Gas Fireplace Maintenance: What BC Homeowners Should Know

A gas fireplace is one of the easiest ways to take the edge off a damp West Coast evening or a cold Sea-to-Sky night. Because it burns natural gas or propane inside your living space, though, it needs regular attention to stay safe and reliable. Here's what BC homeowners should know about keeping a gas fireplace in good shape, what you can check yourself and when to switch it off and call a professional.

Book an annual service

Most manufacturers recommend that a gas fireplace be inspected and serviced once a year by a qualified gas technician. In BC, gas work must be done by a licensed gas contractor. The best time is late summer or early fall, before you depend on it for heat.

A typical annual service includes:

• Checking for gas leaks at the valve and connections
• Cleaning the burner, pilot assembly and ports of dust, lint and debris
• Inspecting and testing the thermocouple or thermopile and the gas valve
• Checking the logs or media placement against the manufacturer's layout
• Inspecting the glass, the gasket and the firebox for cracks or damage
• Checking the venting and outdoor termination
• Confirming the flame pattern and ignition are correct

Pilot lights, thermocouples and thermopiles

Many gas fireplaces use a standing pilot, a small flame that stays lit and ignites the main burner. Two parts work alongside it:

• The thermocouple is a safety device. It senses heat from the pilot and holds the gas valve open. If the pilot goes out, it cools and the valve shuts off the gas.
• The thermopile generates a small electrical current from the pilot's heat to operate the valve and wall switch or remote.

When a fireplace won't light or the pilot keeps going out, these components are common culprits, along with a dirty pilot assembly. Newer fireplaces often use electronic ignition, which lights the pilot only on demand and usually has a battery backup. Before calling, check the batteries in the remote, the receiver and any backup pack, since dead batteries are a frequent cause of a no-start.

Never bypass, hold open or tamper with a thermocouple, flame sensor or any other gas safety device. They exist to stop unburned gas from entering your home.

Glass, gaskets and the safety barrier

Most modern gas fireplaces are direct-vent units with a sealed glass front. The glass and its gasket form part of the combustion system, keeping room air separate from combustion air and exhaust. That means:

• Don't operate the fireplace with cracked, chipped or missing glass. Replacement glass must be the manufacturer's specified ceramic glass, not tempered glass from a hardware store.
• Clean the glass only when it's completely cool, using a cleaner made for fireplace glass. A white or grey film is normal over time; heavy black soot is not.
• Watch the gasket. A gasket that's frayed, flattened or pulling away can let combustion gases escape.

The glass gets hot enough to cause serious burns. Many newer fireplaces include a mesh safety barrier in front of the glass; keep it in place, especially if you have young children or pets.

Venting and the outdoor termination

A direct-vent fireplace pulls in combustion air and pushes exhaust out through a vent, usually ending at a cap on an exterior wall or the roof. Take a look at it a couple of times a year:

• Keep shrubs, firewood, lawn furniture and debris clear of the cap.
• In snowy areas like Whistler and Pemberton, make sure snow drifts and roof slides don't bury a low termination.
• Look for bird nests, wasp nests or damage to the cap.

Older or converted fireplaces may vent through an existing masonry chimney, usually with a liner. Those chimneys need their own inspection, since a damaged liner, blocked flue or deteriorating mortar affects how safely exhaust leaves the house.

Carbon monoxide alarms

Any home with a fuel-burning appliance should have working carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, ideally on every level and outside sleeping areas. Newer homes in BC are built with them, but older homes may not have them. Test alarms monthly, replace batteries as directed and replace the alarm itself when it reaches the end of its service life, which is printed on the unit.

Carbon monoxide has no colour or smell. Early symptoms of exposure, like headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue, are easy to mistake for a cold or the flu, especially if they ease when you leave the house.

Signs to shut it off and call

Turn the fireplace off and arrange service if you notice any of the following:

• Soot building up on the glass or around the outside of the unit
• Flames that are tall, lazy and dark, or that lift off or roll out from the burner
• A pilot that keeps going out, or delayed ignition with a loud whoosh or bang
• Condensation that keeps forming inside the glass after warm-up
• Cracked glass or a damaged gasket
• A burning or chemical smell that doesn't fade (a mild smell on the first fire of the season, as dust burns off, is normal)

If your CO alarm sounds or anyone has symptoms, leave the home and call 911 from outside. If you smell gas (often described as a rotten-egg odour), don't light anything or use switches, phones or appliances near the smell. Leave the home, then call your gas utility's emergency line or 911 from a safe distance.

Getting help

Our gas-certified technicians service and repair gas and electric fireplaces to BC code, from no-starts and pilot problems to glass, gasket and venting issues. Learn more about our fireplace repair and maintenance service. We also provide chimney inspection, cleaning and repair for masonry and factory-built chimneys, so both can be checked together before the cold weather arrives.