Why the yearly inspection isn't optional
The EPA says fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces included, should be inspected by a trained professional at the start of every heating season, and that flues and chimneys need to be connected, in good condition and not blocked. The Consumer Product Safety Commission adds that the inspector should look for blockages, corrosion, loose connections and partial or complete disconnections in the venting. None of that is visible from the living room, so a fireplace that ran fine last winter still needs the visit.
Know which kind you have
The type changes what can go wrong, so ask the technician to confirm it if your paperwork doesn't:
- Direct-vent (sealed): pulls all its combustion air from outdoors through its own vent and has a sealed glass front. The Building America Solution Center says this type isn't affected by how tight the house is or by exhaust fans.
- Natural-draft (B-vent or an older masonry chimney): uses room air and relies on the chimney's draft. It's most likely to be backdrafted by kitchen or bath exhaust fans when the chimney is cold, such as right at startup or on a low flame. If you've had air sealing, new windows or a bigger range hood since last season, mention it when you book.
- Vent-free (ventless): sends its exhaust into the room. The same federal guidance recommends against installing these in a home's living space, and where energy raters test them, a reading above 35 ppm of carbon monoxide near the unit is a fail that means service or replacement. If you have one, ask for a CO check, and never run it in a room where someone is sleeping, which CPSC specifically warns against.
Your cold, hands-off check
With the fireplace off and cool to the touch:
- Clear at least 3 feet in front of it. The U.S. Fire Administration uses that distance for anything that can burn, and that includes holiday decorations, throw blankets and stacked firewood left over from a wood-burning fireplace. Your model's manual may require more clearance around the mantel.
- Look at the glass front for cracks or a missing or loose safety screen. CPSC has flagged severe contact burns to young children from the hot glass on vented gas fireplaces, so the screen that came with it should be on.
- Walk outside and find the vent termination. Note anything covering or crowding it: shrubs, a new deck, leaves, or tarps and debris from a renovation, which CPSC calls out by name. Don't pull off the cap, reach into it or climb a roof to look.
Test the CO alarms first
EPA says to have a CO alarm on every level, basement included, and near each sleeping area, and to test them monthly. Before the fireplace season is a good time to do it. Two catches from CPSC: pressing the test button checks the circuitry, not whether the sensor still detects CO, and alarms have a replacement age, with newer ones chirping an end-of-life signal. How often to replace smoke and CO alarms covers the timing. A working alarm is a backstop, not a reason to run a fireplace with a known problem.
What to ask the technician
- Do you service this make and model, and will you follow the manufacturer's maintenance checklist?
- Will you check the vent from end to end for blockage, corrosion and loose or separated sections?
- Will you check the burner, pilot and ignition, the gas connection for leaks, and the glass gasket on a sealed unit?
- For a natural-draft or vent-free unit, will you do a CO or draft test with the house's exhaust fans running?
- Can I get a written note of what you checked, what needs repair, and whether it's safe to use?
Keep that note with the manual. It's the same idea as what a furnace tune-up report should say: a list of what was actually checked is worth more than a sticker. If you're giving up on the fireplace instead, see what to check before closing up an unused fireplace.
Gas smell or CO alarm: get out first
If you smell gas, leave right away without flipping switches or using your phone inside, then call from outside: PGW at 215-235-1212 in Philadelphia, or PECO at 1-800-841-4141 if PECO is your gas utility. If a CO alarm sounds, or people feel headachy, dizzy or sick to their stomach, get everyone outside and call 911. Don't go back in until responders say so, and don't use the fireplace again until a technician has serviced it. When a CO alarm means leave the house explains the alarm patterns.