Check gas lines and gas appliances once a year

Since 2009, homeowners and landlords have been obliged to check their gas installations annually. With the so-called gas house show, you can find out whether the gas systems are still intact. A checklist from the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW) states what needs to be checked.

Living

Checklist for the gas house show as a free download

When tenants receive their utility bill, they will also find the "costs for the annual gas house show". But many do not know what it is about and who is responsible for it. All homeowners and landlords have had to regularly check the gas systems in their buildings for more than ten years. The costs for this are then passed on to the tenants.

What can you do to check gas lines and gas appliances?

Although heating and sanitation companies or chimney sweeps offer the annual gas house inspection for a fee, house owners and landlords can also check all gas installations themselves. The reason: The gas house inspection is only a purely visual inspection of all gas pipes and devices. Special technical knowledge and skills are not required. The main focus here is on the gas pipes and gas appliances themselves.

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InfoA specialist only has to repair them if signs of wear or defects are noticed.

How to check gas lines yourself

First you should check whether the so-called shut-off devices are freely accessible. They are used to interrupt the gas supply in the event of problems or for short-term work on gas systems. There is usually a shut-off valve on the gas meter. Another sits directly on the house connection - where the gas line from outside leads through the house wall. Both must be freely accessible so that they can be closed quickly if gas should ever escape.

You should also check all gas lines for visible signs of wear. Particular attention is paid to the points where the cable runs through ceilings or walls. You should also carefully inspect places where the gas line is laid directly next to or under a cold water line - as well as lines that lead through damp, poorly ventilated rooms.

InfoNothing may be hung up or leaned against gas pipes. In living areas, gas lines often run under a panel. It must have vents. The openings must not be covered with dust.

Avoid the most common causes of fire

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How to check gas appliances yourself

In the case of gas appliances that depend on ambient air, combustion only works with oxygen - and the devices usually pull this out of the air in the installation room. For this reason, special combustion air openings in the doors or walls of the installation room ensure fresh air. These ventilation slots must not be blocked or dirty.

Gas normally burns with a solid blue flame. Yellow parts in the flame indicate that the combustion is not working optimally. Then the specialist is asked to get to the bottom of the problem. Discoloration and traces of soot in or on the gas appliance are also a clear indication that maintenance is overdue - as are unusual noises or smells during operation.

InfoMany gas stoves draw their fuel from a gas socket in the wall. From there, a metal hose carries the gas to the stove. This must not be kinked or twisted and must be at a sufficient distance from the open flames.

Coordinate conversion measures and device installations with a specialist

Energetic renovation measures that seal the building shell more effectively - in particular the installation of new windows and doors - should always be discussed with the chimney sweep or heating installer. Even after the conversion, the air supply to the gas appliances must be ensured.

The same applies if you have devices installed that extract air from the home - for example an extractor hood or a vented tumble dryer.