More Auckland homeowners are looking at their gas bills and asking whether it still makes sense to stay connected to the town gas network. Between the fixed daily line charges, rising gas prices, and the availability of efficient electric alternatives, going off gas is becoming a practical option for many households.
But disconnecting isn’t as simple as calling your gas retailer and asking them to turn it off. There are appliances to deal with, compliance requirements to meet, and decisions to make about what replaces your gas systems. This guide walks through the full process so you know what to expect.
Why Are People Disconnecting?
The main driver is cost. Every household connected to the town gas network pays a fixed daily line charge regardless of how much gas they use. For homes where gas only powers the hot water system, or just a hob, that fixed charge can make up a large portion of the total gas bill.
When you combine those line charges with the falling cost of efficient electric alternatives like hot water heat pumps, the numbers start to favour disconnecting, especially for households that don’t use much gas.
Other reasons homeowners are making the switch:
- Simplifying utilities – One less utility provider, one less bill, one less thing to manage.
- Environmental goals – New Zealand’s electricity grid is largely renewable. Switching from gas to electric reduces your household’s carbon footprint.
- Future-proofing – If you’re considering solar panels or a home battery down the track, being fully electric lets you make the most of those investments.
- Selling the property – Some buyers, particularly younger buyers, prefer all-electric homes. Removing gas can be a selling point rather than a drawback.
What Gas Appliances Do You Have?
Before you can disconnect, you need to account for every gas appliance in the home. For most Auckland houses, that means some combination of:
- Hot water – A califont (continuous flow) or gas storage cylinder.
- Cooking – A gas hob or cooktop.
- Heating – A gas fireplace, gas central heating, or gas space heater.
- Other – Less common, but some homes have gas dryers or outdoor gas barbecue points.
Each appliance needs to be either removed, replaced with an electric alternative, or converted to LPG if you want to keep using gas for that specific purpose without the network connection.
The most common setup in Auckland homes is a gas califont for hot water and a gas hob for cooking. If that’s your situation, the process is relatively straightforward.
Your Options, Appliance by Appliance
Hot Water
This is usually the biggest decision. Your main options are:
Hot water heat pump – The most energy-efficient electric option. Uses around a third of the electricity of a traditional electric cylinder. Higher upfront cost, but lower running costs and no gas charges. This is the option most homeowners switching off gas are choosing.
Electric hot water cylinder – A simpler, lower-cost option. Less efficient than a heat pump, but still eliminates gas charges entirely. A good option if budget is tight or the property isn’t suited to a heat pump location.
Instant electric – Electric continuous flow systems exist but are less common in NZ and require significant electrical capacity. Not usually recommended as a primary hot water source for a whole house.
Cooking
Convert your gas hob to LPG – If you love cooking on gas, you don’t have to give it up. A certified gasfitter can convert most gas hobs from natural gas to LPG by swapping the gas jets and installing an LPG bottle and regulator outside the house. You keep the gas cooking experience without the network connection and line charges. The LPG bottle for a hob lasts a long time, as cooking uses relatively little gas compared to hot water.
Replace with induction – Induction cooktops are fast, precise, and increasingly popular. They require compatible cookware (magnetic base) and a dedicated electrical circuit. An electrician handles the installation.
Replace with ceramic or electric – A more budget-friendly electric option. Less responsive than gas or induction, but gets the job done and eliminates gas entirely.
Heating
Gas fireplace – Can be removed and replaced with an electric fireplace, heat pump (air conditioning), or wood burner. If you’re removing the fireplace entirely, the gas line is capped and certified.
Gas central heating – Less common in Auckland, but if you have it, a ducted heat pump system is the usual electric replacement.
Other
Gas dryer points and outdoor barbecue connections are simply disconnected and capped as part of the process.
The Disconnection Process Step by Step
Once you’ve decided what’s going and what’s staying, here’s how the disconnection works:
1. Get Quotes
You’ll likely need two or three trades involved: a certified gasfitter (for all gas removal, conversion, and disconnection work), a heat pump installer (if switching hot water), and potentially an electrician (for new cooktop power or heat pump wiring). Get quotes from each so you have a clear picture of the total cost.
2. Remove or Convert Gas Appliances
The gasfitter removes your gas hot water system, converts or disconnects your hob, and deals with any other gas appliances. Each piece of work is tested and certified individually.
3. Cap the Gas Supply
Once every gas appliance has been removed or converted to LPG, the gasfitter caps the gas line at the meter. This is the point where you’re physically disconnected from the network, though the meter may still be in place.
4. Get Your Compliance Certificates
The gasfitter issues a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and Gas Safety Certificate (GSC) for all work completed. Keep these safe. Your gas retailer will need them, and they’re important for your property records and insurance.
5. Contact Your Gas Retailer
Call your gas retailer to close your account and arrange meter removal. They’ll typically ask for copies of your compliance certificates to confirm the disconnection has been done properly. The retailer may charge a disconnection or meter removal fee, which varies by provider.
6. Done
No more gas bills, no more line charges, no more annual gas account fees. Your home is either fully electric or running a small LPG bottle for the hob.
Common Questions
Can I disconnect from gas but keep my gas hob? Yes. This is one of the most popular options. Your hob gets converted from natural gas to LPG, with a small bottle installed outside the property. You keep cooking on gas without paying the network line charges.
How long does the whole process take? The gas work (appliance removal, hob conversion, line capping) can usually be completed in a single day. The heat pump installation is a separate job, usually another day, coordinated to happen around the same time.
Do I need to tell my gas retailer before I start? You don’t need their permission to have the work done, but it’s good practice to let them know you’re planning to disconnect. They can confirm the process for closing your account and removing the meter.
What if I change my mind later? Reconnecting to the gas network is possible but involves cost. A new gas line would need to be run from the street, a meter installed, and any new gas appliances connected and certified. It’s not a decision to reverse lightly, so make sure you’re comfortable before proceeding.
Is it worth it if I only have a gas hob? It depends on your line charges. If you’re paying a significant monthly fixed charge just to run a single gas hob, converting to LPG or switching to induction will almost certainly save you money. Run the numbers on your specific situation.
Need Help Working Out Your Options?
Every home is different, and the right approach depends on what gas appliances you have, what you want to keep, and what your property setup allows. If you’re thinking about disconnecting from gas in Auckland, we can assess your situation and give you a clear picture of what’s involved and what it will cost.
Citywide Plumbing & Pumps handles all the gas side of the conversion, from appliance removal and hob conversion to gas line capping and compliance certificates.
