Preparing And Disconnecting A Gas Stove For A Move

Moving from one house to another is quite hard, even if you have hired movers to do all of the heavy lifting for you. You will need to make sure that all of your items are ready for the moving crew, and this includes all of your appliances. If you have a gas stove that need to be disconnected and prepared, then keep reading to learn what you need to do before your stove is ready to be hauled off.

Move Out The Stove

One thing you will need to do to get your stove ready is to move the appliance out from the back wall. Before you do this, buy a large piece of plywood, masonite, or particle board that matches the width and depth of your stove. This piece of wood will prevent the kitchen floor from being scratched. Place the wood in front of the stove and try to gently lift the stove up off the floor. If the stove does not tip, then it likely has a device called an anti slip bracket attached to it. This is a safety device screwed into the wall. The feet or lower edge of the stove slides into the bracket to hold the stove in place if pressure is placed on the door or front of the appliance. 

Slide your stove a few inches out from the wall and look behind it for a metal bracket attached to the wall. If you see one, continue sliding the stove until the edge of the appliance is free from the bracket. Tip the stove onto its back legs and push the wood piece underneath. Pull up the back part of the stove and slide the flat wood underneath the rest of the way. Use the wood plank to slide the stove several feet away from the wall until you can clearly see the natural gas connection.

A typical gas stove will be plugged into a nearby socket. This provides the stove with the electricity it needs for its electric start mechanism. Most stoves have electric starts to eliminate the need for a pilot light that wastes fuel. Look for the cord that connects the stove to its electrical source and unplug it. The cord will not be a 220 volt variety like one on an electric stove. It will be a 110 volt one that can be easily pulled out of the socket so you will not need any extra tools to release the plug. 

Disconnect The Gas

Once the stove is unplugged, you can disconnect the natural gas line. Look for a long and flexible piece of metal tubing that connects the stove to the gas outlet. This outlet will typically be seen coming out of the floor near the stove. Find the gas shutoff valve on the outlet pipe. The shutoff will typically be a ball valve type with a small handle lever on top. Turn the lever so it sits perpendicular to the gas line. This will cut the gas off to the stove. 

If you do not immediately see the shutoff for the natural gas, then follow the gas line to the basement and look for the closest shutoff valve to the kitchen. If you do not see a shutoff, then look for one of the main valves that attach to the gas line just above or underneath the gas meter. The one underneath the meter is called the house-side shutoff and can be turned to stop the flow of gas. 

After the gas has been turned off, use a wrench to release the connector of the flexible tubing that connects your stove to the gas. Keep the piping connected to your stove so the appliance can be installed inside your new home. Once the gas is disconnected, you can pull the stove out further into your kitchen with the help of your wooden plank. 

If you have trouble following the above instructions, a moving company can prepare and disconnect your stove and other appliances for you.