What to Know About Gas Fireplace Servicing and Maintenance.

Even clean-burning gas fireplaces require frequent maintenance. Learn what a gas fireplace servicing entails and when it’s time.

Gas fireplaces outsell traditional wood-burning fireplaces, according to industry publication Hearth & Home. Natural gas fireplaces, which are a cleaner option and better for the environment, appear to be popular among American households. A gas fireplace can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $4,500, depending on components and installation. So make sure to have your gas fireplace serviced on a regular basis to protect your investment.

What are the Benefits of Having a Gas Fireplace Serviced?

Gas fireplaces, despite the fact that they burn cleanly with no smoke, cinders, or wood ash left behind and no sooty chimneys to clear out, still require annual maintenance and repair to operate safely and increase their lifespan. Cleaning your gas fireplace is a do-it-yourself project for people who are comfortable working with natural gas. If you’re unsure about working with a natural gas line, hire a fireplace cleaning company.

What is the Purpose of a Fireplace Service?

• Cleaning out a gas fireplace is easier than cleaning out a wood fireplace. The processes for servicing a gas fireplace are as follows. Allow yourself roughly an hour to complete the project if you go the DIY way.

Inspect the outside. Assemble the gadget and inspect the fireplace for gaps or cracks.
Look for glass cracks. Cleaning the glass with vinegar, fireplace glass cleaner, or any non-ammonia product is possible. Inspect your doors for loose or shattered glass that could allow air into your home. Glass door gasket seals should be verified for airtightness. To reattach, use gasket cement or silicone caulk. If they can’t be mended, replace them.
Scan them. A gas fireplace’s ceramic or cement logs aren’t real, but they can degrade with time. Their color usually fades. However, they can be replaced without replacing the entire fireplace.
Analyze the gas ignition. Test the interior gas ignition under the logs. Turn off the gas and thoroughly clean the valves and ports between the logs with steel wool or fine sandpaper. Check for gas leaks. If you’re still unsure, run some water with dish detergent through the lines, valves, and ports and look for bubbles, which indicate a leak.
Vacuum the interior. Now is the time to clean out your gas fireplace of dust bunnies, dead bugs, and pet hair.
Check carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide monitors should be checked regularly. If you don’t already have one, place one near your fireplace.
Chimney inspection. The exterior chimney construction as well as the interior walls in front of and around the chimney should be inspected for a gas fireplace. In a gas fireplace, condensation is the main danger. It will have damp areas on the walls, ceiling stains, and white blotches on the stones (called efflorescence). If you haven’t already, call in the pros.

When Should You Hire a Fireplace Service?

You should conduct or schedule servicing once a year, ideally early in the summer, if you enjoy a raging fire from autumn through spring. If you only use your gas fireplace occasionally, a fireplace service check every two years should suffice.

Replace your carbon monoxide detectors every five years or so, at the absolute least. This way, you’ll be notified if your gas fireplace isn’t venting properly.

How Much Does It Cost to Service a Fireplace?

The cost of gas fireplace service varies depending on where you live, the size and condition of your fireplace, and whether or not you need it right away. Expect to spend between $100 and $200, though it may be much more in some locations. For more insight on What to Know About Gas Fireplace Servicing and Maintenance visit americanairducts.com/chimney-sweeping-houston-tx/.