Expert Contributor Written by Scott Magness Scott’s Fireplace Products
Is Your Gas Fireplace Winter-Ready?
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his year has been one of the most unique/different years any of us have been through. 2 020 has been full of business and school shutdowns, extended quarantines, followed with gradual business and school reopenings (some in person and others virtually). All the while, masks have become the new norm. For most of us, summer flew by because, come to think of it, there was not much of a summer to be had. We have been stuck at home, trying to get home projects done and parents trying their best not to let their children drive them up a wall. This is a great time for homeowners to get a jump start on maintaining their gas fireplaces. Gas fireplaces add wonderful ambiance to any room and can be great heat supplements (especially if an unfortunate power outage occurs), but they have a nasty habit of not working when homeowners need them most. When you call the establishment where the gas fireplace came from and request a service appointment, you’ll likely learn there is already an extreme backlog for service. This is because many homeowners do not think about service or maintenance until their gas fireplace is not functioning properly. This always seems to happen in the middle of winter if a gas fireplace is not properly maintained. Preventative maintenance is the best type of maintenance, and homeowners with gas fireplaces can avoid waiting several weeks for service during the cold winter months by being
proactive and having their fireplace cleaned and serviced in the early fall. How often a gas fireplace should be serviced depends on the manufacturer and model. Also, knowing whether the fireplace damper is opened (vented) or closed (vent-free) or if the unit is behind a solid single-glass window (direct vent) will aid in expediting service calls. Gas fireplaces do require a level of maintenance similar to house furnaces and air conditioning systems, and as long as they are maintained properly, they can provide heat and ambiance without interruption during the frigid days of winter. So, enjoy the fall transition from summer to winter but do not forget about the gas fireplace. Getting it serviced prior to the cold winter months helps homeowners avoid a potential operation lapse or a frustrating long wait for service. M
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