So what’s a Gas Fitter any way?
To be a licensed gas fitter, a person must have done the appropriate training to complete gas work safely, have passed exams for competency and be registered with the Plumbing Industry Commission. Licensed gas fitters must also have insurance, which gives a six (6) year warranty on the work they perform. If the installation is done by a licensed installer, you can be confident you will not breach your manufacturer’s warranty conditions.
There are about 16,000 plumbers in Victoria, of whom approximately 7,000 are licensed gas fitters. A gas fitter will have their plumbing licence endorsed to prove they are legally allowed to carry out gas fitting work. So be sure to ask to check your plumber’s licence before work commences.
Compliance certificates
After installing a gas appliance, the licensed gas fitter must give you a Compliance Certificate. Your copy of the Compliance Certificate protects you if any problems arise later as a result of a faulty installation. In this case the gas fitter will be required to come back and fix any installation problem. The certificate also protects you for any product warranty issues, as the manufacturer will need verification that their product was installed by a licensed gas fitter. You may be offered a ‘cheap’ job excluding the cost of the Compliance Certificate. This is an offence under the Building Act 1993 because it denies you a guarantee and prevents the work from being audited for compliance and quality.
Play it safe with gas.