Many homes in Fort Collins have a gas fireplace, but how many homeowners know they need an annual inspection? In this post, we’ll talk about why it’s important to check out your gas fireplace each year and also why it’s best to ask a professional to do it. After your inspection, you’ll have the peace of mind that your home is safe and your fireplace is ready to do its thing for the year to come.
Gas Fireplace Inspections in Fort Collins
The benefits of gas fireplaces are numerous. First, they don’t leave your home smelling like a campfire. Also, they are so user-friendly—no stoking the fire, adding logs, and cleaning out soot and ash. Simply flick a switch, and it’s on. Flick it again, and it’s off. With all that ease, it would be easy to think that you don’t need to do anything else with it.
That’s where you’d be wrong. The main concern with gas fireplaces is that there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning because they’re connected to the gas line. And that’s why it’s important to have annual cleaning for your fireplace (and an annual check on other gas appliances, too, for that matter).
Even though your home has carbon monoxide detectors, they only go off when you have a lethal amount of carbon monoxide in your home. The truth is, you can have small amounts of carbon monoxide in your home that affects your health without you even realizing it. Mild symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are nausea, headaches, confusion, dizziness, blurred vision, and chest pain. All of these things can be a hazard over time, long before you get to the point of losing consciousness.
What happens at a fireplace inspection?
So what exactly happens at a fireplace inspection? A qualified technician will come out to your home and thoroughly check your fireplace. Here’s what’s entailed in most regular maintenance plans.
- Clear out any residue
Of course, gas fireplaces burn cleaner than wood-burning fireplaces. But while you don’t need to hire a chimney sweep as you might with a wood-burning fireplace, it’s still important to have the residue cleaned off the chimney walls and glass doors. - Check any gas components
An essential step in inspection is checking all gas components like the gas valve, pilot light, and thermocouples. A technician is looking for gas leaks and parts showing wear and tear that need to be replaced. Even minor gas leaks can lead to carbon monoxide exposure which has dangerous impacts on our health. - Inspect the damper and the flue
The damper and the flue are important components of your fireplace that are essential in forcing harmful gasses outside. The damper needs to be open any time the fireplace is operating. If it gets closed on accident at some point, the effects could be harmful. And, it’s important to inspect the flue because things can get stuck in there, like leaves, debris, and even small animals.
Why hire a professional for your annual gas fireplace inspection?
There are a few reasons to hire a professional to do regular cleaning for your gas fireplace in Fort Collins. The average homeowner probably does know what to look for or has the equipment required to clean out a flue of a chimney. Additionally, there is more risk anytime you’re working with the gas line. It’s best to let a professional handle your gas fireplace repairs since they work with gas lines every day.
Call Northco Fire Today
If you live in Northern Colorado and know it’s time for your annual fireplace check, give us a call today at 970-412-4516. We’ll schedule a time to come out to your home and make sure you and your family are safe and warm!