Gas Fireplace Repair and Service in Seattle

Gas fireplaces are common across the area, and on the Eastside they are especially common. Census data show about 46 percent of Bellevue homes and close to half of those in Kirkland and Edmonds heat mainly with utility gas. Many of those houses were built in the 1980s or later with a factory-built gas fireplace or a gas insert, and many of those units are now old enough that pilots, thermocouples and valves wear out.

A gas fireplace is also the one fireplace you can use on a bad-air day. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency says natural gas and propane stoves and inserts are OK to use during both Stage 1 and Stage 2 burn bans. In a Stage 2 ban, a working gas unit is the only fireplace or stove a household can use without an exemption. That makes it worth keeping in good order.

Signs you need this

• The pilot will not light, or goes out after a few seconds
• The pilot lights but the main burner will not come on
• A white or gray film building up on the glass
• A gas smell, or a clicking igniter that never lights
• Flames that are tall, yellow and sooty instead of steady

How we do it

1. Diagnose itWe test the pilot, thermocouple or thermopile, igniter, valve and controls, and find the part that is failing.
2. Clean and adjustBurner ports, pilot assembly and logs are cleaned, logs are set to the maker's layout, and the glass is cleaned.
3. Replace worn partsFailed pilot, thermocouple or igniter parts are replaced. A valve or control board is ordered if needed and priced first.
4. Check venting and airWe check the vent cap, the glass seal and that the home has carbon monoxide alarms, and note it all on your report.

Why won't my gas fireplace pilot stay lit?

The most common reason is a worn or dirty thermocouple, the small sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. If it does not sense enough heat, the valve shuts the gas off as a safety measure. A dirty pilot hood, a weak pilot flame or a failing thermopile can cause the same symptom. Pilot, thermocouple and igniter repairs typically cost $100 to $350.

What does a yearly gas fireplace service include?

We clean the burner, pilot and logs, set the logs back in the correct position, clean the inside of the glass, check the gasket around the glass, test the ignition and safety parts, and look at the vent termination outside. Yearly service typically costs $150 to $350. A gas fireplace produces less buildup than wood, but dust, spiders and worn parts still cause many no-start calls.

What about carbon monoxide alarms?

Washington's carbon monoxide alarm law, RCW 19.27.530, phased in carbon monoxide alarm requirements for homes in 2011 and 2013. When a home is sold, the seller must equip it with carbon monoxide alarms before the buyer can legally move in, and the seller disclosure form asks about them. We check that the house has one whenever we work on a gas appliance, and we tell you if we do not see one.