The charm and comfort of having a fireplace is incomparable. The logs crackling and warmth emanating from the fireplace is very comforting and relaxing in winter days. You can spend hours together, curled in front of the fireplace reading a great book. However, traditional fireplaces come with a lot of problems of their own. Indoor and outdoor pollution, ash deposition, and the cleaning job makes them unattractive options to the modern user. Nowadays, natural gas fireplaces have replaced traditional fireplaces in most homes.
Advantages of Gas Fireplaces
There are many reasons why people choose to switch over to a modern heating system like a gas fireplace. One reason is the absence of indoor pollution, nonstop heat supply, it's safer, warmer and hassle free. You don't need to worry about hauling and storing logs. Plus, it's safer if you have children around and some manufacturers of gas fireplaces even provide you with a remote control for operation. The main advantage is energy conservation.
How to Repair a Gas Fireplace?
Gas fireplaces, like every other home appliance, come with their share of problems. Before you undertake gas furnace repair, ensure that you turn off the gas supply. It is a good safety precaution to turn off the gas supply, when the fireplace is not in use. This can prevent mishaps happening from accidental leakage. Here are some of the common problems and ways in which you could solve them.
Startup Problems
One common problem faced is that of a fireplace simply not turning on. The reason for that might be that the pilot light has blown out totally. To troubleshoot the problem, you need to open the vent and check to see if the small flame is still burning or not. If you find that the flame is out, then the only way out is to light it again with a match stick or a lighter. That may solve the problem and the fireplace will start working.
Burner Issues
Another common gas furnace problem is that the main burner simply refuses to turn on at times or turns out to be quite sluggish. The reason for this could primarily be loose wiring of the burner. Check the wiring issues and also see what is the voltage being provided to the main burner. Ensuring that the wiring issues are fixed and adequate voltage is being provided, may solve the problem effectively. Cleaning up the burner, along with the stem may also solve the issue.
Thermocouple Malfunction
Another reason for the main burner being particularly sluggish might be due to problems with the thermocouple. The thermocouple provides a feedback mechanism, which controls the temperature in the room, by regulating heat supply. The most common reason for this problem is that the thermocouple is not fit tightly enough inside the valve in the fireplace. To fix this, access the gas control valve and make sure that the thermocouple has been tightly fitted in. This might effectively solve the problem. Make a thorough check of all the wiring by checking it up with the wiring diagram supplied in the manual. If this doesn't work, it's best to get the fireplace replaced.
Non-Uniform Heating
In case you don't get uniform heating from the fireplace, you need to check if the fireplace fan is working properly. Getting the fan fixed might just solve the problem for you.
If none of the above things work, it's time you called the manufacturing company and ask them to send a qualified technician, who can figure out the problem. Doing the troubleshooting on your own, might save money on the repair cost, but it's not worth it if you end up messing things up. That's why, if you are not confident about undertaking repair on your own, I suggest you call up the technician right at the start.
