Fireplaces · 4 min read
Why Your Gas Fireplace Needs Service Before Every Cold Season
The most common fireplace complaint we hear in November is that the unit will not light. In most cases, the cause is dust, spider webbing in the pilot orifice, or a weak thermopile — all of which an annual service catches.
What annual service includes
Roughly an hour, ideally in late summer or early fall.
- Burner, pilot, and orifice cleaning
- Glass removal, cleaning, and gasket inspection
- Log placement correction to stop sooting
- Thermopile millivolt output testing
- Venting and termination inspection
- Leak test at the appliance connection
What sooting is telling you
A lazy yellow flame, black tips on the logs, or film on the glass points to incomplete combustion — usually misplaced logs, a dirty burner, or restricted combustion air. It is correctable, and it is worth correcting quickly.
Gas connection matters too
A fireplace is only as reliable as its gas supply. If the unit was added after the home was built, it is worth confirming the line was sized for the added load rather than tapped into the nearest convenient run.