Piped gas in apartments: how does it work and how does it differ from gas cylinders?

Many new buildings supply gas to each apartment through pipes instead of leaving residents to buy their own cylinders. Piped gas in apartments is convenient because there are no cylinders to exchange, but it comes with its own billing, division of responsibility and stove requirements. This article explains how the system works and compares it with using a gas cylinder in an apartment.

What is an apartment building’s central gas system?

Depending on the development, the gas source may be an LPG tank in the building’s own plant area, or natural gas from a supplier’s pipe network where that infrastructure exists. From the source, the gas passes through pressure-regulating equipment, rises through the service riser to each floor, then enters the apartment through a shut-off valve, a meter and a connecting pipe to the stove. The two gases have different properties, especially when they leak — see LPG vs LNG: how do they differ; ask your building management which one your building uses.

Meters and billing

Each apartment usually has a meter that measures the gas used. Periodically, the operator reads the meter and bills according to the unit price and conversion method set out in the gas supply contract. A few good habits:

• Note the meter reading when you take over the apartment and at each billing period, so you can check your bills.
• Turn off all burners and look at the meter: if the reading still moves, or usage rises unusually, there may be a leak after the meter — tell the operator immediately.

Who is responsible for what?

The exact boundaries are set out in the contract and the building rules, and are usually as follows:

• Building management and the operator: the gas source, the shared risers, floor valves, meters, and maintenance and periodic checks of the shared system.
• Households: everything after the apartment valve, such as the connecting pipe and the stove; keeping the shut-off valve easy to reach; letting technicians in for scheduled checks; not altering the pipework themselves.

Compared with using a gas cylinder in the apartment

Many apartment buildings restrict or prohibit bringing gas cylinders into apartments; whether you may use one depends on the building rules. If it is permitted, place the cylinder according to the principles in where to place a gas cylinder at home. For tabletop hotpot stoves that use mini gas canisters, such as the BG003 portable gas stove, you should also ask building management first. For rented rooms without piped gas, see which gas stove for a rented room.

Choose a stove for the right type of gas

Stoves for LPG and stoves for natural gas differ in their injectors and working pressure. When buying a new stove, choose one for your building’s type of gas and ask the operator to connect and leak test it. Do not convert a stove to another type of gas yourself, and do not add pipe branches yourself.

If you smell gas in your apartment

• Do not switch lights, fans or the cooker hood on or off; do not plug in or unplug anything; do not create any flame.
• Close the apartment’s gas valve if you can reach it safely; open doors and windows for natural ventilation.
• Leave the apartment by the stairs; only once you are somewhere safe, call building management, or the fire service on 114 if the smell is strong or there are signs of fire.

For the characteristics of the smell of gas, see what gas smells like. If you fit a detector, choose one that detects the right type of gas and position it according to the manufacturer’s instructions — see gas leak detectors.

Frequently asked questions

Written by the VietnhatGas technical and sales team — a batch manufacturer of LPG cylinders. This content is for reference; regulations and standards may change, so please check the current texts.