If you have a wood burning fireplace, you know the whole maintenance routine. You understand how important it is to clean out the firebox
from time to time, how to dispose of the ashes, and how to use the individual components, like the dampers, when you’re burning. You are also aware of the importance of having your chimney inspected and cleaned on an annual basis. Maybe you’ve actually converted your fireplace to a gas burning appliance or bought something other than a wood burner for just that reason, so that you don’t have to perform all those maintenance rituals. But don’t be fooled. Your gas fireplace needs maintenance, too!
Why Do I Need to Have My Gas Fireplace Cleaned
Many people install a gas fireplace for the convenience. Although there’s nothing that quite compares to settling down in front of a warm, crackling fire, for some people the whole process of getting firewood, stacking it, letting it cure, then laying the firewood, starting it, and keeping it going is just too much effort. When you have a gas fireplace, that work is gone. Just flip a switch and your logs spring to life, ‘burning’ with a natural looking flame that gives you all the ambiance with none of the work. When you’re done, just flip the switch to off and that’s that. No ashes to clean out and dispose of, no worrying about dampers being open or closed, nothing. But there’s actually more to it than that, and that’s why it’s recommended that you have an experienced chimney professional come in and inspect on an annual basis, even if it is a gas burning appliance.
You may wonder why this is so important. When you burn with wood, creosote is created, and that is highly flammable and could cause a chimney fire. It’s easy to understand why wood burners need to be inspected. But with gas, you won’t have that smoke-caused creosote. When you burn with gas, however, there are still byproducts being released up the chimney or venting system, and these can form a slurry of sorts that can contain corrosive material that can eat away at the chimney liner. If your chimney liner becomes corroded or cracked, gases that should be leaving your home through the venting system are being allowed back into your home. This can cause serious health issues for you and for your family members, especially if carbon monoxide is allowed back in. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that, if left to enter your home unhindered, can cause symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headache, vomiting, and, in the worst case scenario, death to occur. This is a big reason why it is so important to have your chimney inspected and cleaned on an annual basis, even if you’re burning with gas instead of wood.
Cleaning Out The Grates
Another thing your chimney care professional will be looking at is the condition of the grate behind the log set that contains the areas where the flames come through. There are actually many little places here that can collect dust and dirt particles and even pet hair, and this needs to be cleaned to prevent a clog or a sudden burst fire. Although this may seem like an easy process, it is definitely best left to the hands of a professional. Although burning with gas is a perfectly safe option, if there is a problem, it’s best to let someone who is trained to take care of it. When you hire the professionals at Chimney Concepts to inspect and clean your gas fireplace, you are hiring people trained in caring for this type of appliance, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of the appliance.
One more thing that you can do is clean the door of your fireplace. This is something that you can do on your own. Just make sure that the pilot light is turned off. If you can, take the glass off and place it on a soft surface. Using a glass cleaner that is made for gas fireplace glass for the best results and a soft cloth, give the glass a good clean. You’ll want to leave the cleaner on the glass for around 15 minutes before wiping it off. If your door is on hinges, just leave it there and do the same.
Call Chimney Concepts
If your gas fireplace needs maintenance, it’s important to call someone who is highly qualified. That’s why you should give Chimney Concepts a call. Our professionals are members of the National Chimney Sweep Guild and the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, as well as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. We love what we do and we love the community we live in, so if you want the job done right by people who care, give us a call soon.