The Name You Trust for your
GAS LINES 

While natural gas is a fossil fuel that emits greenhouse gases, it produces a lot less than coal or oil. For instance, natural gas combustion results in 50% to 60% less carbon dioxide (CO2) than coal. It also generates 15% to 20% fewer heat-trapping gases compared to gasoline.

Thus, many consider natural gas as one of, if not the cleanest type of fossil fuel. That alone should be a good enough reason for you to make the switch.

It's also worthy to note Portland's "Poop to Power" project. As its name suggests, this renewable natural gas comes from human waste matter. It converts the methane in such wastes into a usable, cleaner source of energy.

At the moment, renewable natural gas (RNG) from the program can replace diesel in vehicles. However, Portland homeowners can now also have RNG supplied to their homes. In this case, the zero-carbon resource comes from locally-produced waste materials.

With that said, not only can natural gas be cheaper than electricity. It can also be a greener choice for eco-conscious Portland homeowners.

Average Natural Gas Installation Cost

According to the website Home Advisor, the US average cost for running a new gas line is $525. However, the typical price range is between $120 and $1,350. These rates already include the labor, the pipes themselves, and other materials.

With that said, you can expect to pay a bit more than the average US homeowner, seeing as you're a Portlander. After all, the hourly wage in the City of Roses is about 9% higher than the nationwide average. The hourly wage of installation, maintenance, and repair workers, in turn, is only 6% more.

Gas Line Installation Code in Portland, OR

In Portland, gas line installation must comply with Section G2401 (101) General. This is in line with the City's Residential Code for any work related to fuel gas. Any new gas line work in the City of Roses must meet the current sizing codes.

Portland law requires anyone who wishes to carry out fuel gas work to secure permits. These are the "residential mechanical permits" issued by the local government. You need a permit before you can install, change, or fix gas piping between the meter and an appliance.

The City may also require you to secure a plumbing permit before doing a gas line installation.

Local and state laws also require inspections during and after gas line installations. At the very least, you need to have an authorized inspector check a laid gas line. You need their approval before you can cover the gas piping and to close out the permit.

Who Installs Gas Lines for Stoves and Other Gas Systems?

Both Oregon and local Portland laws allow homeowners to install gas lines. However, it's a complex process that requires permits, calls, digging, and inspections. As such, you should consider hiring a professional Portland plumber instead.

Installing Gas Line From Street to House

The first thing you need to do is to locate the main outdoor gas line. The Oregon Government's official website has a nifty utility finder tool that you can use. With this, you simply have to enter your Portland home address, and it'll tell you if you have a gas line on your street.

If you do have a gas line on your street, you can contact the servicing gas company. Let them know that you'd like to connect to it.

Site Survey

You need to conduct a site survey to calculate how much natural gas your home will use. It should also include details on the length of the physical piping you need to run from the mainline to your home. You then have to give all these pieces of information to the gas company servicing your street.

Acquiring Permits

Once you've spoken to the gas provider, you can already obtain the necessary permits. Only then can the actual work of laying out the gas pipes begin.

In Portland, permit fees for gas piping cost $16 for the first four outlets. Each extra outlet costs $2.84. These include outlets for furnaces, gas heat pumps, and water heaters, among a few others.

For other appliances not included in the list, the fee is $34.

Note that there's a minimum permit fee of $110. On top of that is the state surcharge of 12% of the total permit fee.

Calling 811

If your gas pipe installation involves digging (which it likely will), be sure to dial 811 first. This is the number for the Oregon Utility Notification Center (OUNC). You need to get in touch with them two days before you start your digging project.

By calling 811, the OUNC will then contact your utility service providers. They, in turn, will mark all locations of buried utility lines, such as electric, water, and plumbing. If you know where these are, you can avoid damaging them during your digging activities.

Digging and Laying the Groundwork

Once you get the green light from 811, you can start digging the trenches. You can then install and assemble the pipes within the dug area. You can now also connect one end of the gas pipe to a non-working gas meter outside your property.

A city inspector would already monitor and inspect all these steps. You would have to wait for the authorized personnel to approve and clear the job. If they don't, then you have to correct all the flaws within the laid out pipework.

Only after the inspector clears your work can you move the installation inside your home. At this point, you can now connect all your gas appliances and equipment to the gas line.

After this, you'd need to schedule another indoor inspection. If the city official says that everything's good, then that's the only time you can turn on the gas.

Choosing 1-800-Plumber +Air of Portland to Install Your Gas Line

1-800-Plumber +Air of Portland provides plumbing, air conditioning, and heating services. As a local company, we can help you with your gas line installation project from start to finish.

Rest assured that our resident plumbing specialists have immense gas installation experience. More than that, our team not only specializes in the installation of gas lines but their repairs too.

We are a full-service contractor in Portland, so we carry all required state and city licenses. We also satisfy all the insurance requirements set by the state and the city. As a plumbing contractor, we will secure all permits necessary to install your gas line.

If you call our team here at 1-800-Plumber +Air of Portland, we'll start by confirming there's a gas line on your street. We'll conduct a full site assessment of your property so that we can tell you how much gas and piping you need.

If you hire us, we'll then coordinate with the gas company servicing your neighborhood. From here, we'll take over all the other aspects of the gas pipe installation. We'll call 811, do all the digging, carry out the pipelaying, and secure the indoor connections for you.

We'll also shoulder the responsibility of coordinating with the city inspector. So, all that's left for you to do is to sit back, relax, and wait for us to complete an excellent job.

If you need any other plumbing, heating, or air conditioning service, you can also rely on us to get these jobs done. You can hire us for different plumbing services and even indoor air quality checks.

Safe and Secure Gas Line Installation With 1-800-Plumber +Air of Portland

There you have it, everything you need to know about gas line installation in Portland, OR. As you can see, there's a lot of work involved, not to mention many city departments to call. There's also the possibility of gas leaks that can arise from unsecured connections.

If you'd like the fastest, safest, and most secure way to install a gas line, call 1-800-Plumber +Air of Portland! With us, you can schedule a service call that's most convenient for you. If you need us today or tomorrow, you can expect us to be there for you.