TSSA Gas Technician 1 (G1) study plan

Build a one-page reference sheet that states the properties of natural gas and propane (relative density, heating value range, ignition temperature range, flammable limits) and explains how each property changes installation and venting decisions.

Map the structure of the Gas Code and the applicable provincial gas regulations well enough to locate a rule on appliance clearance, piping support, or venting within two minutes using only the table of contents and index.

Classify ten common field situations (concealed piping, appliance in a bedroom, garage heater, rooftop unit) as permitted, prohibited, or permitted with conditions, citing the section that governs each.

Explain in writing the difference between the certificate of qualification, the gas contractor licence, and the permit-to-install process, and who is responsible for each on a job.

Calculate required gas supply capacity for a sample dwelling by totalling connected loads, applying the appropriate diversity or sizing method, and comparing the result to the meter and service capacity.

Size a natural gas and a propane run using the applicable tables, showing how length, pressure drop, and specific gravity change the answer, and verify each choice against the table limits.

Select pipe, tubing, and fitting materials and joining methods for five scenarios (buried exterior run, concealed wall run, rooftop termination, appliance connector, propane cylinder connection) and justify each selection.

Write out the pressure-test procedure for a new installation: test medium, test pressure, duration, gauge type, and what must be isolated before testing.

Determine combustion air requirements for a sample mechanical room using both the conventional opening method and the direct-vent or induced-draft allowance, and show where the two approaches diverge.

Classify ten venting configurations as Category I through IV by pressure and temperature characteristics, and state the material and termination rules that follow from each classification.

Lay out a vent system for a mid-efficiency furnace and a power-vented water heater sharing a space, deciding whether common venting is permitted and identifying the failure modes if it is done incorrectly.

Diagnose five described venting defects (negative pressure spillage, blocked flue, short rise, improper slope, missing draft hood clearance) and state the hazard and the corrective action for each.

Explain how a draft hood, draft proving switch, and spill switch each protect against flue gas release, and what test confirms each is working.

Trace a complete wiring diagram for a forced-air furnace from thermostat call through ignition control, gas valve, and blower, naming the function of every terminal and safety interlock.

Explain the ignition sequence and safety timing of a hot surface ignition system and a spark ignition system, including pre-purge, trial for ignition, flame sensing, and lockout behaviour.

Describe how flame rectification proves flame, what conditions cause nuisance lockouts, and how to measure flame sense current with a microammeter.

Identify the role and failure symptoms of the high-limit switch, rollout switch, pressure switch, and flame rollout manual reset, and state the meter setting used to test each.

Interpret five described fault codes or symptoms and rank the three most probable causes for each with a test that confirms or eliminates each cause.

Perform a startup and commissioning checklist on a sample appliance: gas pressure measurement at manifold and supply, clocking the meter to verify input rate, combustion analysis interpretation, and temperature rise check.

Adjust a manifold pressure and an air shutter to bring a sample combustion analysis into acceptable range, and explain how each adjustment shifts oxygen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide readings.

Diagnose five electrical faults described in text (open safety switch, shorted thermostat wire, failed ignition module, grounded flame sensor, intermittent blower relay) using a logical test sequence.

Convert field measurements into reported values: clocked gas input, derated input for altitude, temperature rise, and steady-state efficiency, showing the formula for each.

Write a servicing procedure for a mid-efficiency furnace and a storage water heater covering burner cleaning, heat exchanger inspection, condensate handling, and safety control verification.

List the steps to leak-test and purge a newly installed or repaired gas line, including the nitrogen purge method, and explain why air purging is avoided.

Identify the causes and fixes for five piping and appliance service complaints (low flame, pilot outage, sooting, condensation in vent, water hammer in gas line) and state the instrument used to confirm each diagnosis.

Explain the inspection points required before returning an appliance to service after a gas interruption, and the documentation to leave with the customer.

Solve fifteen timed mixed-topic problems spanning code lookup, combustion air, vent sizing, and ignition sequence, averaging under two minutes per item.

Re-derive from memory the combustion air opening formulas, the vent category definitions, and the ignition timing sequence, and check each against your notes.

Review every item missed in weeks 1 through 6, group the misses by root cause (misread question, missing code knowledge, calculation error, sequence confusion), and write a targeted correction for each group.

Explain to a hypothetical apprentice, in plain language, why a Category IV appliance cannot share a vent with a Category I appliance.

Complete two full-length timed practice exams under exam conditions and score each by domain to confirm no domain falls below a safe margin.

Re-drill only the three weakest sub-topics identified in week 7 until you can answer representative items correctly without notes.

Recite from memory the safety-critical sequences: ignition trial and lockout, leak test, purge, and combustion air verification.

Assemble a one-page exam-day sheet of formulas, code section pointers, and sequence steps, and confirm it contains nothing you cannot reconstruct yourself.