Gas appliance checklist

Walk the house once

Start where the furnace and water heater sit, usually the basement or a utility closet. They're often side by side and share one metal flue. Then check the laundry, the kitchen and the living room. Gas can show up in five places, and most houses have three or four.

For each one, write down what it is, roughly how old it is, and whether it gives you trouble. The age is on the label, usually hidden in the serial number. A photo of the label is enough.

What each one becomes

• Furnace becomes a heat pump. Keep the furnace behind it for the coldest nights, or replace it with an electric air handler. See the heating guide.
• Water heater becomes a heat pump water heater. It pulls heat from the room air, so it needs some open space or a louvered door, and a drain nearby. Most need a 240-volt circuit, and some plug into an ordinary outlet.
• Range becomes induction. Most need a 240-volt circuit and pans a magnet sticks to.
• Dryer becomes a heat pump dryer with no outside vent. Some compact models plug into the outlet your gas dryer uses now. Many others, including most full-size ones, need 240 volts.
• Fireplace gets an electric insert, or the gas line gets capped. People tend to keep this one longest.

Add the panel to the list

Open the electrical panel door and take one photo. The main breaker, usually at the top, shows the amps: 100, 125, 150 or 200 in most Denver houses. It tells the electrician where to start the load calculation.

When you're ready, send photos of the appliance and the panel and we'll reply with a price. Or go back and mark each appliance on the roadmap.