Guide 3 of 6
Servicing gas appliances
Gas work, including servicing, is for a licensed gasfitter, never a do-it-yourself job. How often is where the sources differ: Energy Safe Victoria recommends at least every two years for gas heaters, Evoenergy says each year, and NSW Fair Trading says in line with the manufacturer’s specifications.
Sources for each of these are given in the comparison below.
Three sources, side by side
Each column comes from one organisation’s own page. Energy Safe Victoria and NSW Fair Trading are state regulators; Evoenergy is the gas network for the ACT and nearby New South Wales, and its advice is written for its customers.
| Question | Energy Safe Victoria | NSW Fair Trading | Evoenergy (ACT network) |
|---|---|---|---|
| How often | Gas heaters “serviced at least every two years by a qualified gasfitter”. With Victoria’s Building and Plumbing Commission, it recommends the same for “all gas water heaters, space heaters and central heaters”. | “It is recommended that appliances are serviced by a licenced gasfitter in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.” | Every year, have a qualified gas appliance service technician or gas fitter service the appliance, and keep a written report of the work done. |
| Who may do the work | “Always use a licensed gasfitter for any installation, repairs or renovations involving gas work.” To service a heater and check for carbon monoxide, the licence needs to show “gas servicing Type-A”. | Under NSW law, “all gas installations must be carried out by a licensed gasfitter”. As advice, the same page says to “always have a licensed gasfitter install, repair and service gas appliances”. | Have a licensed gas fitter do any maintenance and servicing work. |
| Paperwork | After installing a gas appliance, the gasfitter “must give you a compliance certificate”. For a service, its FAQ says a certificate is not given unless the value of the work exceeds $750. | Not covered on the page quoted here. Evoenergy says installation certificates in NSW are lodged with NSW Fair Trading. | After an installation, the gas fitter should give you a certificate of compliance and lodge a copy with the local inspection authority: Access Canberra in the ACT, or NSW Fair Trading in NSW. |
| If you rent | Under Victoria’s rental laws, the rental provider “must ensure a gas safety check of all gas installations and fittings on the premises is conducted every two years”. | “Landlords are responsible for repairs and maintenance of gas connections and appliances like ovens, and tenants should ensure regular servicing of gas appliances.” | Renters should contact their real estate agent or property manager about maintaining or servicing gas appliances. |
For other states and territories, the safety regulator’s own page is the place to check; this guide only states a rule where the owner’s page says it.
What a service should include
Energy Safe Victoria’s answer, in its order:
- A visual inspection of the appliance and flue system.
- A negative pressure and combustion spillage test (a CO test).
- Internal cleaning.
- Repair or replacement of parts.
- Running the appliance to make sure it is working correctly and safely.
For ducted heating, it recommends a service every two years with a CO test “at the heating vent outlets in all rooms”. It also says gasfitters “are required to test heaters during installation and servicing to ensure they do not spill combustion products and any exhaust fans do not affect the heater”.
Between services
Evoenergy lists a few things a household can do itself: keep appliances “clean, ventilated, and free from obstructions”, and check for soot, looking “for signs of discolouration on and around the appliance”. Energy Safe Victoria says that if a heater’s flame changes from its usual colour, or anything else about how it runs changes, a qualified gasfitter should inspect it and check it for carbon monoxide leakage.
Checking a gasfitter’s licence in Victoria
Energy Safe Victoria says gasfitters hold different types of licence depending on the work they are qualified to do, and that every registered and licensed gasfitter is issued with a photo ID card listing the work they may do. It suggests asking to see the card when they arrive, including “the registered classes listed on the back of the card”.
Its FAQ points to the Building and Plumbing Commission’s website to find a registered gasfitter, and to an online directory to check a licence or registration. The Commission describes itself as “Victoria’s regulator for the building and plumbing industries”, handling licensing and registration for plumbing practitioners. Some Energy Safe Victoria pages still use the earlier name, the Victorian Building Authority.
Energy Safe Victoria lists what licensing gives you: training and competency, insurance “providing a six (6) year warranty on the work they perform”, and keeping your manufacturer’s warranty conditions intact. It also warns that a “cheap” job that leaves out the compliance certificate is an offence under the Building Act 1993.
When a new or second-hand appliance comes in
Energy Safe Victoria says to look for a certification label on a gas appliance, to check its identification plate shows it suits your type of gas, and that natural gas and LP gas “are not the same”. Converting an appliance from one gas to another “must be done by a licensed gasfitter who is endorsed for gas conversion work”. For a second-hand appliance, it says to check the plate and have it serviced by a licensed gasfitter when installed.
NSW Fair Trading says gas appliances sold in NSW must be marked with the type of gas, approved by a certifier registered by NSW Fair Trading, and carry an Australian recognised certification label; it adds that “overseas approvals of gas appliances are not recognised in Australia”.