What Perth Homeowners & Businesses Need to Know
Your gas meter gets swapped out. The ATCO crew packs up, the supply comes back on… and then you smell it. That faint, sulphurous whiff that makes your stomach drop.
Gas leaks after a meter upgrade are more common than most people realise, and understanding why they happen, and who’s responsible for fixing them, could save you a serious headache.
Why a Meter Upgrade Can Trigger a Gas Leak
An ATCO gas meter replacement involves disconnecting and reconnecting your gas supply. It’s a routine job, but it puts stress on whatever pipework sits downstream of the meter, and older systems don’t always handle that well.
What typically causes the problem:
- Aged or brittle pipes that crack when disturbed
- Corroded joints that can no longer hold pressure once the system is cycled
- Worn fittings and regulators that were borderline before, and marginal after
- Latent faults that only surface once the system is pressurised again
Here’s the important thing to understand: in most cases, the upgrade doesn’t create the leak. It reveals one that was already waiting to happen. The meter change is simply the trigger that brings it to the surface.
Signs You May Have a Gas Leak
After any works at your property, keep your senses sharp:
- A rotten egg or sulphur smell near the meter or inside
- A hissing sound from pipework or fittings
- Appliances behaving erratically or not igniting
- A spike in gas usage you can’t explain
- Dead or yellowing vegetation near underground lines outdoors
Warning: If you suspect a gas leak, don’t second-guess it. Turn off the gas at the meter if it’s safe to do so, vacate the area, and contact a licensed gas fitter. Don’t use switches, flames, or anything that could ignite a spark.
Who’s Responsible When a Leak Is Found?
This is the part that catches a lot of people off guard.
ATCO Gas is responsible for the network up to, and including the meter. Everything downstream, from the meter outlet to your appliances, is your responsibility as the property owner.
If a gas leak is detected on your side of the meter, ATCO will isolate the supply and leave it isolated until a licensed gas fitter has repaired and certified the system.
Common post-upgrade leak locations include:
- The meter outlet connection
- Older copper or steel pipe joints
- Regulators and transition fittings
- Underground pipework near the meter
- Appliance isolation valves disturbed during testing
Commercial Properties: The Stakes Are Higher
For homes, a gas leak after a meter upgrade is disruptive. For commercial properties restaurants, hotels, schools, aged care facilities, commercial kitchens, it can be genuinely catastrophic.
Commercial gas systems are larger, more complex, and often older than residential ones. They’ve frequently been modified over the years in ways that aren’t always documented. When the gas supply is cut and restored, any weak point in that system is under pressure, literally and figuratively.
If a leak is detected post-upgrade on a commercial site:
- The supply is shut off immediately
- Kitchens go cold, hot water goes out, operations stop
- Emergency repairs have to happen before anything else
- Reconnection with ATCO requires compliance certification
A busy restaurant or hotel doesn’t have the luxury of waiting days for emergency gas repairs. The cost of downtime, lost trade, and spoiled stock can dwarf the cost of prevention.
The Case for Getting Ahead of It
The smartest thing a commercial operator can do when they receive notification of upcoming ATCO gas meter replacement works is to engage a licensed gas fitter before the upgrade happens.
A pre-upgrade pressure test allows you to:
- Identify any existing leaks under controlled conditions
- Schedule repairs around your operations, not react to an emergency
- Ensure your system meets current compliance standards
- Obtain certification quickly, so reconnection isn’t delayed
This is particularly critical for commercial kitchens that operate on tight margins, accommodation providers with constant hot water demand, and schools or large facilities where a shutdown affects hundreds of people at once.
Gas compliance testing in Perth WA doesn’t have to be reactive. Done proactively, it’s straightforward and affordable. Done in the middle of an emergency, it’s expensive and stressful.
What To Do If Your Gas Has Been Shut Off
If ATCO has already isolated your supply following a leak detection, here’s the process:
- Contact a licensed gas fitter immediately, don’t wait, as reconnection can’t happen without their involvement
- Have the system pressure tested to locate the fault
- Complete all required repairs to bring the installation up to standard
- Obtain a compliance certificate from your gas fitter
- Arrange reconnection with ATCO once certification is in hand
The sooner you start that process, the sooner you’re back online.
Gas Leak Detection & Repairs Across Perth
At Expand Group Plumbing & Gas, we specialise in gas leak detection in Perth WA, ATCO defect rectifications, and commercial gas system testing for properties across the metro area. Whether you’ve received an ATCO defect notice or you’re getting ahead of a scheduled upgrade, we’ll test, repair, and certify your system so reconnection happens as quickly as possible.
We work with homeowners, commercial kitchen operators, hospitality venues, schools, and large facilities, anywhere that gas compliance in Perth matters and downtime isn’t an option.
