Gas fireplace repair and service in Lockhart

Intermittent pilot ignition and its control module

On an intermittent pilot ignition system, usually shortened to IPI, a control module runs the start. It sparks the pilot, senses that the pilot flame is really there and only then opens gas to the main burner. When the fireplace turns off, the pilot goes out as well, which Heat & Glo's owner manual describes as normal for its IPI units.

That module needs power. The installation manual for those units calls the power cord connection required for the IntelliFire Touch ignition to work, with a battery backup for outages. The same module can lock itself out after a fault and flash an error code until it is reset.

Power, spark, flame sensing and the signal to the valve are separate steps, and our technician checks each one on a visit in Lockhart. The estimate names the step that failed rather than listing a new module by default.

Finding the right manual for your model

Makers such as Heat & Glo publish manuals by model and keep them in an online library. The right one depends on the exact model on the rating plate, and a single fireplace often has more than one document.

That maker's owner manual itself sends the technician to the installation manual for the air shutter setting and to the parts list for orifice sizing. A setting borrowed from a similar model can be wrong for yours.

Work is done from the documents for your exact unit, and the estimate cites the parts and settings they call for. If none can be found for the model, the estimate says so. These are the three we look for.

• The owner manual, for operation, safety notes and owner upkeep
• The installation manual, for air shutter, restrictor, log and ember settings
• The service parts list, for part numbers and orifice sizes

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.

What the free gas fireplace inspection covers

The free inspection is time spent on the appliance itself. It starts at the rating plate, where our technician reads the model, the gas type and the listing details. Where it is safe to run, the fireplace is then taken through its start sequence, so the step where it stops can be seen rather than guessed.

Visible parts come next. That means the glass, gasket and barrier, the logs and ember material, the pilot and burner as far as they can be seen, and the vent cap from the ground.

You then get a free written estimate that sets out what was found and what the repair or service would involve. There is no obligation, and work begins only with your go-ahead. For homes in Lockhart, the inspection and the estimate cost nothing, and the service is 10% off if you go ahead within 72 hours.