote visits for service, maintenance or unforeseen work. Which zone am I in?
If you smell gas, or have a burst pipe actively flooding your property, don't wait on a form — call 027 811 5916 now.
Common questions
How often should LPG pigtail hoses be replaced?
We recommend replacing the pigtails (the short hoses between each LPG bottle and the regulator) every five years, and sooner if they look degraded: cracked or perished rubber, a frayed or rusty braid, kinks, or damage at the fittings. A leaking pigtail needs replacing straight away: if you can smell gas at the bottles, turn both bottles off and call. They sit outside in the weather all year, so they wear out well before the rest of the system. We can check them and replace them on the same visit.
Do you do gasfitting on caravans, motorhomes or food trucks?
No. We only do gasfitting on installations covered by AS/NZS 5601.1 (general installations), such as homes and commercial buildings. We don't install, repair or certify gas on caravans, motorhomes, boats, food trucks or other mobile food vehicles. For those you'll need a gasfitter who specialises in that work.
What is a certifying gasfitter?
A certifying gasfitter is registered with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board and authorised to work unsupervised and to certify their own gasfitting work. That means they can issue the gas safety certificate for a job themselves rather than needing another tradesperson to sign it off.
Do you repair gas leaks in Christchurch?
Yes, and it's the job we prioritise. If you can smell gas, turn it off at the source if it is safe to do so, ventilate the area, avoid light switches and anything that could spark, get everyone out of the building and call 027 811 5916 immediately.
Can you convert an appliance from LPG to natural gas?
Often yes. Many gas appliances can be converted between LPG and natural gas with the correct conversion kit and a proper re-commission by a registered gasfitter. Some cannot. We'll check the appliance and tell you before you commit to anything.
Is natural gas or LPG better for my Christchurch home?
Natural gas is generally cheaper to run and needs no bottle management, but only if there is a connection available at your property. LPG works anywhere and suits homes with one or two gas appliances, at a higher cost per unit and with bottle swaps to manage. It usually comes down to what's available at your address.
How do I check a gasfitter is registered?
The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board keeps a public register you can search for free. It's worth checking for any gas work — all gasfitting in New Zealand must be carried out by someone on that register.
What are the warning signs of a gas appliance problem?
A yellow or orange flame where it should be blue, soot or scorch marks around the appliance, excessive condensation on windows when it runs, a pilot light that keeps going out, or headaches and drowsiness that clear up when you leave the house. Stop using the appliance and call a gasfitter.
Where we work
We're a family owned business based in St Martins, and we work right across greater Christchurch — including these suburbs and more.
By area: North Christchurch · East Christchurch · West Christchurch · Central Christchurch · South Christchurch