A new gas range is one of the easier kitchen upgrades, as long as the kitchen is ready for it. Most delivery crews will connect a gas range to an existing, working shutoff valve and level it, but many will not fix problems they find behind the old one. When the valve is seized, the connector is too short or the outlet is missing, the new range ends up sitting in the middle of the kitchen until someone else comes back.
Here is what to check in the days before delivery, in roughly the order an installer looks at it.
1. Measure the path, not just the opening
The route to the kitchen is often tighter than the kitchen itself: an enclosed front porch with a second door, a split-level's half flight of stairs, a narrow townhouse hallway, or a garden apartment reached up a shared stairwell. Before delivery:
- •Measure the narrowest doorway and hallway the range must pass through, with doors and storm doors open.
- •Note tight turns, steps up into the kitchen and any railings.
- •Clear the path of rugs, furniture and anything fragile.
The range's spec sheet lists its width, depth and height, plus its depth with the door and handles. Compare those numbers to your narrowest point. Removing a door from its hinges can buy an inch or two.
2. Measure the opening
Standard freestanding and slide-in ranges are made to fit a common cabinet opening width, but "standard" has some variation, and older kitchens can be out of square. Measure the opening width at the floor and at counter height, the depth to the wall, and the height to the countertop. Slide-in ranges have their own cutout requirements, which differ from freestanding models, so read the installation guide for the exact model.
If the range is going into a tight galley kitchen, overhead and side clearances matter too. Our guide on range clearance to cabinets covers that.
3. Find and test the gas shutoff valve
Pull the old range out, or look behind it with a flashlight.
- •There should be a manual shutoff valve on the gas supply, accessible behind the range or in an adjacent cabinet. Installation guides call for one. Many guides also show where it may sit so it does not interfere with the range sliding back.
- •Check that the handle turns. Old valves can be stiff or seized. Do not force a stuck valve. If it will not move, or if there is no valve at all, a licensed plumber needs to replace or install one before delivery.
- •Look at the pipe. Corrosion or a valve that weeps gas needs a plumber. If you smell gas at any time, leave the house and call your gas utility's emergency line or 911 from outside.
4. Plan for a new connector
The flexible connector between the valve and the range should be new. Connectors are not meant to be reused after being bent and moved, and an old one may be the wrong length for the new range's inlet location. Many retailers include one with installation; ask. It should be a connector listed for gas appliances and long enough that the range can sit flush against the wall without the connector being stretched or kinked.
After connection, every fitting should be leak-tested with a leak detection solution. Never use a flame.
5. Confirm the outlet
Nearly every modern gas range uses electricity for its igniters, clock, oven light and controls. It needs a grounded 120-volt outlet behind the range, usually in the recessed area at the back so the plug does not keep the range from sliding in. Your installation guide will show the recommended outlet location.
If the only outlet is ungrounded, two-prong or on the wrong side, have an electrician fix it before delivery. An old range with a standing pilot may not have needed power, so many older kitchens are missing this outlet entirely.
6. Plan the anti-tip bracket
Every freestanding and slide-in range comes with an anti-tip bracket. It anchors the range to the floor or wall so it cannot tip forward if someone stands on the open oven door or a child climbs it. This is not optional.
- •The bracket screws into the floor or wall at a specific spot. In older kitchens with tile over a thick mortar bed, or a wood floor over joists, drilling may need different fasteners than the ones supplied.
- •Once the range is in, it should engage the bracket. Many manuals describe trying to tip the range forward slightly to confirm it is held.
- •If the old range had a bracket, it may not line up with the new one. Use the bracket that came with the new range.
7. Check the fuel type
Most homes with gas service in the area get natural gas from the local utility (PECO in most of the Pennsylvania suburbs; PSE&G or South Jersey Gas in much of South Jersey), and most ranges ship set up for it. Some outlying homes use propane; if yours does, the range needs a conversion, done by a qualified installer using the manufacturer's kit. Look at the range's rating plate or literature to confirm.
8. Think about ventilation
A new gas range is a good moment to look at the range hood. Gas cooking produces combustion byproducts and moisture as well as cooking smoke and grease, and many kitchens in older homes have a hood that recirculates air rather than venting outdoors. Our articles on range hood mounting height and hood duct problems cover both sides.
Delivery day checklist
| Item | Ready? |
|---|---|
| Path measured and cleared | |
| Opening measured | |
| Gas shutoff valve present and working | |
| New gas connector on hand or included | |
| Grounded outlet in the right spot | |
| Floor or wall surface suitable for anti-tip bracket | |
| Fuel type confirmed | |
| Old range removal arranged |
After installation
Once the range is in:
- Light each burner and check that the flame is mostly blue and even all the way around. Mostly yellow, lifting or noisy flames should be checked.
- Run the oven at a moderate temperature for a while. A faint smell from protective coatings burning off is normal at first; a gas smell is not.
- Check that the range is level so pans and baking turn out even.
- Confirm the anti-tip bracket is engaged.
When to call a technician
If a burner will not light, clicks constantly, lights unevenly, or the oven will not heat, the cause is usually an igniter, a spark module, a burner cap out of position, a dirty orifice or a weak oven igniter. Those are routine repairs. Gas odor, scorching around the range, or a yellow, sooty flame means stop and have it inspected. See our range repair page, and book a visit online.