Going all electric and dropping the gas connection

Plenty of houses we work in around Kyneton, Creswick and Castlemaine still have gas doing three jobs: heating, hot water and the cooktop. Swapping one of them for an electric appliance helps. But the gas bill has a part that doesn't care how little you use, and it only goes away when the last gas appliance does.

The charge that doesn't shrink

A gas account carries a daily supply charge on top of the gas you use. A home that is connected keeps paying it even in a month when the meter barely moves, so cutting your gas use right down doesn't bring that line to zero.

The Victorian Government's guidance on disconnecting from gas says that once the gas is disconnected, you no longer pay the daily supply charge. That charge covers network upkeep and meter reading, and your retailer collects it on behalf of the gas distributor. If a retailer keeps billing it after you have disconnected, the government points you to the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria.

So there are really two decisions. One is which appliances to replace. The other is when to finish the job and close the connection, because that is when the daily charge stops.

The order we'd do it in

There is no rule that says it must be done all at once. Plenty of people do it in stages, as appliances wear out or budgets allow. If you are planning it, this is the order that usually makes sense.

1. Heating first. Sustainability Victoria puts heating at the biggest share of energy costs in the average Victorian home, ahead of hot water. With winters as long as ours, it is the change most likely to make a real dent in the bill. A reverse cycle split system or ducted system replaces gas heaters and gives you cooling as well. We set out Sustainability Victoria's running cost figures in reverse cycle heating costs less to run than gas.
2. Hot water next. Sustainability Victoria has hot water as the second biggest share of household energy costs. A heat pump hot water system takes its place, and if you have solar it can be timed to run in the middle of the day. Our piece on heat pump hot water off your solar covers that.
3. The cooktop last. Most people find it the easiest gas appliance to live with for a while longer. Once it is the only one left, it is the only thing keeping the connection open, and replacing it is what lets you close it.

Going in this order means the biggest running cost changes come early, and the last step is the one that stops the daily charge.

Disconnection or abolishment

When the last gas appliance is gone there are two ways to finish, and the difference matters.

Disconnection is temporary. Multinet Gas Networks describes it as the temporary closing of a connection, with the gas shut off, typically at the meter. The service pipe stays in place and there is still live gas inside the property boundary. It can be reversed later, for a fee.

Abolishment is permanent. The service line is cut and capped, usually in the street at the gas main, so there is no live gas left inside your property line. Retailers describe it as something that can't be reversed. If you wanted gas again later, you would be starting from a new connection.

A few practical points:

• If you have an active gas account, you arrange either one through your gas retailer, who passes it to the distributor that does the physical work.
• Fees apply to both and depend on the work involved. Ask your retailer for an itemised breakdown of the distributor charge and any retailer fees before you agree to anything.
• Multinet says it aims to finish requests within 20 business days of receiving the documents and payment. Allow some time.
• Don't try to remove or plug a meter yourself.

Making the old appliances safe

Each gas appliance you take out has to be disconnected and the gas line made safe by a licensed gasfitter. When we install a reverse cycle system or heat pump hot water in place of a gas appliance, we talk through who is doing that part, so the old heater isn't left sitting on a live line.

Discounts along the way

The Victorian Energy Upgrades program offers discounts on some of these swaps, including replacing gas heating with an eligible reverse cycle system and replacing a gas hot water system with an eligible heat pump. The discount is applied by an accredited provider, and there are conditions on what qualifies. We explain it in the VEU discount for replacing gas heating, and you are welcome to ask us if your job is likely to qualify.

New homes are a separate subject with their own rules, which we cover in Victoria's gas rules for new homes and renovations.

If you are planning a move off gas and want to start with the heating, get in touch or call 0417 734 206. We'll measure up and quote it before anything is ordered.