Gas is a brilliant, efficient way to cook, heat water and warm a home — and it’s perfectly safe when it’s installed and maintained properly. The trouble starts when gas work is done by someone unlicensed, or when warning signs get ignored. This is a plain gas safety guide for Gold Coast homeowners, written by a licensed gas fitter.
Why only a licensed gas fitter should touch gas
Gas work is licensed for a reason: a small mistake can have serious consequences. In Queensland, gas fitting must be carried out by a licensed gas fitter — it’s not a legal DIY job, and it’s not something for a general handyman. A licensed gas fitter knows the standards, tests the work properly, and certifies that it’s safe. Our gas work is carried out under gas licence L93775.
Beyond the legal side, an incorrect gas connection can leak, and a poorly installed appliance can produce carbon monoxide — an odourless gas that’s genuinely dangerous. This is the one area of the home where “close enough” is never good enough.
Signs of a gas leak
Know these, because they matter:
- Smell. Natural gas and LPG have a distinctive rotten-egg odour added on purpose so you can detect a leak. If you smell it, take it seriously.
- Sound. A faint hissing near a gas line, fitting or appliance.
- Sight. Dead or dying plants near an outdoor gas line, or dust blowing from a spot in the ground above a buried pipe.
- Symptoms. Unexplained headaches, nausea or dizziness indoors that ease when you go outside can point to a gas or carbon monoxide problem.
What to do if you suspect a gas leak
- Don’t use any naked flames, and don’t turn light switches or electrical appliances on or off — a spark is the risk.
- Open doors and windows to ventilate the area.
- If you can do so safely, turn off the gas at the meter or bottle.
- Get everyone outside into fresh air.
- From a safe distance, call your gas supplier’s emergency line, and call a licensed gas fitter to find and fix the fault. In an emergency, call 000.
Gas safety checks worth doing
Even with no obvious problem, a few habits keep a gas home safe. Have gas appliances serviced periodically by a licensed gas fitter. Watch your burner flames — a healthy flame burns crisp and blue, while a lazy yellow or orange flame can mean incomplete combustion that needs looking at. Keep the area around gas appliances clear and ventilated. And if you’re buying a home with gas, it’s worth having the installation checked.
Installing or moving a gas appliance
Putting in a new gas cooktop, connecting gas hot water, adding a BBQ point or relocating an appliance during a reno all need a licensed gas fitter — to size the supply correctly, connect it to standard, and test and certify the result. Done right, it’s safe and reliable for years. Done wrong, it’s a hazard you can’t see.
Need a licensed gas fitter on the Gold Coast?
Whether it’s a new appliance, a gas leak check, or you’ve just got a question about your setup, don’t take chances with gas. We’re a QBCC-licensed, Burleigh-based team and our gas work is done to code under gas licence L93775. Call us on 0491 904 769 and we’ll make sure it’s safe.