Who can alter gas pipes in an HDB flat?

Gas pipe installation: who can do it

Only City Energy or a Licensed Gas Service Worker (LGSW) may install or move gas pipes in an HDB flat. HDB's renovation guidelines say gas pipes may only be altered by City Energy or an LGSW, and that you must not tamper with the gas riser pipe. For any gas pipe, HDB's answer is the same, whether it is a full kitchen renovation or a single HDB gas pipe relocation to move the hob.

City Energy's gas safety tips say gas piping and appliances must be installed only by City Energy or an LGSW, and that EMA keeps the list of LGSWs. EMA's gas safety page also tells you to use only an LGSW for gas installation work and keeps that list on its site, so check the worker's name against it before the job begins.

What HDB does not allow

Hiring the right worker is only half of it. HDB's guidelines for plumbing and gas works also limit where gas pipes and appliances can go:

• Gas pipes must not be embedded in common partition walls.
• Spaces with gas pipes cannot be converted into bedrooms.
• Gas appliances cannot be used in sleeping areas.
• A false ceiling must not enclose gas pipes.

These limits matter most at the design stage. If your plans include hacking a wall, adding a false ceiling or turning a utility space into a bedroom, find out where the gas pipes run first. Share that with your designer and contractor before the drawings are final, because changing a plan on paper is simpler than changing finished work.

HDB also says no HDB permit is needed for these plumbing and gas works, but its technical requirements still apply. No permit does not mean no rules. To check whether other works in your renovation need approval, read our guide to the HDB renovation permit.

Gas water heaters and ovens

HDB says installing a gas water heater or oven must follow City Energy's requirements and be done by an LGSW. Installing one outdoors needs HDB's approval. City Energy's safety tips also say gas appliances must be installed only by City Energy or an LGSW, so confirm who will install the appliance before you pay for it.

Before you choose a model, ask the LGSW where it would go and whether the existing gas point can serve it. If the gas point has to move, that is pipe work, and the rules in the sections above apply in full.

If you are still deciding between gas and electric hot water, our comparison of a gas or electric water heater sets the two side by side. The cost of either depends on the job, so ask each installer for a written quote that lists what is included.

Before and after renovation

City Energy's gas safety tips cover three points in the life of your flat's gas installation:

• Before renovation, arrange a temporary termination of the gas supply.
• When you take over supply from a previous occupant, have the installation inspected.
• Every five years, have your gas pipes and appliances checked by an LGSW.

Once the work is finished, the gas has to be turned on again. EMA says gas turn-on is done only by City Energy or its appointed agents, so it is not a job for your contractor. Add both the termination and the turn-on to your pre-renovation checklist so they are planned alongside the other trades.

If you smell gas

City Energy gives these steps if you smell gas:

• Shut the gas meter valve.
• Do not operate electrical switches. Leave them as they are.
• Open windows and doors.
• Put out naked flames.
• Call City Energy's 24-hour Gas Leak hotline at 1800 752 1800 from a safe distance.

Keep the hotline number somewhere easy to find, such as on the fridge or saved in your phone, so anyone at home can reach it quickly. For a fuller walk-through, see our guide on what to do in a gas leak.

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