While gas fireplaces are far more convenient and easy to use than a traditional wood burning fireplace, they’re not 100% maintenance free. It’s a good idea to have your gas fireplace maintenance completed at the beginning of summer so you can turn your pilot off (which is going to save you money!) & get it ready for the next cold season.
How To Prepare Your Gas Fireplace for Summer
Step #1: Turn Off the Pilot Light
The most important part of summer maintenance for gas fireplaces is turning off the pilot light. If you take the time to turn off the pilot light for summer, it will save you money and keep your fireplace in optimal working condition.
Since you won’t be using your fireplace during the summer months, there’s no reason to pay to keep the pilot lit. It may not seem like it’s using a lot of energy, but over time the costs start to add up. You can save anywhere from $50 – $150 each summer by turning off your pilot light.
On top of costing money, leaving the pilot light on causes buildup on the glass covering of your fireplace. While the build-up is normal for gas fireplaces, there’s no point in allowing it to accumulate more than necessary. This is one of the most important steps of preparing your gas fireplace for summer.
Step #2: Clean the Fireplace Glass
As I mentioned before, build up is a normal part of owning a gas fireplace. When you’re preparing your gas fireplace for summer, it’s the perfect time to clean off all of the creosote that has caked onto the glass of your fireplace over the colder months.
A fireplace with a lot of build-up will look like this:
But don’t worry, it’s not permanent!
Be sure that the pilot light is off before you clean, as a general safety measure. Allow the glass to cool down completely before cleaning it. If the glass is still hot it could shatter from contact with cooler cleaning supplies. Never use abrasive chemicals to clean your fireplace glass, as scratching from the cleaners could cause the glass to shatter.
Get detailed instructions on How to Get Your Fireplace Glass Clean.
Step #3: Clean the Fireplace Insert
Over the year, dust and debris can accumulate inside of your fireplace insert. To keep your fireplace in great condition for years to come, we recommend the following maintenance on gas fireplaces annually:
- Remove the glass and clean the logs. When removing the glass, be very careful not to scratch the glass. A scratch could compromise the integrity of the glass. Set it on a scratch-proof surface, like a soft towel. Vacuum and wipe down in and around the fireplace.
- Clean the pilot assembly valves and check for leaks. Start your winter off right! Don’t wait until it’s cold to find that you have a leak or broken valve.
- Add new embers. Keep your fireplace looking new by replacing the embers each year.
- Clean the glass (see step 2) and reassemble the glass. Keep your home looking spotless with clean glass on your fireplace.
Fireplace inserts can trap dust in the artificial wood grain and other nooks and crannies. Make sure your fireplace always looks its best by giving it a general cleaning each summer when it’s not in use.
With these steps for preparing your gas fireplace for summer, you’ll be able to keep your gas fireplace looking great year-round and save money on your summer utility bills. Be warned though, fireplace upkeep can be a dirty job, and fireplace glass can break easily if you aren’t experienced with this type of work.
That’s where we come in! Cody’s offers affordable fireplace maintenance cleaning so you can sit back and leave it to the pros. So call us today or conveniently schedule fireplace maintenance service online to keep your fireplace clean and ready to go for next season.
