How to Install a Natural Gas Grill | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House heating and plumbing expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner install a natural gas line to fire up his backyard barbecue grill.

Time: 3-4 hours

Cost: $2500

Skill Level: Professional

Tools:
Adjustable wrench
Press tool
Drill/driver
Emery cloth
Masonry bit

Shopping List:
Grill with natural gas hook-up
Steel pipe
Steel pipe fittings
Concrete screws
Steel brackets

Steps:
1. This is a dangerous job and should be left to a licensed gas fitter.
2. Turn off the flow of natural gas from the street into the house meter using a pipe wrench.
3. Find a good place to tap into the current natural gas line. Remove the cap on the line using a pipe wrench.
4. Use threaded steel pipe for the small pipe run. Dry fit the connections before applying pipe dope around the threads and making permanent connections.
5. Tighten up the threaded connections using two pipe wrenches and opposing force.
6. Use a press tool to compress an o-ring lined elbow to the current pipe run.
7. Be sure to clean each pipe end to form a strong seal with fittings using an emery cloth or a sanding attachment for a drill/driver.
8. Use a press tool to compress the fittings over the entire run.
9. If attaching the pipe run to the side of the house, use a drill/driver and a masonry bit to make holes in the foundation.
10. Use the drill/driver and concrete screws to attach the pipe run with brackets.
11. Bring pipe run down to where the grill is located.
12. Be sure to include a shut off valve for service.
13. Attach a T-fitting toward the grill.
14. Extend the pipe past the T-fitting to create a drip leg for any rust that could form in the pipe and cap the pipe.
15. Use a quick connect fitting to extend the pipe run to the grill quick connect fitting.
16. Use an adjustable wrench to turn the gas back on at the meter.
17. Use a soap solution to check for potential gas leaks along all of the fitting connections. If there are any leaks, bubbles will appear.

Resources:

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Install a Natural Gas Grill | Ask This Old House

[Nneimp]

There was a huge spider on Richard at 4:04

[Brian-Burke]

If if was my house, I'd have preferred running the line into the basement and back out. I don't like the look of the piping on the exterior wall.

[nastyhvacr]

Black Iron pipe will never rot outside, unprotected. And that drip leg sitting on the ground is perfect for corrosion too. Don’t get me started on the mega press fittings that allow any hack to pretend to be a gas fitter.

[gasmangasssssss]

I love watching this stuff, i'm a gas engineer in the UK and our fittings, pipes, regulations are so different from the USA

[thomasfreer]

I have to say the crimping took for natural gas is nothing short of revolutionary...

[senormoll]

There is something deeply unsatisfying about the fact that they never actually light the grill

[christiand.]

He said the worst words he could have: “That’ll never leak” lol

[gamelover]

The drip pocket was touching the floor. That is so wrong how is one supposed to open it if there is no space underneath it? Also the first fitting he uses is actually illegal to use here in Ontario Canada. Pipes used outside must be painted to protect them against rusting… ayay yay. I’m a student studying and I’m definitely learning a lot by watching these videos. Thanks

[fortunatedad]

Pro press gas fittings?? That's an amazing invention! Beats the old way of threading the pipe. Don't want to think about how expensive the fittings are but I guess in the long run will save alot of time.

[justinmedeiros]

It goes through the regulator first, THEN the meter. Not to mention these few fittings cost way more then all the pipe and hardware combined.

[Mixwell]

The best way to make sure the gas is off and not leaking is to light a match right by the fittings. That's a tip I learned from fire marshall Bill.

[verygoodboy]

They saw the last guy making pancakes on his grill and thought of a better solution lmao

[dziadek]

What about painting the pipes to awoid rust?

[LtMuraida]

Actually had a demonstration in class with a Pro Press Rep. They said it's good practice to tighten each joint twice - at least on water lines.

[markwhitney]

Grill under eave, great! Unstoppable grease fire will level the house long before fittings fail.

[radman]

This new gas fitting system is the Polybutylene of the future!

[scottgiberson]

As soon as they put the new grill it really Show it off how old the house looks

[tucobenedicto]

If those fittings work for gas can it also work for an air system with 80psi, very large system (150 cfm nominal) 24/7 weh have 1/2" 3/4", 2" and 2.5" Galv schedule 40 pipe.

[Dog.soldier]

I’ve used natural gas for my grill for over 15years. The only difference is that the brass orfac Is slightly larger as propane has more BTU. If you grill a lot the payback is a year or so and you never run out of gas

[cup_and_cone]

In 20 years there will be a class action against the manufacturer when o-rings start drying out and leaking.