Gas in Tauranga
Firstgas runs the pipes
Bay of Plenty is part of Firstgas's distribution network. A home that fronts onto one of its gas pipes can apply to connect, once it has chosen a retailer, and Firstgas generally wants the meter as close to the boundary as practical.
More gas heating than average
Fixed gas heaters were a main heating type in 11.4% of Tauranga dwellings at the 2023 Census, above the national 9.5%. Heat pumps led, at 75.1%.
Cyclone Gabrielle and Te Puke
In February 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle washed out a stream bank near Te Puke and exposed the two transmission lines carrying gas to the town. Firstgas ran a temporary bypass, then moved the lines away from the stream in 2024 without cutting supply to homes.
Two firms, one connection
Firstgas connects the property and a retailer sells the gas, but neither installs your appliances. Firstgas says plainly that you need a gasfitter, and a certifying gasfitter commissions and certifies the work.
Gas hot water: what a califont changes
A califont, the everyday name for a gas continuous flow water heater, only heats water while a hot tap runs. Rheem says most gas storage heaters can use a home's existing gas pipe, but a continuous flow unit needs a larger pipe from the meter. So a swap from an electric cylinder or gas storage tank often includes new pipework, and it's worth asking about early.
A licensed gasfitter whom the Board accepts as competent may fit a gas water heater and the water pipes to and from it, so one tradie can often do both sides. For Rinnai's INFINITY units, Rinnai notes a warranty claim may be invalid without the gasfitter's registration number and the gas certification number, so keep the paperwork with the manual. Our califonts page compares the options.
Smell gas? Firstgas, then a gasfitter
Leave the area first, and don't use switches, phones or anything that sparks near the smell. If you can get to the meter safely, turn its valve clockwise until the handle sits level with the ground. Then ring Firstgas on 0800 802 332, any time; for a fire, explosion or risk to life, ring 111.
Firstgas looks after its pipes up to the meter. A leak in your own pipework or an appliance is for an authorised gasfitter, and the gas should stay off until they've fixed it. See our gas leaks page.
Paperwork to collect after gas work
- A Gas Safety Certificate, issued no later than 20 working days after the work is connected, by whoever connected it or their supervisor. The issuer keeps a copy for at least 7 years.
- A certificate of compliance for a new installation, or for adding to or altering one. For a like-for-like appliance swap, it's optional.
- A copy of each certificate given to you as the person who contracted the work.
- The gasfitter's name and registration number, which you can check on the PGDB register.
Questions for a Tauranga gasfitter
- Is the pipe from our meter big enough for a califont?
- Can you do the water connections as well as the gas?
- Which certificates will this job produce, and when?
- Who is your certifying supervisor, if you have one?
What we would do
If you're moving to gas hot water, get the gas pipe sized before you choose the unit, since a califont may need a bigger one than you have. Ask the gasfitter to put their name and registration number on the paperwork, and file the certificates with the appliance manual, because a warranty claim or a future buyer may ask for them.