Why are you going through all that trouble to put in a gas cooktop? Look into an induction cooktop. Your life will be so much easier.

I would replace that counter entirely. Just not worth it to save it.

IMO wait until you redo the kitchen this is a poor place for any cooktop and really looks silly too.

As others have posted, get an induction as a replacement. It has none of the negatives that people associate with electric and in many ways is superior to gas. This would be especially true if you are just replacing and keep in the same place.

Thanks for the replies! I must admit induction was not on my radar but reading up on it and I am intrigued. The side clearance requirements are indeed much less which would seem to work well in this application. They do still cite non-combustible... anyone have any thoughts on those questions from above?

For any cooking appliance the code requires the clearances to be as stated by the manufacturer. The manufacturers stated clearances are the minimum you must comply with.

Induction rules until you can sledgehammer the whole.

And addressed in some other threads here (perhaps search on 'clearance'), the distance to combustibles is the distance to any combustibles. Layers of tile, cement board,stainless steel, etc. don't count. What counts is the distance to wood or paper coated gypsum sheetrock. Some renovators, hell bent of a particular look, have gone so far as to frame out the wall in the critical area and insert steel studs.

There is also an option in the International Mechanical Code, Table 308.4.2 and associated text for distance reductions given configurations such as those the manufacturer provides for backsplash shielding (usually air spaced metal).

Induction is great (I have it), but check counter cut-out requirements for candidate devices, as well as likely necessary wiring upgrade.

I can't address Code requirements for clearance but my high rise condo has electrical stoves that are against a sheet rock wall - with no clearance at all. There has never been a fire or any issues with the Fire Department since the building was built in 1965.

I recently remodeled and I moved the stove as well as eliminated the wall but that was for functionality rather than safety. I know that many people have remodeled kitchens in my building and retained the original configuration with new electric stoves next to the wall. All of those have passed Code in Los Angeles which has fairly stringent inspection and permit process. No one has NOT been able to sell because of the stove's placement.

That said, I did move it when I remodeled but that was for a variety of reasons including running cabinets along the back of the dining area. I installed an induction cooktop from Bosch and there really is no comparison with a regular electric stove. One big advantage over standard electric smooth cooktop is ease of cleaning - the surface doesn't get hot so nothing gets baked on. Since the surface doesn't get hot (only the pans and contents), there would be very little issue regarding proximity to the side wall.

As this is an electric down draft ventilated cooktop i would just retain it until you have both time and money to do a full remodel with both a better layout and better ventilation, a gas down draft will run into problems of diverting the gas flame if you use the exhaust fan.

kaseki, thanks very much for that explanation, and the heads up on electrical. The existing cooktop and oven are on a shared circuit so I'll have to look at whether it's adequately sized.

venmar, I've got a phased upgrade plan and living with that old school electric cooktop is not part of it! I will be adding an island hood in conjunction with the new cooktop.