Gas-Fuel — System Brief

The Gas-Fuel system covers every gas energy source entering or stored at your home: the natural-gas piping from FortisBC’s meter to each appliance, the meter and its manual shutoff valve, and portable propane cylinders. The single most important thing to get right across this entire system: when in doubt, leave first and call from outside — never investigate or operate any switch when you suspect a gas leak. Every other rule in this system exists downstream of that one.

The rules that matter most (system-wide tripwires)

• Smell gas → evacuate immediately. No switches, no phone inside, no investigation. Call FortisBC 1-800-663-9911 or 911 from outside. This applies to both natural gas (rotten-egg smell, lighter than air, rises) and propane (same smell, heavier than air, pools at floor level). → gas-lines (Home Systems), gas-meter-shutoff (Home Systems), propane (Home Systems)

• If you shut off the gas at the meter → do NOT turn it back on yourself. Only FortisBC or a TSBC-licensed gas contractor may restore gas and relight pilots. Restoring gas to an unknown system risks filling a space with unburned gas before an appliance ignites it. → gas-meter-shutoff (Home Systems)

• No gas-line work is ever DIY in BC. All work on gas piping, valves, and appliance connections requires a licensed gas fitter + a Technical Safety BC (TSBC) gas permit — no exception for detached or strata owners. → gas-lines (Home Systems)

• Strata owners cannot pull a homeowner gas permit. TSBC explicitly excludes strata owners. Your licensed gas fitter pulls the permit on your behalf. → gas-lines (Home Systems), gas-meter-shutoff (Home Systems), propane (Home Systems)

• After any significant earthquake → call FortisBC before using gas appliances, even with no smell. Line integrity must be confirmed; FortisBC sends technicians. → gas-meter-shutoff (Home Systems)

• Propane cylinder over 10 years from the collar stamp → cannot legally be refilled. Recertify ($70–$95 at Propane Depot, Burnaby) or exchange it. Expired cylinders have untested pressure-relief valves — the last line of defence against tank rupture. → propane (Home Systems)

• CSST (flexible yellow gas tubing) must be electrically bonded. Unbonded CSST + lightning strike can perforate the tubing inside a wall. Bonding requires a licensed electrician in addition to the gas fitter. If you don’t know your home’s CSST bonding status, ask at the next service call. → gas-lines (Home Systems)

• Strata: check bylaws before connecting a propane BBQ on your balcony. BC Fire Code prohibits propane storage inside a building or on an enclosed balcony. Your strata may ban propane BBQs outright — many Metro Vancouver buildings do. → propane (Home Systems)

Component-by-component

Component	The one thing to watch	Owner vs pro
gas-lines (Home Systems)	Recognize the five warning signs (rotten-egg smell, hissing, dead vegetation patches, unexplained bill spike, corroded iron joints) — your job is recognition only; all physical work is pro	Recognition only. Call FortisBC (emergency) or a TSBC-licensed gas fitter (non-emergency). No owner repair, ever.
gas-meter-shutoff (Home Systems)	Know where the meter is, keep a wrench nearby, and never restore gas yourself after any shutoff	One owner action: quarter-turn valve perpendicular = off. Everything else (valve service, seismic valve install, gas restoration) is FortisBC or a licensed contractor.
propane (Home Systems)	Portable cylinders (BBQ, patio heater) — check the 10-year collar stamp, replace hose + regulator every 5–7 years, store upright outdoors only, never in a garage or enclosed balcony	Most upkeep is owner-doable (inspection, soapy-water leak test, cylinder exchange, hose replacement). Any fixed propane piping or tank installation is licensed gas fitter work.

Recurring upkeep at a glance

• Immediately (any time): gas or propane smell → emergency protocol. After any earthquake → call FortisBC before using appliances.
• Annually (fall, before heating season): book gas appliance servicing with a TSBC-licensed gas fitter; ask them to inspect all visible piping and flexible connectors and confirm CSST bonding status.
• Annually (spring): outdoor visual walk of any underground gas line run — check for dead vegetation patches along the run.
• Annually: 2-minute visual check of gas meter — confirm accessible, no corrosion, wrench in place.
• Before each season (propane): pre-season inspection of cylinder, hose, and regulator; soapy-water leak test on all connections.
• Every 5–7 years: replace propane hose and regulator assembly regardless of appearance.
• Every 10 years: recertify or exchange propane cylinders (check the collar stamp — a legal requirement).
• On move-in (one-time): locate gas meter and shutoff valve, photograph it, brief all household members, keep wrench within reach; install combination CO + natural gas detectors near appliance areas; confirm CSST bonding status at first service call; check strata bylaws for propane BBQ restrictions.
• Before any digging near gas piping: call BC One Call (1-800-474-6886) — required before any excavation.

→ Maintenance Calendar (Home Systems)

Biggest-cost / irreversible decisions

Decision	When it comes up	Cost range (Metro Vancouver, indicative)	Routing
New gas line run to one appliance (stove, dryer, BBQ hookup)	Adding an appliance or relocating one	$800–$2,500 (Standard tier)	Log it; reversible below $800;above$500 and moderately complex → The Decision Lifecycle
Whole-branch or partial home re-pipe (corroded iron piping)	Older home, aging iron joints flagged at service call	$2,500–$8,000+	Irreversible + high-cost → full The Decision Lifecycle treatment
Seismic auto-shutoff valve installation	Proactive install or post-earthquake upgrade	$350–$1,200 installed	Often below $500 threshold; above it or complex site → log the decision
Fixed propane tank installation	Whole-home propane heat or generator	$1,500–$5,000+ (US-derived, get BC quote)	Irreversible + high-cost → full The Decision Lifecycle

→ All significant gas work costs feed finance-replacement-reserves (Home Systems)

Strata vs detached

Item	Strata	Detached
Gas service line to meter	FortisBC (both)	FortisBC (both)
Gas meter	FortisBC property (both)	FortisBC property (both)
Meter room / meter bank access	Common property — strata corporation keeps it clear	Owner-maintained exterior wall location
Building gas mains, risers, common-area piping	Common property — strata corporation’s responsibility under SPA s.72	N/A
In-unit appliance connections, flexible connectors, branch shut-off	Owner scope (Standard Bylaw 2)	Owner scope
Gas permits	Cannot use homeowner permit — contractor must pull it	Homeowner gas permit available for detached owner-occupiers; contractor still strongly preferred
Propane on balcony	Must check registered bylaws before first use — many buildings prohibit it	Owner’s choice within BC Fire Code setback rules; no bylaw restriction
Strata approval before gas work	Standard Bylaw 8 — may need council approval if work touches common property	N/A
CSST bonding in common-area runs	Coordinate with strata — a licensed electrician must bond any run passing through common property	Owner coordinates with electrician and gas fitter directly

What this brief is NOT

This brief is a one-screen rollup — it surfaces the highest-stakes rules, the recurring upkeep rhythm, and the key cost decisions. It is not a substitute for the component notes, which contain:

• The full mechanism explanations and warning-sign discrimination tables
• Step-by-step maintenance SOPs (leak test, emergency shutoff procedure, cylinder inspection, annual meter visual)
• Triangulated pricing with per-tier source footnotes
• Strata legal citations (SPA provisions, Standard Bylaw references)
• Hiring checklists and work-verification checklists
• Named-resource cards (FortisBC emergency, vendor-roster, propane supplier)

For the full detail, open each component note directly, or return to the system index: Gas-Fuel (Home Systems).

For the full KB: Home Systems KB MOC.