Gas fireplace repair and service in Maitland

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

The venting system gets its own yearly check

The flame gets most of the attention, but the vent carries the exhaust out of the house. One maker's direct vent and natural vent manuals both say the fireplace and venting system should be inspected before first use and at least annually by a qualified service person, and that the entire venting system should be inspected to confirm it works properly.

The seasonal venting checks in an insert owner's manual go beyond the cap. They include corrosion or separation, the seals where the vent passes through the building, a draft shield that is damaged or missing, and a screw that holds the vent collar's slide plate.

During service, our technician looks at the vent parts that can be reached at the appliance and at the cap from the ground. Anything that needs work is listed separately on the estimate as venting work for your Maitland home, so the burner service and the vent work stay distinct.

Same-day gas fireplace visits when available

Some calls cannot wait for next week, such as a fireplace that will not light before a family gathering or a remote that stopped answering on the evening you planned to use it. For homes in Maitland, we offer same-day visits when the schedule allows.

A few details when you call help the visit start in the right place. Read them off the fireplace only if you can do so without opening anything.

A same-day visit follows the same steps as any other, with the free inspection, the written estimate and your approval before any work. These details help the diagnosis start in the right place, and they never replace the tests on the fireplace itself.

• The maker and model from the rating plate, if visible
• Whether the pilot sparks, lights or stays lit
• The step where the start-up stops
• Any fault lights or codes on the module or remote

Gas company or 911 first, then our emergency line

If you smell gas or a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone out of the house first, then call 911 or the gas company from outside. Do not light anything or touch electrical switches on the way out. That comes before any call to a repair company, including ours.

Once the gas company or fire department has made the home safe, our 24/7 emergency line is there for the fireplace itself. That covers a unit the responders shut off and told you to keep off until it is checked, a fireplace damaged in an incident, or controls that no longer respond.

Our technician starts with the rating plate and with what happened, what the responders did and what was shut off. The fireplace stays off until the cause is found and written on your estimate. For homes in Maitland, the free inspection and written estimate apply to emergency calls too.