Gas fireplace experience anyone?

[Itchytriggerfinger]

Bought a house in April that had the gas shut off so there was no way to have it inspected. Mrs. Itchytriggerfinger wants a fire this weekend.

I've had gas units in the past but they always just worked so I'm not sure if there's something I need to look out for when I give it a once over tonight before lighting the pilot.

I figure it'll either:
A. Work
B. Won't work
C. Nightly news

 

[Thor]

If it's got a pilot light it should be easy. Turn on the gas, give it a minute and then a sniff, then go through the pilot lighting process. I've got a vent-less fireplace in our sauna and it's just that easy. The only thing I've had to do was once used a small brush to clean soot from inside the pilot tube.

Good luck and don't get blowed up!

 

[Opie]

Had a few spider webs inside my burners blocking the gas flow that needed to be cleaned out, but now it works great. It is a vent-free gas, which have mixed safety reviews. I rarely use it more than 10 minutes at a time, it heats the basement pretty quick. Some say you should partially open a window if using them for extended periods of time, but my house is old and there is plenty of leaks. I do have a carbon monoxide detector in the same room, just in case. It has never shown unsafe readings, even after I left it on for several hours when our electricity was out a few years ago. It will probably smell for the first hour while all the dust burns off.

 

[churchmouse]

Depending on what you have is it a contained unit as in a glass front dedicated flu.
Ours has a standing pilot as it is as described above. Lite it and leave it.
If the gas was shut of there could be air in that part of the line so a bleed off might be required if the pilot will not lite.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

Depending on what you have is it a contained unit as in a glass front dedicated flu.
Ours has a standing pilot as it is as described above. Lite it and leave it.
If the gas was shut of there could be air in that part of the line so a bleed off might be required if the pilot will not lite.

That sounds like what I have. Glass front and a "chimney" on the outside of the house.

 

[churchmouse]

That sounds like what I have. Glass front and a "chimney" on the outside of the house.

Does it have the button igniter for the pilot..??

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

Does it have the button igniter for the pilot..??

It's just like the other one from my old house. Red igniter for the pilot under the vent/door and a wall switch to turn the igniter off and on.

 

[churchmouse]

It's just like the other one from my old house. Red igniter for the pilot under the vent/door and a wall switch to turn the igniter off and on.

Pretty cut and dried. Turn the gas on and do the sniff thing like someone already said. If there is no obvious gas smell lite it up. They are very safe. You might want to make sure there are no birds nests in the flu up top. Darn starlings got into ours this year.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

You might want to make sure there are no birds nests in the flu up top. Darn starlings got into ours this year.

That's the advice I was looking for. I would have never thought to look in there. Thank you.

 

[Leadeye]

The old house had a master gas cut off in the utility room, if you don't get any gas to the unit you might look around for one.

 

[Fargo]

Some of the newer unit installs will also have a shut off in a cabinet or wall immediately adjacent to the fireplace. It may just look like a hole in the wall/cabinet and you need a special tool to reach inside the wall and open or close the valve.

 

[slowG]

Is it run by a propane tank?

 

[HoughMade]

What...no remote? That's so last century.

...'course, I don't know where my remote is right now.

 

[churchmouse]

What...no remote? That's so last century.

...'course, I don't know where my remote is right now.

I am the remote. I get up and turn it on. I get up and adjust the burner rate and the blower to fit the conditions. I get up and turn it off.

We pretty much heat the family room with ours. It will hold temp in the room down to around 5* before the electric base board heaters have to assist.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

Some of the newer unit installs will also have a shut off in a cabinet or wall immediately adjacent to the fireplace. It may just look like a hole in the wall/cabinet and you need a special tool to reach inside the wall and open or close the valve.

My shutoff is underneath the insert near the pilot igniter button.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

Is it run by a propane tank?

I wish. If it were I'd just have Hank Hill come out for my complimentary inspection. Sadly, I only see him during bbq season.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

What...no remote? That's so last century.

...'course, I don't know where my remote is right now.

I've been waiting to make sure it works and then have it controlled by Alexa. I'm so lazy I don't even want to have to use my hands.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

Back to report that after a few expletives and a wire brush, I got the fireplace to start up and run trouble free. Thanks to everyone for the advice. Maybe you all aren't dicks after all.

 

[Thor]

Let's not start jumping to conclusions...

 

[24Carat]

Back to report that after a few expletives and a wire brush, I got the fireplace to start up and run trouble free. Thanks to everyone for the advice. Maybe you all aren't dicks after all.

You better wait until after you are drug into the tall grass and gnawed on a couple times before you make any all encompassing statements !!