Gas log installation and replacement in Milk District

How tall the chimney must be for vented logs

A vented log set sends its exhaust up the chimney by draft, and short chimneys draw weakly. One maker lists a minimum chimney height of 15 feet from the hearth to the top of the chimney for its vented set.

Taller chimneys draw better, and the same manual lets a taller chimney get by with a smaller damper opening. Our pros estimate your chimney's height at the inspection and explain what it means for the set you are considering.

When the damper clamp does not fit

Not every damper blade takes the supplied clamp. For that case, one maker gives three ways out, a permanent stop, taking the damper blade out altogether or cutting the damper back until it leaves the minimum opening in its table.

Each option has tradeoffs for how the fireplace behaves when the set is off. Our specialists explain them at your home, recommend the one that fits your damper and list it on the estimate with upfront pricing.

Glass doors on a fireplace with gas logs

Glass doors change how air reaches a burner. One log set maker wants the doors wide open the whole time the burner is lit, and where a door frame shuts off air to the fireplace floor, it asks for ventilation slots in the frame just above the floor.

The same manual says the opening with the doors fully open must still meet the minimum front width and height for the burner. Our crew checks the frame, the slots and the opening size before recommending a set.

A burner that shuts down partway through

When a log set goes out after running a while, one maker's troubleshooting table lists several causes, each with its own fix. Our technicians check them in order before recommending new parts.

Most of these are found and fixed on the first visit, and the estimate says which one it was.

• Gas pressure too low or too high
• Logs out of position
• Soot in the flue, fireplace or damper area
• A fireplace too small for the burner
• A pilot flame lifting off its sensor
• Debris or lava granules on the burner ports

Gas logs and a home inspection

Home inspection reports often note a gas log set that did not light, a missing damper clamp or soot on the logs. Those notes deserve a clear, written answer.

Our specialists check each item against the set's manual and the Florida fuel gas code, repair what needs repair and give you a document that buyer and seller can both rely on, with upfront pricing for any work.