Gas log installation, vented or vent-free, in Dover Manor

Burner position in the firebox

Where the burner sits matters as much as the burner itself. One maker lists a burner positioned too close to the front of the firebox as a reason for smoke and soot, and its fix is to move the burner system to the center.

A centered burner keeps the flames inside the fireplace and gives the exhaust a straight path to the flue. Our crew centers the pan, checks the clearance at the front and watches the first burn from the room.

Protecting the set during a pressure test

Gas piping gets pressure tested when it is installed or altered, and log set valves are not built for test pressure. One maker says the set and its main valve must be disconnected from the piping during any test above 1/2 psig.

For tests at or below 1/2 psig, the same manual says the set must be isolated by closing its equipment shutoff valve. Our technicians coordinate with the gas contractor so the set is protected whenever the line is tested.

An equipment shutoff valve you can reach

Log set manuals rely on an equipment shutoff valve on the supply line to the set. One maker uses it to isolate the set during low-pressure tests of the piping, and it is also how the gas to the set is turned off for service.

A valve buried under media or hidden behind a new hearth is not much use. Our crew checks that the valve works and stays reachable once the set is in, and shows you where it is.

Picking a log style the burner allows

Log sets come in styles from split oak to charred logs, and each burner lists the log sets made for it. One maker's manual shows several styles available for the same burner, each with its own placement instructions.

The style is your choice, within that list. Our specialists show you the options your burner allows and install the one you pick by its own diagram, since logs from another set can sit differently in the flame.

When the log set pilot keeps dropping out

When a log set pilot lights and then drops out, one maker's troubleshooting table points to several parts. Our technicians check each one before recommending a repair.

Pilot parts are specific to the valve, so replacements come from the set's own parts list.

• A valve that will not hold
• A pilot hood bent away from the thermocouple
• A bent or kinked pilot line
• A loose, cracked or worn thermocouple
• Excessive downdraft in the chimney