Getting Your Twinsburg Gas Fireplace Ready for Winter

Your Pre-Season Checklist

Some of this you can do yourself in an afternoon. The rest is what we take care of during a startup visit.

Homeowner tasks

These take little time and prevent a lot of first-cold-night frustration.

• Clear furniture, decorations and stored items away from the front of the fireplace
• Install fresh batteries in the remote, receiver and backup pack
• Walk outside and look at the vent cap for nests, leaves, wasp activity or damage
• Trim shrubs and plants growing up around the termination
• Test carbon monoxide and smoke alarms on every level

Technician tasks

We point out any worn parts and price them before replacing anything.

• Remove and clean the glass; inspect it and the gasket
• Vacuum the burner, pilot assembly and firebox
• Test thermocouple and thermopile output, or the igniter and flame sensor on electronic models
• Check inlet and manifold gas pressure
• Reset logs or media to the manual's layout and run a full cycle

Snow and Your Vent Termination

A direct-vent fireplace breathes through its outdoor cap. Fresh air comes in through the outer ring and exhaust leaves through the center. If drifting snow or ice covers that cap, the fireplace can starve for air, the pilot may go out, and exhaust can recirculate into the intake. Many units have safety switches that shut them down when this happens, which is why a fireplace that quits during a storm is often telling you something about the vent.

Manufacturers specify how far above grade the cap must sit, and many advise accounting for expected snow depth. After heavy snow, clear a space around the cap gently by hand or with a soft brush; never chip ice off it with a shovel. If your cap sits low on a wall where snow from the roof piles up, we can look at whether a vent extension or relocation is allowed for your model.

Common Startup Problems

The first light of the season reveals what changed over the summer. Here is what we run into most often in Twinsburg homes:

• Pilot will not light: insects or spider webs in the pilot tube or orifice
• Pilot lights but will not hold: a thermocouple that weakened last season
• Burner lights then shuts off: weak thermopile or a dirty flame sensor
• Clicking without flame: air in the line after the gas was shut off, or a closed valve
• Smell lasting more than the first few hours: dust in the blower or burner, or something stored too close

When Startup Turns Into an Upgrade

Sometimes a startup visit shows that a fireplace has reached the end of its life: a cracked burner, a rusted firebox or a failed valve that is no longer made. When that happens, we lay out repair and replacement side by side. For new installations, we size the unit to the room, run the vent per the manual, with attention to snow clearance on the termination, and connect it to a properly sized gas line. If your home's piping needs work for the new unit, our Twinsburg gas line service covers it.

Scheduling From the North End of Our Area

Because Twinsburg is one of our longer drives, booking your startup in late summer or early fall gives us the most flexibility and lets us group nearby visits. When you call, have the fireplace's model number ready from the rating plate, usually behind the lower panel. Members of our plumbing maintenance plan receive priority service and 10% off labor and materials. The main gas fireplace page explains our installation process and unit options.