Does Your Gas Fireplace Need Service?

As you flip the switch to ignite your gas fireplace this fall, you might be wondering: Does your gas fireplace need to be serviced? Homeowners overwhelmingly favor gas fireplaces, and it’s no wonder why. They provide a warm, glowing fire with ease and convenience. While your gas fireplace may not require the upkeep and care of its wood-burning counterpart, your gas fireplace does need service each year, too.

Why Your Gas Fireplace Needs Service

If it doesn’t produce ash, heavy smoke and creosote like a wood fire, why does a gas fireplace need service? There are two primary reasons; cleanliness and complexity.

Prized for their cleanliness, gas fireplaces still require maintenance. The fireplace itself can gather dust that can interfere with blowers or the pilot light. The ceramic logs inside will break down over time and create their own debris that can clog the working components of the fireplace. The chimney won’t fill up with dangerous creosote, but it will collect soot over time. Soot is corrosive and leads to the breakdown of the chimney pipe if it isn’t cleared away. And, of course, regular cleaning will keep your gas fireplace looking great for years to come!

There are a lot of components of a gas fireplace — from pilot lights to blowers to gaskets — that can break down or malfunction over time. If your gas fireplace isn’t in perfect operating condition, it might not light when you want it to, drive your energy bills up by not working efficiently or even put your family in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. That’s why your gas fireplace needs an annual inspection to ensure it is in good working order.

What Your Gas Fireplace Service Should Entail

So now that you know y0ur gas fireplace requires annual servicing, what should that service entail? First and foremost, your annual gas fireplace maintenance should be performed by a certified fireplace professional. The service itself includes a thorough cleaning of the chimney, blowers, gas logs and glass doors. There is also a full-system inspection to verify that the chimney is properly venting, damage free and unobstructed. We also check that the valves, gaskets, pilot, and blowers are properly functioning. Finally, we ensure that there are no signs of damage, condensation, improper ventilation or deterioration that could compromise the safe operation of the fireplace or chimney. If any problems are spotted, they should be addressed as soon as possible and before the fireplace is used again.

Now that you know your gas fireplace does require annual servicing, don’t wait to schedule an appointment! A certified professional should examine your gas fireplace before you use it this winter. To make sure your gas fireplace is ready to keep your family warm and cozy all winter long, call the Chimney Care Co. to schedule your gas fireplace service today!