Local gas fireplace repair across Lake Magdalene

Relighting after a propane tank runs dry

When a propane tank runs out, the pilot goes out with it. The model fuel gas code has the piping leak-checked right after gas service comes back from an interruption, and the fireplace is relit only once that check is done.

Propane is heavier than air and settles low, which is why lighting instructions ask you to smell near the floor before relighting. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas supplier or 911 once you are outside. Otherwise, our pros can relight and test the fireplace after a delivery.

Blower motors, speed controls and heat sensors

Many gas fireplaces use a blower to push warm air into the room. The fan usually starts off a heat sensor once the firebox warms and runs through a speed control on house current, so a quiet blower can be a sensor, a control or the motor itself.

Our pros trace the fault with the fireplace running and again once it is cool, then fit the blower or control listed for your model. Rattles from loose mounts get tightened, and a worn motor is replaced before it quits completely.

What a yearly gas fireplace service covers

Heat & Glo, for one, recommends that a qualified service technician check its fireplaces once a year, and NFPA heating safety guidance calls for yearly inspection of heating equipment by a qualified professional. A yearly visit keeps small changes from turning into a cold fireplace on the first cool night.

On a typical service our pros cover these items, adjusted to what your manual lists.

• Pilot assembly cleaned and its flame checked against the manual
• Burner ports and air passages cleared of dust and lint
• Logs or media set back to the placement diagram
• Glass latches, gasket and barrier screen inspected
• Vent termination checked from outside
• Controls, remote and blower tested through a full cycle

Vented log sets and the open damper

A vented gas log set is built for a working fireplace, and its instructions require the damper to stay open whenever the set is in use, often with a clamp that keeps it from closing. A damper that has swung shut sends exhaust into the room instead of up the flue.

Our specialists check the damper clamp, the set's pilot and burner, and the fit of the set in the firebox on every visit. Vent-free sets are a different appliance with their own rules, and we tell you which kind you have before any work is priced.