While the fireplace is a vital part of a home’s HVAC system, homeowners often fail to take proper care of them. This significantly hampers the performance of the fireplaces and gives rise to numerous issues over time. A well-maintained fireplace can keep running well for up to 20 years, whereas lack of maintenance will curtail the lifespan.
To keep your fireplace running smoothly for the years to come, you’ll have to clean it regularly and fix any budding problems early on. While you can handle some of the fireplace maintenance tasks yourself, you’ll need professional assistance for the rest. Reputed HVAC companies like Hurliman have the equipment and the skilled workforce necessary for comprehensive fireplace maintenance services.
You may read more about professional fireplace inspection, repair, and replacement services to better understand. In this article, we’ll focus on some of the key gas fireplace maintenance tips to follow.
Table of Contents
How to Maintain a Gas Fireplace?
Proper gas fireplace maintenance is important not only to ensure the best performance but also for the sake of safety. A poorly maintained fireplace can develop various issues that might, in turn, result in safety hazards. Here are five tips on proper gas fireplace maintenance:
1. Clean it regularly
As you may have already noticed, using the fireplace results in the buildup of soot and creosote inside it. Besides spoiling the aesthetic appeal of the fireplace with dark stains, the buildup can also endanger its structural integrity. Moreover, soot and creosote may be inflammable, posing a potential fire hazard.
The most basic gas fireplace maintenance tip is to simply clean it regularly. Carefully get rid of all the soot and creosote deposited inside the fireplace. While it’s best to clean your fireplace after every use, that would be inconvenient or even impossible for most homeowners. However, try to clean your fireplace every couple of weeks, or at least once a month if you’re too busy.
2. Clean the logs
You’ll have to put some special effort into cleaning the gas logs. As the logs are in direct contact with the flame, soot buildup is especially high. The gas logs are a significant part of the fireplace’s aesthetic appeal, which means discoloration due to soot can ruin the look of your fireplace. To clean vented gas logs, you’ll have to remove them from the fireplace, bring them outdoors, and use a soft-bristled brush to brush off the soot.
However, to clean vent-free gas logs, you need a qualified professional. Even simple errors while cleaning a vent-free gas log can result in a safety hazard.
3. Get it inspected professionally
While you can carry out some basic inspections by checking out the easy-to-reach areas of your fireplace, it also needs a professional inspection once in a while. Experienced technicians can open up the fireplace properly and check out every component to ensure they’re in good condition. As a thumb rule, we’d advise you to schedule a professional fireplace inspection every year.
Annual inspections will help diagnose potential issues early on and fix them before you face more expensive repairs. This is why professional inspections are worth your money – you’d have to shell out much more money on repairing complex problems if you don’t nip them in the bud. Moreover, the technicians would also clean up the fireplace thoroughly, covering any area that you may have missed.
4. Look out for warning signs
Proper gas fireplace maintenance also involves keeping an eye out for telltale signs that might hint at a problem in your fireplace. For instance, if you start getting a burning smell from your fireplace, dirt and debris have been building up inside it. Burning natural gas alone doesn’t emit any smell at all. You should check the fireplace immediately and clean up any dirt and debris that may have accumulated inside.
5. Do not delay repairs
We can’t possibly overstress the need for timely repairs when it comes to your gas fireplace. Remember, a gas fireplace is a complex system with various components. Unless you fix a problem early, it may grow and cause a chain reaction of issues. If you notice any problem with your gas fireplace, contact a fireplace service company and schedule a visit.
Experienced and well-equipped professionals can repair your gas furnace rather fast. You need not worry about not being able to use the gas fireplace for a long time due to ongoing repairs. Delaying a fireplace repair simply isn’t worth it and can lead to far more expensive repairs or even safety hazards.
How to clean your gas fireplace?
Here’s how you can go about cleaning your fireplace regularly
- Disassemble the fireplace: First, turn off the gas valve and the pilot light. Once the fireplace has cooled down, start disassembling it. You’ll have to remove the glass panel of the fireplace before you can access the interiors. Make sure to place it on a soft surface, along with the logs.
- Clean the glass: Chemical residues and soot can discolor the glass panel and make it foggy. Use a glass cleaner to get rid of these residues. Wipe the glass with a soft cloth or paper towels.
- Clean the interior: This is the most important part of the cleaning process. Use a vacuum cleaner to suck up all the dust and dirt accumulated inside the fireplace. Before you start, remove any decorative stones small enough to be sucked into the vacuum cleaner.
Conclusion
All it takes to keep your fireplace in top-notch condition is regular inspection, cleaning, and maintenance. While this may take some effort, it’s far better than needing a new fireplace long before the expected lifespan of your current one. Always try to hire reputable companies for fireplace maintenance services, for professional expertise is of paramount importance. Having a team of expert technicians inspect your fireplace and perform the necessary maintenance and repairs is always a good idea.
