Gas log installation specialists for Southern Oaks

Odors when the logs are running

Not every odor at a log set is a fault. One maker's troubleshooting table notes that a new home, new carpet or new paint can produce objectionable odors when those fumes are drawn into the fire, and it advises ventilating the area thoroughly before restarting the set.

The same table lists a closed damper as another cause, with the fix of making sure the damper is open. Our technicians check the damper and clamp first whenever an owner reports an odor.

Why a log set smokes or soots

Smoke and soot from a gas log set have a known list of causes. One maker's troubleshooting table covers the chimney, the damper, the burner position, the media, the air openings and the logs themselves.

Our pros work through that list in order at your home, because the fix for a closed damper is nothing like the fix for a propane burner running on natural gas.

• Poor draft, downdraft or a closed damper
• Burner too close to the front of the firebox
• Media placed wrong or packed too tight
• Air mixer closed or air shutters blocked
• Logs out of position
• Burner built for the other gas
• Accessories that do not belong to the set

A supplemental heater only

Florida's fuel gas code, in section 621.2, does not allow unvented room heaters to be a home's only source of comfort heat. One vent-free manual pitches its set as extra heat for a single room and never as the main heat for the house.

For most homes that is exactly how a log set gets used, a warm fire on a cool evening. Our specialists make sure the set you choose is sized for that role and not asked to do more.

Room volume and a vent-free set

Section 621.5 of the Florida fuel gas code sets one shared allowance for every unvented appliance in a room or space, 20 Btu per hour per cubic foot. A set rated at 30,000 Btu per hour needs at least 1,500 cubic feet around it.

Our pros measure the floor area and ceiling height, account for other unvented appliances in the same space and show the arithmetic in writing. Where openings to other rooms count toward the volume, we explain how the manual treats them.

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.