Getting Your Gas Fireplace Ready for the Season in Burlington

A gas fireplace is often the first thing people turn on when the evenings cool down in Burlington, and it’s also the appliance most likely to have sat untouched since March. A little prep goes a long way.

Before you light it

• Check that the glass is intact and the frame is latched properly. Cracked glass means no use until it’s replaced.
• Look at the outside vent termination. Bird nests, wasp nests and plants growing over it are common.
• If your fireplace uses a remote or a wall switch with batteries, replace them. Weak batteries cause a lot of “won’t light” calls.
• Make sure your carbon monoxide alarm is working.

Common problems at the start of the season

Pilot won’t stay lit: on millivolt systems, a dirty or weak thermocouple or thermopile is the usual cause. On electronic ignition systems (like Proflame or SIT controls), it’s often batteries, a dirty pilot assembly, or a flame rectification problem.

White or grey film on the glass: that’s normal residue from combustion. Clean it with a fireplace glass cleaner when the unit is cold. Regular glass cleaner can etch it.

Black soot or orange, lazy flames: the logs may have been moved out of position, or the burner ports are partly blocked. This needs a service, since it means the gas isn’t burning cleanly.

What an annual service includes

We remove the glass and logs, clean the burner and pilot assembly, check the thermopile output or ignition module, measure gas pressure, inspect the venting and gaskets, put the logs back in the right position and clean the glass. It’s about an hour of work and it keeps the fireplace burning cleanly.

If your fireplace won’t start, our gas fireplace won’t light guide has the safe checks. For service in Burlington and the rest of the GTA, contact us or call 647-657-2977.

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