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ctkathy

Bluestar gas leak

ctkathy
15 years ago

My Bluestar which was installed October 2007 has a gas leak. The odor was getting pretty strong, so I called for repair who told me they couldn't come for 3 days. Since I didn't think it was a great idea to leave it that long I called the gas company and had them come out; they proved I did have a gas leak and turned off the gas to the range. When the appliance repair person came he determined the regulator was leaking (this is not a small leak).

Painter Prizer sent the part and the repairman came to replace it and said everything tested ok. Gas man came today to test the pressure and determined I still have a gas leak.

Has anyone had a pesky gas leak that is hard to locate and fix? How did this resolve? I have emailed my dealer and Painter Prizer requesting a replacement range. My husband and I are moving overseas sometime this summer for a couple of years and I don't like leaving this range alone with a potential leak even if they say it is fixed.

Comments (10)

  • divamuffinzappa
    15 years ago

    im sure they will get you fixed up, i dealt with Matt @ Bluestar before and he was wonderful to work with...thats a little hasty asking for a new range, just give them a little more time. they will get you fixed up.

  • ctkathy
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well, diva, since we are moving to London in July and this one repair has dragged on for nearly four weeks now and is still unresolved, I cannot see how it would be conducive to our health or home to leave a range with a gas leak since we won't be home to watch it.

    I'm hoping the next chance to repair will be successful, but it is difficult to trust this particular stove.

  • thull
    15 years ago

    Hopefully (and by code) you have a cutoff valve for the gas behind the range. Probably ought to make use of it.

  • weissman
    15 years ago

    Is your house going to be occupied while you're away? If so, you should make every effort to get the leak fixed. If it's going to empty and you're not confident of the fix, then I would definitely use the cutoff valve to keep the gas off while you're away.

  • ctkathy
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    My house will not be occupied while I'm away. I shouldn't have to cope with having a possibly leaky gas range which is why I suggested they look into a replacement.

  • weissman
    15 years ago

    You should definitely get them to fix it while it's still under warranty. Is there any way you can get the gas company guy there while the repair person is there so that he can confirm that it's fixed?

  • cpovey
    15 years ago

    I used to deal with pressurized gasses a lot: Oxygen, Hydrogen (not fun), LP, etc. Gas leaks can be difficult. Methane molecules are very small and can leak through very tiny cracks, pinhole openings, etc. However, having one failed repair attempt does not entitle you to a new range.

    I would talk to PP and explain your situation. Ask them to ship you a new regulator and all associated parts that could be causing the leak, and that you will return to them via Fedex all unused parts.

    Your house will be unoccupied while you are gone? Simple-turn off the gas. This is a good idea anyway. I do it every year when we go on vacation. Unless you need a gas heat system to operate to prevent pipes freezing, tun off the gas to the whole house. If you do need a gas heater to be on, turn off all other gas appliances-water heater, dryer, range, etc. Gas can leak at any time from any place in the gas system. And even if you fear pipes freezing, just turn off the water as well, open the lowest faucet you have to allow for expansion, then turn off the gas.

    You should consider installing a gas detector if someone will be in and out of you house occasionally. If on LP, install it low to the floor. If natural gas, install it high. Have them replace the battery regularly.

    Particularly when unused, water vapor in the gas (there is always a tiny amount) WILL collect in low spots and WILL rust out gas pipes, which are almost always iron.

    PS Enjoy London, the greatest city in the world, IMO. I am so jealous!

  • doubleshot
    15 years ago

    We installed our range in Dec 2007 - I can relate to cooking with a $30 electric skillet on top of my 36" BS as we resolved the gas leaks. DH told Matt that we were probably the only people who had such expensive "table" for our skillet:) By the time we got the last leak fixed, I had graduated to a supentown induction hob...

    It has been maybe 2 weeks since our last fix, and so far no problems. I've posted elsewhere about the leaks.

    Our problem was more the repair guy than BS (who was always prompt in authorizing service). The repair guy is nice, and knowledgable to an extent, but not esp. careful/is lazy re repairs (not just BS, but also for our range hood repair).

    An example - the repair guy's sniffer was STILL alerting to a leak after he repaired a valve (front row burner), but the guy wouldn't continue looking for the source of the smell. So I again shut off the BS the next day due to the smell, and got another authorization, and surprise, the guy had indeed left us with a back row burner still leaking. In fact, he found it immediately, so there was no reason or difficulty to explain why we had to have him out once more (maybe he gets big $$ for driving this far, honestly, I can't figure it out).

    What I have observed with mine is that if the guy fixes the leak, it stays fixed. If the fix is shoddy or if they don't try as hard to find all the sources of the leaks, like with our guy, then then it might take a couple of times to resolve. This stove is just not that tricky to repair. We however live on the edge of nowhere - there is pretty much only one guy who will come to our really remote mountain top location, and he drives HOURS one way to get here.

    We have another home quite a distance away, and I shut off the gas appliances here when we are away (unless we were to leave in the winter, and needed the gas furnace as a backup). I don't trust gas all that much, just a quirk of mine, and turning it off lessens the chance that something might go horribly wrong. But I wouldn't leave a range that needed fixing with the gas turned off; I'd make sure it was repaired first obviously.

    I too am envious of your London stay. Back before we were retired, we traveled to London twice a year, every year, to do business. I miss it so very much; probably would seem much different to us now. Don't know if a person ever can go back to a place of which they have old fond memories. Hope you make some great ones yourselves, have a wonderful time.

  • lolas
    15 years ago

    i had a long pesky gas leak on 36" range top and after 2 years and 3 regulators it was finally diagnosed by propane company that 3 valve stems (brass piece that knob attaches to)were defective adn pouring propane. I got the pieces from PP adn had them installed by an appliance repair person. it was a long haul and not handled well by PP (I got the bloodgood treatment) but is fixed now. hope this helps.