What’s Involved in a Gas Meter Upgrade?

Introduction to Gas Meter Upgrades

Upgrading your gas metre is an important process that ensures continued safe and efficient gas supply to your Marsfield home. As trusted Marsfield plumbers since 2022, Marsfield Plumbing specialises in seamless gas metre upgrades to guarantee all work is done to the highest standards and full compliance.

Replacing ageing gas metres brings your system up to current gas regulations, which change regularly to reflect the latest safety advancements. Upgrades also allow for improved gas flow technology and prevents future gas leak issues. This keeps your household gas running the way it should.

This article will cover everything you need to know about managing gas metre upgrade works, including step-by-step actions to take, details on regulations, costs/timeframes involved and guidance around restoring gas supply after technicians leave. We’ll also address safety questions and tackle common concerns raised by homeowners undergoing upgrades.

Review the complete breakdown below or contact our friendly team if you need further assistance with your meter specific to your situation.

Reasons for Replacing Your Gas Meter

There are several important reasons you may need to upgrade your gas metre:

• Your current gas metre is outdated and no longer compliant with the latest Gas Standards Regulations. All metres must be upgraded to meet new benchmarks.
• You’ve noticed your gas bill rising sharply, signalling potential issues with your gas metre accuracy and efficiency.
• Your household gas usage has increased significantly, so your existing metre can no longer handle demand.
• You need to relocate the gas metre for renovation or home improvement works.
• Your metre has been physically damaged and needs replacing.
• Routine inspections identified corrosion, leaks or other faults with the gas metre.

Upgrading old, inaccurate or insufficient gas metres ensures you benefit from improved safety, reliability and cost efficiency of your Marsfield home’s gas supply.

For further personalised insight into your gas metre condition, contact our team. We’ll assess if an upgrade is required while advising on solutions to match your household usage.

Understanding the Gas Meter Upgrade Process

Upgrading your gas metre follows a straightforward process that typically takes 1-2 days from start to finish:

1. Initial Assessment – A licenced gas fitter like Marsfield Plumbing will assess your existing gas metre first. This involves examining the metre and pipework condition, testing for leaks, evaluating supply capacity needs, and checking compliance issues.
2. Choosing an Accredited Professional – Only qualified gas fitters can conduct metre upgrades legally. Verify licencing and experience first – Marsfield Plumbing trucks are clearly branded for assurance.
3. Scheduling the Upgrade – Coordinate a suitable upgrade date and time to access your property. Temporary gas supply cut-offs are required so flexibility helps.
4. The Gas Metre Replacement – The existing metre is disconnected then removed before the new modern metre is securely installed and connected to gas pipelines by the technician.
5. Metre Configuration – Your new metre requires programming to allocate a Metre Installation Registration Number (MIRN) matching your gas account.
6. Restarting Supply & Testing – Gas supply is restored, pressure tested for leaks and relit for appliances before technicians leave.
7. Notification – Paperwork finalising the upgrade will be provided afterwards to notify relevant providers.

The qualified Marsfield Plumbing team manages any need home notifications and paperwork throughout. If you need guidance relighting appliances, further testing or experience issues after technicians depart, please contact our upgrade specialists immediately.

Homeowner Responsibilities

As a homeowner undergoing a gas metre upgrade, you share responsibility in ensuring the process goes smoothly. This includes:

• Providing safe, clear access to the gas metre and associated pipes for technicians to work on. Remove any items blocking the metre.
• Turning off your gas supply at the mains when advised by technicians for them to safely conduct the upgrade works.
• Being present on the arranged upgrade days for any necessary appliance testing afterwards by technicians before they leave.
• Keeping all pets securely away from the gas metre access area on the work days.
• Refraining from parking vehicles which obstruct the metre area.
• Informing technicians before work commences of any known pre-existing damage or issues with your household pipework or appliances.
• Contacting Marsfield Plumbing promptly if you discover any faults post-upgrade for further analysis and repairs if required.

Exercising caution around the gas metre by leaving a safe distance from potential ignition sources, protecting the metre area from garden debris and foliage, and avoiding unapproved interference are also ongoing homeowner duties after technicians complete upgrades.

If ever in doubt on your obligations regarding gas metre works, contact our upgrades team for reliable advice specific to your situation.

Choosing a Qualified Gas Fitter

Having qualified gas fitters conduct your gas metre upgrade is critical for safety and compliance. Specialised technical expertise, extensive training and proper accreditation is required under NSW law to legally handle gas installations and alterations.

When selecting a professional gas fitter for your metre replacement, key credentials to check include:

• A NSW Gas Fitting Licence confirming up-to-date qualifications for the required class of gas work. Check licence photo ID matches the technician.
• Proof of current industry certification for practises like AS/NZ5601 Gas Installations and insurances.
• Strong understanding of local Sydney Metro requirements and existing utility infrastructure impacting your home.

Look for gas fitters demonstrating:

• Minimum 5 years industry experience advising homeowners on best practise around metres.
• Comprehensive safety processes and risk management planning.
• Modern equipment, utility detection tools and safety gear to protect you plus your home during works.
• Effective communication skills to talk you through the upgrade plan and gas system as needed.

With over 15 years’ gas plumbing and drainage maintenance experience locally, Marsfield Plumbing ticks all boxes as a trusted gas metre upgrade provider for Marsfield homes. Contact our friendly team to learn more about our gas expertise.

Preparing for a Gas Meter Upgrade

Adequate preparation ensures your gas metre upgrade proceeds smoothly, with minimal disruption to household gas supply. As a Marsfield homeowner arranging an upgrade, key preparation steps involve:

• Clearing a 1m access zone around the gas metre - Remove obstructions like foliage or items leaning against the unit.
• Securing pets away from the work area during upgrades to avoid technician distraction or injury risks.
• Preparing for potential short-term household gas supply interruptions spanning 30 minutes to 2 hours while old metres are exchanged for new compliant models.
• Turning off then unplugging all gas appliances beforehand as a precaution, in case pilots extinguish during any cut-offs.
• Having alternative cooking options like your BBQ or electricity on standby for when gas is offline.
• Keeping dry wood and matches accessible to relight appliance pilots if required after new metre installation.
• Having all occupants home for necessary safety checks and appliance testings by technicians before concluding upgrade works.

With the right preparations, upgrades cause minimal impact to regular routines. If you need assistance managing household tasks during metre works or restoring full gas supply afterwards, Marsfield’s friendly plumbers are ready to help – contact our upgrades team.

New Gas Meter Models and Features

Gas metre technology has advanced considerably, so upgrading delivers next-generation models with improved accuracy and reliability.

New Australian gas metres suit modern homes better with useful extra features like:

• Digital readings rather than analogue dials for precisely tracking household gas usage.
• Robust corrosion-resistant casing materials protecting internal components.
• Enhanced pressure regulation reducing service issues.
• Built-in excess flow valves automatically cut gas flow from leaks or ruptures.
• Capability to remotely read metres through secure networks minimising site visits.
• Tamper alerts notifying providers of unauthorised interference for rapid response.
• Streamlined connectivity to smart home platforms giving greater usage insight.

Latest gas meters flowing under 10 cubic metres per hour like the Elster A100 suit typical Marsfield households well. While honeywell UKM metres offer intelligent pressure correction for improved consistency.

Upgrading means benefiting from metres meeting Australian standards for safer gas delivery. Contact our team if you need advice choosing a suitable new gas metre for your home requirements.

Safely Relighting Appliances after an Upgrade

After your gas metre upgrade is complete, technicians will relight appliances before leaving your home. However, if pilots extinguish later or you need to relight something yourself, follow these safe steps:

Water Heaters

Refer to your hot water system’s manual. Refer to your hot water system’s manual. If unsuccessful after several attempts, contact our technicians.

Push this while pressing the pilot light button to restart the pilot light.

Gas Ovens and Cooktops

Most modern gas ovens do not require relighting pilots. Simply ensure all burners are off, wait 5 minutes for any gas to dissipate if the appliance was on during the upgrade, then turn back on. If your oven won’t ignite or you smell gas, contact our upgrades team immediately.

Gas Space Heaters

Carefully follow your heater’s relighting instructions using long barbecue lighters to keep hands safely away from flames. If experiencing issues, arrange a safety inspection by Marsfield’s gas technicians.

For any appliances failing to relight after an upgrade - do not attempt fixing these yourself unless you are a qualified gas fitter; instead, contact us to safely relight your appliances. Contact our team forprompt assistance restoring safe gas supply and relighting all Marsfield home appliances.

Frequently Asked Questions

Upgrading your gas metre can bring up many questions for Marsfield homeowners. We’ve compiled answers to some of the most common queries below:

How much does a gas metre upgrade cost?

Typical costs range from $550 - $1500 depending on factors like metre relocation needs, pipework modifications and ease of access. Contact our team for an accurate quote tailored to your household.

How long does the upgrade process take?

From initial inspection to restored gas supply, expect the end-to-end upgrade to take 1 - 2 days. The actual metre installation takes 2 - 3 hours. Technicians will discuss timeframes specific to your situation.

Will I have ongoing gas supply during the upgrade?

There will be a temporary 30 minute - 2 hour gas supply interruption when transitioning between old and new metres. Technicians will discuss timing and prep requirements with you.

Why won’t my appliances relight after the upgrade?

Pilots can sometimes extinguish during any gas cut-offs. Refer to our guidance on safely relighting appliances or contact our team immediately for assistance getting things running again.

What paperwork or notifications are required?

As your upgrades provider, Marsfield Plumbing handles all compliance notifications to relevant authorities and paperwork for gas account changes on your behalf.

Who can I contact for questions during or after my upgrade?

Our experienced upgrades team is available before, during and after installs to address any queries or issues promptly. Contact us via phone or email anytime.