Do I have to replace my gas heater in Victoria?
What Victoria's 2027 gas rules mean for a Traralgon owner-occupier, a rental, a new build and gas hot water, and when an existing gas heater can stay.
If you own and live in an existing home in Traralgon, no: Energy Victoria says there is no requirement to replace existing gas space heating, and you can keep using, maintaining and repairing it. The replacement rule from 1 March 2027 is for rental homes, where a heater that breaks and cannot be repaired must be replaced with an efficient reverse cycle air conditioner in the main living area. New homes and knock-down rebuilds face a separate rule about gas connections from 1 January 2027.
Why do so many people think every gas heater has to go?
The rules arriving in 2027 cover several different situations, and they often get reported together. Headlines about failed gas heaters needing replacement from 1 March 2027 are describing the rental standards. Read on its own, that sounds like a rule for every home, and it is not. An owner-occupier whose ducted gas furnace or gas wall heater breaks down in winter can have it repaired, or replace it with another gas heater, as long as the work is done by a properly licensed gasfitter.
What applies in each situation?
| Your situation | Do you have to replace a gas heater? | Where the rule comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-occupier, existing home | No. Existing gas heating can be used, maintained and repaired, and the home can stay connected to gas | Energy Victoria, existing residential buildings |
| Rental home | Yes, once a space heater breaks and cannot be repaired after 1 March 2027; some low-rated heaters already fall short of the current standard | Energy Victoria and Consumer Affairs Victoria, under the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 |
| New home or full knock-down rebuild | No gas connection from 1 January 2027, except in specific circumstances | Energy Victoria, under the Building Regulations 2018 |
| Gas hot water in an existing home | A new gas hot water system cannot be installed from 1 March 2027; a failed one must be replaced with an electric alternative | Energy Victoria, under the Plumbing Regulations 2018 |
| Extension or renovation of an existing home | No. Gas supply can be extended to serve new parts of an existing building | Energy Victoria, existing residential buildings |
The overview of all the changes is on Energy Victoria’s electrification and efficiency standards page, which names the regulations each rule sits under.
I own my home. What are my options when the gas heater fails?
You have three choices, and the law does not push you toward any one of them:
- Repair it. A gasfitter registered or licensed in Type A appliance servicing can diagnose and fix a gas space heater or central heater.
- Replace gas with gas. You can install a new gas heater in an existing home. If you are looking at an open-flued space heater, note the sales ban explained below.
- Switch to electric. A reverse cycle split system or ducted reverse cycle system replaces the gas heater and adds cooling. A Victorian Energy Upgrades discount may apply when an accredited provider does the job.
Which makes sense depends on the age and condition of the heater, whether you want cooling as well, how long you plan to stay in the house and what the quotes say. The gas to electric heating page covers what a switch involves, and you can get quotes for both repair and replacement to compare them side by side.
I rent out a property. What does the 2027 rule require?
Energy Victoria’s heating and cooling discounts page puts it plainly: when a space heater in a rental home breaks and cannot be repaired after 1 March 2027, it must be replaced with an efficient reverse cycle air conditioner with an outlet in the main living area. Gas ducted heating is treated the same way when it permanently fails. There are separate rules for cooling at a new lease, for LPG and wood heaters, and for heaters with a low star rating that already fall short today. All of them are set out in the rental heating checklist for Traralgon landlords, so they are not repeated here.
If you rent and your heater has failed, tell your rental provider in writing. A failure of a supplied heating appliance is listed as an urgent repair.
I am building a new house. Can I connect gas?
From 1 January 2027, new residential and commercial buildings, including full knock-down rebuilds, cannot be connected to gas except in specific circumstances. Energy Victoria says this includes new detached buildings on the same block, such as sheds and small second homes. If you are planning a build in one of Traralgon’s newer estates, plan for electric heating, cooling, hot water and cooking from the start, and talk to your builder about which circumstances might be exceptions.
What about my gas hot water system?
This is the one rule that does reach owner-occupied existing homes. From 1 March 2027, a gas hot water system cannot be installed, and if yours breaks and cannot be repaired, or needs replacing for any other reason, it must be replaced with an electric alternative such as a heat pump or electric-boosted solar. Hot water is outside the scope of this heating and cooling site, but it is worth knowing about if you are planning other work on the house.
Does a gas heater I keep still need safety checks?
Yes. Keeping a gas heater is allowed, but it still needs regular servicing. Keep to a two-year service cycle at most for a gas space heater or central furnace, which is the interval recommended by Energy Safe Victoria and the Building and Plumbing Commission, and use a gasfitter whose licence covers Type A appliance servicing. During the service the gasfitter tests for carbon monoxide spillage and negative pressure.
| Safety point | What it means for you | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Two-yearly service | Book it whether you own or rent; in a rental it is the landlord’s duty | Building and Plumbing Commission carbon monoxide guide |
| Open-flued heater sales ban from 1 August 2022 | Certain open-flued gas space heaters that do not shut down automatically if they spill combustion products can no longer be sold or supplied | Same guide, under the Gas Safety Act 1997 |
| Heaters installed before the ban | The ban does not apply to a heater already installed before 1 August 2022, though it should still be serviced every two years | Same guide |
| Fault that cannot be fixed | If carbon monoxide spillage cannot be fixed because the heater is faulty, the gasfitter must disable it | Same guide |
The gas heater servicing page covers how flue types and negative pressure are checked. If anyone in the house feels dizzy, sick or headachy while a gas heater runs, turn it off, get everyone into fresh air, and call 000 if someone is unwell.
If I do not have to replace it, should I anyway?
That is a money and comfort decision, and nobody can make it for you without seeing the house. Things worth weighing:
- Cooling. A gas heater gives you nothing on a hot day. Bureau of Meteorology averages for Latrobe Valley Airport put the January mean maximum at 26.8 C, and the station has recorded a high of 46.3 C, so cooling is worth pricing at the same time.
- Age and condition. An older heater that needs frequent repairs, or one that has failed a safety test, changes the sums.
- Discounts. Victorian Energy Upgrades discounts apply to approved reverse cycle systems and are largest when a ducted gas heater is removed. They must be arranged before the work, through an accredited provider. The VEU discounts guide covers the process.
- Selling or renting later. If the house may become a rental, an electric heater in the main living area already meets the 2027 heating standard.
Who can give advice on my particular heater?
This site passes enquiries to independent local heating and cooling businesses. They inspect the heater, tell you whether it can be repaired, and quote for whichever path you choose. Ask to see the gasfitter’s licence card, which lists their registered classes on the back.
Next step: what to send to keep, service or replace a heater
When you send an enquiry about your gas heater, include your suburb, whether you own or rent the property, the type of heater (ducted, wall furnace, space heater or LPG), its make, model and rough age, what it is doing wrong or when it was last serviced, and whether you want quotes to repair it, replace it with gas or switch to reverse cycle. Photos of the heater, its compliance plate and the flue outlet on the roof or wall help a gasfitter come prepared.
Frequently asked questions
- Will my gas supply be cut off in 2027?
No. Energy Victoria says buildings already connected to gas can remain connected, and existing gas appliances can continue to be used, maintained and repaired as usual. The 1 January 2027 rule is about connecting new buildings.
- Can I still buy a new gas heater for my own home?
For an existing owner-occupied home, the 2027 rules do not stop you replacing a gas space heater with another gas heater. Certain open-flued gas space heaters without an automatic safety shutdown cannot be sold or supplied, so ask the gasfitter to confirm the model complies.
- My heater is an old open-flued model. Is it now illegal?
No. The 1 August 2022 ban is on selling and supplying certain open-flued heaters. A heater already installed before that date is not affected, but it should be serviced at least every two years and checked for carbon monoxide spillage and negative pressure.
- I am buying a house to rent out. What should I check?
Look at the fixed heater in the main living area: its type, its heating star rating and its age. Under the rental standards a low-rated heater may need upgrading straight away, and others when they fail. Ask for the last gas safety check report from the seller if there is one.
- Does an extension to my home have to be all-electric?
Energy Victoria says gas supply can be increased or extended to serve new parts of an existing building. A new detached building on the same block, such as a small second home, is treated as a new building and cannot be connected to gas from 1 January 2027 except in specific circumstances.