Gas Line Services in Tempe, AZ

Who handles what when there's a gas problem in Tempe?

The City of Tempe's new resident directory lists Southwest Gas as the natural gas provider. Southwest Gas responds to leaks and owns the service line and meter. Once the gas passes the meter, the piping inside and around your home is yours to maintain, and that's plumber territory: the branch lines, shutoff valves, appliance connectors and any exterior runs to a pool heater or grill.

For an odor, the order matters. Get out, call 911 and Southwest Gas, and let them make the area safe. The plumber comes in afterward to repair what failed.

Will a gas repair in Tempe need a permit?

Possibly. Tempe's homeowner permit guide requires separate plumbing and mechanical permits where they apply, and it exempts leak repairs only when they don't involve replacing or rearranging valves, pipes or fixtures. Tightening or resealing a joint is one thing; cutting in a new valve or rerouting a line to move a range is another. Permits come from the Development Services permit counter at City Hall on East 5th Street. The plumber can tell you which side of that line your job falls on.

What do older Tempe homes tend to have?

Tempe is one of the Valley's older inner-ring cities, and its median home was built around 1983. The neighborhoods near Mill Avenue and the ASU campus include houses older than that. Expect black iron gas pipe, valves that haven't been turned in decades and appliance connectors that were installed with the first water heater. When a plumber is already on site, checking those connectors and testing the system is a small step that can head off a bigger call later. Rental homes near campus often see appliances swapped more frequently, which is when loose fittings tend to appear.

One more Tempe note

If you're converting to a tankless water heater or adding a gas dryer to a home that was built with a modest gas line, ask the plumber to size the whole system, not just the new branch. Older Tempe houses were often piped for a furnace, a tank heater and a range, and little else.