Gas fireplace repair for Bryn Mawr homes

Converting between propane and natural gas

A fireplace built for natural gas cannot just be switched to propane, or the other way round. Each manual we checked says the appliance runs only on the gas type on its rating plate unless the maker's conversion kit is used, and one insert maker adds that a qualified service technician makes the conversion with its specified and approved parts.

A conversion changes more than a label. The orifice size differs between the two gases, and the air shutter table in that maker's installation manual gives different settings for natural gas and propane on several models. The same manual opens its conversion steps by asking for the appliance to be checked against the gas types actually available.

If the gas at the house has changed, or the fireplace came from somewhere else, the plate and the parts inside are compared with the gas actually supplied. A kit conversion, where the maker offers one, is quoted as its own line on the estimate.

The vertical restrictor and erratic flames

An insert owner's manual lists long vertical vent runs as a reason for erratic flames and says a restrictor may be needed. The installation manual sets how many restrictor openings are opened by the height of the vertical vent, and notes that opening them helps with cold start and sooting problems.

The owner manual's FAQ gives a cause worth ruling out first, a glass assembly that is not correctly installed with all four latches engaged. After that, the yearly checklist asks the technician to verify the restrictor setting against the installation manual.

We confirm the vertical vent length, compare the restrictor with the manual's table and check that the glass is latched. A restrictor change is a small adjustment when the manual calls for it and goes on the estimate with the vent length that justified it, while faults in the vent pipe itself are passed to our venting team.

Looking at the vent cap from the ground

Every vented gas fireplace ends at a cap outside, on a wall or the roof. The owner's upkeep table in one manual lists a seasonal homeowner look at the venting and termination cap for blockage such as plants, bird nests, leaves and debris. Another manual asks for the external cap to be checked regularly so nothing interferes with the airflow.

Looking from the ground or through a window is the sensible way to do it. A roof cap that cannot be seen from there is better left for a qualified service person than reached by climbing up.

Anything you spot there is work for our gas fireplace venting service. Our repair technician still notes it on the estimate when it may explain a fault inside the unit.

• Leaves, clippings or mulch piled against a wall cap
• Shrubs or vines grown over the cap
• Signs of nesting at the openings
• A cap that is crushed, damaged or missing

Shutting the fireplace down for a long break

A fireplace that will sit unused for months, or while the house is empty, is best left so it cannot start by accident. The upkeep section of one manual gives that reason, to prevent unintended operation during summer months, vacations or trips, and its steps are about the controls.

A standing pilot is a separate choice. It can stay lit or be shut off for the break, and the manual for that model describes how it is shut off. On that maker's module, the off position means the fireplace ignores the wall switch and both remotes, which is why that switch matters more than a remote's own off button.

A maintenance visit just before a long absence is a good moment for this. The controls can be left in the state your model's manual describes, with a note of what to switch back on later.

• Wall controls switched off
• The module's selector switch set to off
• Batteries out of remotes and the backup pack