What a connector does
Most freestanding gas appliances, such as ranges and dryers, connect to the house piping through a short flexible connector. It lets the appliance be pulled out for cleaning or service without disturbing rigid pipe. Water heaters and some furnaces use connectors too.
Connectors are meant to be flexible, not endlessly bent. Every time a range is slid out and pushed back, the connector flexes at its ends. Over years that movement, along with heat and corrosion, can wear it out.
Signs a connector should be replaced
- It is uncoated brass and looks old or tarnished
- It is kinked, crushed or bent sharply behind the appliance
- The plastic coating is cracked, melted or peeling
- It passes through a wall, floor, cabinet or the appliance housing
- It has been reused after an appliance was moved or replaced
- It is stretched tight or too long and coiled
- There is a faint gas odor when the appliance is pulled out
Old connector versus a proper replacement
Common problems
- Bare brass with no coating
- Reused from a previous appliance
- Sharp kinks or tight bends
- Shutoff valve hidden or seized
What good looks like
- New coated connector rated for the appliance
- Correct length without strain
- Accessible shutoff valve in the same room
- Joints leak-checked after installation
How a connector is usually replaced
- Shut off the appliance valve.The plumber closes the valve serving that appliance, not the whole house, when the valve works.
- Pull the appliance out carefully.Moving it without straining the old connector avoids making a leak worse.
- Install a new connector.A new connector of the correct size and length is fitted with approved fittings. Most makers say connectors should not be reused.
- Leak check and relight.Joints are checked with leak solution or a detector, then the appliance is relit and the flame checked.
When it is more than a connector
Sometimes the connector is fine but the shutoff valve behind it leaks or will not turn, or the gas outlet sits in an awkward spot that forces the connector to bend sharply. In those cases the plumber may recommend replacing the valve or adjusting the stub-out as well. That makes the job a little larger, but it fixes the cause rather than the symptom.
Questions to ask
- Is my current connector a type that should be replaced?
- Is the shutoff valve in good condition and easy to reach?
- Is the connector length right for how far the appliance pulls out?
- Will you leak-check the joints and relight the appliance?
Common questions
Can I reuse the connector with a new appliance?
Most connector manufacturers say no. A new appliance should get a new connector sized for it.
How do I know if mine is uncoated brass?
It will look like bare, dull yellow metal rather than having a plastic or coated finish. If unsure, have a plumber look.
Does replacing a connector need a permit?
Requirements vary. Check with the City of Villa Park, and ask your plumber whether the job needs one.
General information for Villa Park, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.