Gas pressure testing ensures the gas coming it into the home is at the right pressure and is done at the gas meter and requires the temporary installation of a gas pressure gauge.
Al’s Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning performs gas pressure testing for your home. We can schedule an appointment at your convenience, Call 214-CALL-ALS.
Why Gas Pressure Is Important
Methane gas is a byproduct of decomposing organic matter. If you pass a landfill, you may see pipes with flames, which is the methane gas (generated by the landfill) burning. Natural gas is predominately methane. Natural gas is colorless, tasteless and (in its natural state) odorless. Utility companies add a distinctive odorant to identify natural gas leaks, quickly and easily.
Natural gas delivers to you by pipeline. Compressor stations move the gas through pipelines at approximately 750 psi (pounds per square inch). These gas pipelines deliver the gas to your utility’s gas-supply grid.
There, the gas is regulated down to high, medium, or low pressure and fed into the gas distribution system. Then the individual service lines deliver gas to the structures. As gas enters your home, its pressure is typically around .25 psi (pounds per square inch) or 1/4 of 1 pound of pressure.
There is a gas-regulator beside the gas meter to control the gas pressure coming into your home. The regulator is typically round.
The gas pressure regulator by the gas meter is designed to shut off the gas flow coming into the house when it is not in use. When gas is needed, the regulator opens just enough to allow that amount of gas through. The regulator can adjust to any gas demand.
The regulator can be adjusted to allow more or less gas into the house based on the number of devices inside the house that use gas. Any home can have one or more gas-fired devices (furnace, water heater, clothes dryer, gas cooking appliances) so the gas pressure is adjusted to accommodate the number of devices inside any specific home.
How the Gas Pressure Regulator (by the gas meter) Works
Gas Pressure Regulator (round) Controls Gas Pressure Coming Into Your Home
Once inside your home, the nozzles in the gas burners of your furnace are sized to permit a specific gas flow at a specific gas pressure. Too much gas pressure means too much gas flow. Too much gas flowing into your furnace causes more heat generated than the furnace is designed to generate. If your furnace fan and exhaust flue cannot carry the heat away fast enough, the furnace will overheat, which is also true of your gas water heater and gas clothes dryer.
There is a definitive risk of fire from any gas-fired device overheating due to too much gas flowing into it. For this reason, these products have a gas regulator. If the gas pressure is too high, the regulator shuts off all gas coming into the device, such as a furnace (as a safety feature). Though the furnace’s regulator stops the risk of overheating, it also shuts the furnace down.
A gas pressure test requires a permit from your city. A city official will perform an inspection to ensure everything is up to code and safe. Once inspected and approved, the temporary meter is removed and the gas can be turned back on.
WARNING: Improper inspection and testing methods involving gas pressure can create dangerous conditions with the risk of fire or explosion. A trained technician must perform all gas pressure testing. The purpose of the city permit is to ensure the technician doing the test is qualified. Additionally, their work is inspected by a city inspector.
Al’s Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning
Al’s does not provide DIY information regarding gas-pressure testing, as a mistake can have fatal consequences. Al’s Plumbing and HVAC does not advise or encourage you to do your gas-pressure testing. We do not offer any advice or instructions.
Al’s provides Full-Service HVAC System Maintenance, Repair and Replacement Services on all brands of Air Conditioners, Furnaces and Heat Pumps (including Trane and American Standard). We perform every service needed to keep your heating and air conditioning system running at its best.
We sell and install American Standard, Coleman and Ameristar — Air Conditioner unit, Furnace and Heat Pump.
Our HVAC Technicians are NATE (North American Technician Excellence) Certified. They are trained and experienced in providing maintenance and repair of your HVAC System + Installation of new HVAC systems.
Contact Al’s today to discuss any problem you have with your Plumbing or HVAC System. We offer appointments at your convenience & are also your Emergency Plumber resource, with 24/7 Emergency Service. All our Plumbers are licensed and experienced in diagnosing and repairing your residential plumbing.
Gas Pressure Testing
To schedule your gas pressure test, call us today.
972-947-9565 OR Schedule Service