Running and Connecting a Gas Line for Your Dryer
Connecting a gas line for your dryer is a simple task that can easily be carried out on your own. However, unless necessary precautions are taken, the job can prove to be quite costly (much more than hiring a professional) due to harmful effects of gas leakage.
Therefore, a few helpful tips can ensure that safety is guaranteed when working on gas lines.
Step 1: Carefully Choose Location of the Dryer
The location of the dryer should be carefully chosen to be within reach of an electrical circuit, a ventilating duct and a gas supply line. All three are essentials for the dryer, and the location should be such that minimum extensions needs to be made to already existing pipes.
More joints in a gas line increase the chances of a leakage. In addition, make sure that the gas line does not pass near flames or fire. In an event of leakage, this can be catastrophic before you even get the chance to detect the leak.
Furthermore, the gas line should not pass through a location which would be harmed by leaking gas.
Step 2: Turn off Gas Valve
All work on gas lines should only be pursued after assuring that the gas valve is closed. Working with an open gas line can be extremely dangerous. Therefore, proper precaution is required to ensure that a simple carelessness does not lead to a heavy cost later.
Step 3: Use Flexible Pipes
When connecting the gas line to the dryer, flexible pipes should be used for connection. This will later aid in an event where you might have to slightly move the dryer. Connections with steel pipes are more leak-proof but leave the dryer immovable. When choosing flex pipes, you should look for licensed products to ensure the durability of the product.
Step 4: Use Threading Tape
When joining the flexible pipes to the fittings, use threading tape on both the ends of the fitting and the pipe to ensure a leak-proof joint. Then, use a wrench to tighten the joints to safely seal the pipe onto the fitting.
Step 6: Check for Leaks
After the connection has been made, use a mixture of soap and water and apply it on the joints and the pipe. Open the gas valve from behind and check for leaks. In the case of a leak, the mixture would froth at the location of the leak, making detection easier.
After the dryer has been made completely operational, systematic checks should be made to ensure that no leakage has developed over a period of time.
Step 6: Slide the Dryer into Position
Slide the dryer into position after you have ensured that there are no leakages. Once in position, look at the angle of the pipe and the bends in it. Make sure that the pipe is not cramped up so awkwardly that it may affect gas supply or encourage leakage. If the pipe is cramped, you can circle it in loops and tie it to make it occupy less space.
