Low lp pressure to all appliances

There are many questions involving problems with gas regulators. Most any gas fired appliances will have a regulator somewhere in the system to regulate the gas pressure to the appliance. On natural gas the pressure regulator is often outside, but many stoves and ranges still have a pressure regulator at the inlet also.

On LP or Propane appliances there is a pressure regulator at the source but then also at the appliance. On outdoor grills the regulator is the silver round thing at the tank.
They often look like this.




The function of the pressure regulator is to keep the gas pressure even so that the flame does not vary much when the usage is increased or decreased. The regulator does this by using a small spring and diaphragm assembly. The counteracting pressures work to keep the pressure even. The regulator fails when it gets stuck. They are designed intentionally to fail in the safest mode or in a low pressure state rather then a high pressure. Therefore many problems involve not enough gas rather then too much.

On outdoor gas grills the regulator can sometimes get stuck if the tank valve is opened too rapidly. Or it will just become stiff from the outdoor environment. If the regulator is not letting enough gas through, try shutting the valve and then opening it again slowly. This will help sometimes. If that does not help and the valve is sticking, do not try to adjust the regulator. Replace it with a new one. Trying to adjust it could cause serious safety hazards. I have seen some web sites telling people to adjust the regulator by watching the flame…this can be a good way to get yourself and others hurt.

If you have a range, stove, or oven that is not working right because the flame varies as you turn burners on and off or when the oven goes on, then the regulator is at fault. Once again, do not try to adjust this to make it work, replace it and get it adjusted with the proper instruments to make sure that the gas pressure is right for the appliance.

Pressure regulators come in many shapes and sizes. They can look like any one of these here.


Gas appliances work at extremely low gas pressure. Natural gas appliances often run at 4” Water Column. Lp or Propane at around 10” WC. That means that the pressure of the gas will only raise the water in a tube 4” or 10 “. That is NOT much pressure and you can get that much by gently blowing in a tube.

So, if you are having trouble with not getting enough heat or the flame running very low, the pressure regulator should be one of the first places that you look.