Common Gas Fireplace Issues

A gas fireplace can provide plenty of warmth during the colder months, and they’re a bit cleaner than their wood-fueled counterparts. However, you should keep an eye out for certain issues to keep your fireplace and the rest of your home safe. Here’s a quick guide to these issues so you can have them fixed ASAP. 

Strange Odor

Do you smell an unpleasant odor whenever you’re using your gas fireplace? It could be because something else is burning. Animal fur, dust and debris tend to give off weird smells when they burn, but they are harmless for the most part. If you’re smelling gas or burnt wires, it could indicate a leak so you have to turn off the furnace immediately and have it checked by a specialist.

No Pilot Light

A pilot light is meant to ignite the gas in your fireplace in order to start a fire. There are certain factors that could cause the pilot light to get damaged, preventing you from using your fireplace properly. Changing the pilot light differs from one gas fireplace to another, so we recommend having a broken pilot light replaced by a certified professional.

Hazy or Foggy Glass

Gas fireplaces have a sheet of heat-resistant glass as a safety feature. While it’s supposed to stay clear even when in use, there’s a chance that the glass could get hazy or fogged up. This issue can either be caused by condensation or fumes from certain chemicals (usually from cleaning solutions) reacting to heat. You need to make sure that the cause of this haze is not associated with noxious fumes that can pose a serious health hazard.

Hissing or Crackling Noise

For the most part, a gas fireplace doesn’t make a lot of noise. You should be concerned if you hear a faint hissing noise as it could indicate a serious gas leak. On the other hand, crackling noises tend to occur when certain types of debris are burned, which also means that you should have the fireplace cleaned to reduce the risk of clogging.

Let us help you take good care of your gas fireplace. Chimney Doctors is the leading chimney inspection and cleaning company in Saratoga Springs, NY. You can call us at (518) 882-5009 or fill out this contact form to request a quote.