Certifying gasfitter 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.
If 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.
What we do
- 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.
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.
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 carries the same 2-year workmanship guarantee as the rest of our work, and the site gets left the way we found it.
Common questions
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 based on Wilsons Road in St Martins and work right across greater Christchurch — including these suburbs and more.