Today we are going to give you 5 helpful tips for maintaining a gas fireplace.
We have more than 14 years of experience in the HVAC industry, including repairing, servicing, and installing gas fireplaces; and we would love to share our helpful advice with you.
We’ll explain what things are necessary to keep your gas fireplace working safely and what signs to look out for that will indicate it is time for a repair. So let’s get started.
Maintaining a gas fireplace is easy and should be done regularly
Tips for Maintaining a Gas Fireplace
In general, a gas fireplace needs relatively little maintenance as compared to a wood burning unit. However, it does need some maintenance. Here are some tips to keep in mind for maintaining a gas fireplace.
Tip #1: Clean The Interior Regularly
Maintaining a gas fireplace properly means that you should clean the interior on a regular basis in between service calls. This would include giving it a clean once a month during the time that you are using it on a daily basis, and once or twice during the rest of the year when it isn’t in use.
Before you start to clean, turn off your unit and wait until it has completely cooled down. Just to be safe, you should also turn off the gas lever to the unit.
You want to give it a good wipe out to get rid of any dirt, cobwebs and other materials that could cause a build-up and a potential problem down the road. You can use a shop vac to clean out the bigger pieces of debris.
Take a picture of your logs before you remove them so that you will remember how to place them back in the right position.
The following video will give you detailed instructions on how to clean your gas fireplace.
Turn off your fireplace and gas before cleaning it
Tip #2. Inspect Carefully
While you are cleaning your gas fireplace, take a look around for any rust spots, cracks, defective logs, or any other damaged areas. If you notice any of these issues, do not turn your unit back on. Instead, contact a licensed service technician you trust to come and take a look at it.
You also should make sure that your logs are placed in the proper position and haven’t been knocked loose.
Tip #3. Wipe Down Glass Weekly
Just like any other glass surface in your home, the glass door on your fireplace should be cleaned each week. Not only will a weekly cleaning keep your unit looking bright and shiny, but it will help to prolong the life of the glass and help to prevent scratches caused by a build-up of dirt.
Cleaning both the inside and outside glass surfaces will ensure that you don’t have any soot build-up.
Cleaning the glass will help prevent soot build up – Source: House in Progress
Tip #4. Clean Sensors and Controls
In addition to the inside and glass door on your fireplace, you should also clean around the sensors and controls to remove any dirt or dust that is caught behind or around them that could cause them to stick. Be gentle as you don’t want to damage the controls.
Remove the grate in front of your controls so you can clean easier – Source: House in Progress
Tip #5. Have Annual Inspections
It is important that you get your gas fireplace inspected every year whether or not you suspect any problems. This inspection is best done in the fall before you are going to be using it on a regular basis, however, it can be done at any time.
During this visit, your technician should:
- Check that your fireplace is working properly
- Test that there are no carbon monoxide leaks
- Inspect all of your connections
- Check and clean the sensors, safety controls, fan, power pile, and thermocouple.
- Thoroughly clean and inspect your burners
- Make sure that the fireplace is venting properly
- Clean the logs in the fireplace and make sure they are placed correctly inside
- Remove and clean the glass
Maintaining a Gas Fireplace: Signs to Watch for
A properly installed gas fireplace is generally a very safe and reliable appliance. However, there may occasionally be a time when you will need to get it quickly attended to. If you suspect that there might be a problem with your gas fireplace, turn it off and do not use it until you have had a professional HVAC technician take a look at it.
Here are some signs to watch out for and if they occur, call a technician right away:
- You smell gas
- You smell a strange or unpleasant scent coming from your gas fireplace
- You notice soot building up on your logs or glass
- There is a white film on the glass
- There is a delay when you try to light your fireplace or it doesn’t light at all
- Your fireplace is turning on or off on its own
- Your pilot light will not stay lit or it won’t light at all
If any of the above are occurring right now, contact Draft Control to come and fix it immediately.
“Gas Fireplace pilot light went out and we smelled gas! Selim came over and fixed it within minutes and barely charged us. I would highly recommend this company (Should have bought my furnace from him but didn’t know about his company – I do now!)”
- John Rogers
Enjoy the comfort and convenience of a gas fireplace
Draft Control – Gas Fireplace Service and Repair You Can Trust
Maintaining a gas fireplace annually and doing any repairs you might need in the meantime should be done by an HVAC technician that you can trust. If you live in the Ottawa area, contact Draft Control. You can trust the professionals at Draft Control to service and repair any gas fireplace efficiently and at an affordable rate.
Switch to a Gas Fireplace Today with the Help of Draft Control
A gas fireplace is a sensible and smart alternative to a wood-burning one. They are easy to operate and more energy efficient. A gas fireplace insert is a great choice to replace your existing wood fireplace.
They fit perfectly into the wood fireplace and are vented to the outside through the chimney or a special pipe. Contact Draft Control today to find out how economical it could be to have your own beautiful gas fireplace installed today.