Propane and natural gas fireplace repair in Andover Lakes

No extra decor, media or accessories in the firebox

It is tempting to dress up a gas fireplace with extra stones, glass pieces or ornaments. One installation manual allows only accessories its maker approves, warning that unapproved components could make the fireplace overheat and that non-listed accessories void the warranty.

One direct vent manual warns that lava rock or ember chunks scattered on top of the burner may cause sooting, glass breakage and a fire hazard. Anything added can also cover ports or sit in the path the pilot flame uses to light the burner.

We take out anything that is not part of the maker's set and explain why, and approved media or log options for your model can be priced on the estimate. Items like these come out.

• Decorative stones or glass not supplied for the model
• Extra ember chunks on top of the burner
• Ornaments or seasonal decor set on the logs

Odor on the first burns after service or install

New fireplaces, and units that have just had parts replaced, often give off a smell the first times they run. Heat & Glo's manual explains that the paint is curing and oils left from manufacturing are burning off, and that the odor can last for the first several hours. It asks owners to open windows during that break-in and warns that smoke alarms may go off.

A break-in smell fades as the hours add up. One that stays strong afterward, or seems musty, is another matter, since another maker warns that mold or rust may cause odors and asks for the appliance to be kept dry. A smell of gas is not break-in odor at all, and the answer then is to leave the home and phone the gas company or 911 once you are outside.

For homes in Andover Lakes, our technician starts an odor question with how new the unit or part is, how long it has run and whether the smell changes with the fan. The answer goes on your written estimate before anything is changed.

Homeowner tasks and technician tasks

Upkeep is split into two columns in one insert owner's manual. A few tasks are for the homeowner, done seasonally or once a year. The rest, including anything that touches the burner, pilot, gas pressures or the gasket and glass seal, is marked for a qualified service technician. The manual also says installation and repair should be done by a qualified technician only.

The homeowner column is short and practical. None of it involves adjusting the burner or pilot.

The manual adds that owners who are uncomfortable with any of these can call for a service appointment instead. On a maintenance visit in Andover Lakes, our technician works through the technician column for your model, and the owner column stays with you.

• Checking the barrier front for damage
• Cleaning the glass once it has cooled
• Replacing remote batteries and testing the remote
• Looking over the vent cap for blockage

A gas fireplace that sat unused for years

A fireplace nobody has lit for years raises questions a working unit does not. Cobwebs and dust build up around the pilot and burner, batteries may have leaked, and parts may have been removed and never put back. Any one of those can stop the start sequence partway.

Even the gas line can play a part. One remote guide lists air in the gas line after a long period of inactivity among the reasons an appliance fails to start.

That is why a long-idle unit gets a service visit before anyone tries to light it. Our technician identifies the model, confirms that the glass, seal plate, barrier and logs are present and correctly placed, cleans the pilot and burner area and then runs the lighting sequence. Anything missing or damaged is listed on the estimate before the fireplace goes back into use.