How to Replace a Gas Stove with an Electric One: 6 Expert Tips

Many find electric stoves more convenient and safer than gas stoves because they do not require working with open flames. Additionally, only a kitchen with an electric stove can be combined with the living room. However, replacing a household appliance will require following technical specifications and a complex approval process. All details are explained by expert Maxim Dzhurayev, who specializes in re-planning.

1. When to Replace the Stove

You should replace a gas stove with an electric one if you plan to combine the kitchen with the living room. Moreover, modern electric stoves offer far more functionality than standard gas models. Therefore, experienced cooks prefer them. However, adhering to all technical rules requires extensive renovation. Thus, you shouldn't expect a simple replacement of a gas stove with an electric one on a completed kitchen with finished renovation.

Expert Tip: To combine the kitchen with the living room, there should be no gas pipe in the apartment; it must be fully removed from the flat. This is not always possible, as most apartments have vertical gas risers. In such cases, you may have to abandon the idea of combining the kitchen with the living room.

Design: Margarita Rasskazova.

2. Check the Electrical Network Power

Typically, an electric stove requires 8–10 kW of power, while the network capacity in apartments with gas equipment in older buildings does not exceed 5 kW. Therefore, to install high-power equipment, you need to check with the property management company if it's possible to increase network load. If so, you will need to prepare a project for the new electrical installation and documents to the property management and power grid company.

Expert Tip: If increasing the network load isn't possible, a new power cable might need to be laid. The wiring will have to be replaced at your own expense.

Design: Tatyana Kazantseva.

3. Coordinate the Removal of the Gas Stove

While preparing the project for the new electrical installation, you can start planning the apartment re-planning. This is done in any organization with an SRO permit for design and coordinated with OAO “MOSGAS”. Then, coordination must be done with the Moscow Housing Inspection and a permit for re-planning must be obtained.

Expert Tip: In practice, if the stove is the only gas appliance in the apartment, it may be necessary to remove all gas equipment in the flat, including transit pipes. Therefore, replacing a gas stove with an electric one might be required for all apartment owners in the riser, which not everyone is ready to do.

Design: Belyakova & Karayani.

4. Prepare Documents for the New Electrical Installation

If a new power cable and electrical wiring need to be laid, an act of boundary demarcation of ownership and operational responsibility must be drawn up. It should be done by the property management company and the power grid company.

Expert Tip: Don’t forget to obtain an act of approval for the new electrical installation from the regional office of Rostekhnadzor.

Design: Julia Kalemie.

5. Remove the Old and Install the New Stove

Only OAO “MOSGAS” is authorized to remove the gas stove and disconnect the apartment from gas supply. Then, a commission from Moscow Housing Inspection arrives, and only after that it issues an act of completed reconfiguration.

Expert Tip: If you want to pay less for electricity, you’ll need to submit relevant documents to “Mosenergosbyt”. Tariffs for apartments with electric stoves are usually 70% lower than those for homes with gas stoves.

Design: Arthur Minakov, Julia Fedotova.

6. What Happens If You Don’t Coordinate the Stove Replacement

Theoretically, you can simply shut off the gas valve and connect an electric stove without any approval. However, this is at least dangerous because the electrical wiring may not withstand the increased load, and the valve might leak gas. Additionally, you will have to pay for both gas and electricity at regular rates, which is not economical. Furthermore, the law provides penalties for unauthorized equipment connection in apartments.

Expert Tip: The fine for uncoordinated re-planning ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 rubles. If a fire or explosion of domestic gas occurs due to your actions, criminal liability may apply. Moreover, selling an apartment with uncoordinated re-planning is extremely difficult.

Design: Julia Veselova.

Read Also:

• How to Reduce Utility Payments After Re-planning?
  
• 5 Things You Can Change in the Kitchen Layout
  
• How to Coordinate Re-planning: Step-by-Step Guide