Gas log installation from a family-owned team in Winter Park

When the fireplace needs work before the logs

The same manual warns that some older fireplaces may need repair before the appliance is installed. A cracked firebox panel, a damper that will not open fully or a blocked flue all have to be dealt with first.

Our specialists list any repair on its own line of the estimate, separate from the log set, with upfront pricing. That way you can see what the fireplace needs for the set to run safely, and what the set itself costs.

Fans, drafts and flame patterns

A vent-free flame is sensitive to moving air. One manual warns not to let fans blow directly into the fireplace and to avoid any drafts that alter the burner's flame pattern, and it rules out installing the heater in high traffic, windy or drafty areas.

Ceiling fans, air conditioning registers and doors to the patio can all send air across a firebox. Our crew looks at what moves air around your fireplace and suggests simple changes when a flame is being pushed around.

Purging air from a new supply line

A new or reopened gas line is full of air, and air does not light. One maker's troubleshooting table lists air in the gas line as a reason a pilot will not light and says to bleed the supply line and repeat the lighting steps until the air is gone.

Our installers purge the line as the manual describes before the first light, which spares you a set that clicks and clicks on its first evening.

Choosing a burner size for the firebox

A bigger burner is not a better fire if the fireplace is too small for it. One maker lists a fireplace too small for the unit among the causes of a burner shutting down during operation, and its fix is to meet the minimum size requirements.

Our pros choose the burner by the firebox measurements first and the look second. When two sizes fit, we explain the difference in flame, gas use and damper opening so you can pick with the facts.

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