I just bought a house with a gas fireplace that doesn't work and there's no manual — how do I figure out what's wrong?
Around Mars Hill it depends on where you landed — out in Spring Creek or Gabriels Creek you're likely on propane or wood, so check the tank first, while university-area rentals tend to be easy-use gas that got neglected. Either way, read the rating plate to confirm the fuel and model. This is one of the colder spots we serve, so sort it before the deep cold.
Rural propane versus in-town gas
Mars Hill splits between the university area and the rural valleys of Spring Creek, Gabriels Creek, and Forks of Ivy, and the fuel splits with it. Out in the country, many homes run propane or burn wood — so if that's you, confirm the propane tank has fuel and the valve is open before anything else.
In town, the rentals lean toward simple gas units that tenants ran without upkeep. The metal rating plate marks LP or NG and gives the brand and model to look up, which turns 'no manual, no idea' into a short list you can actually work before you spend a dollar.
A colder pocket of Madison County
Mars Hill sits at one of the higher, colder elevations in the area, so a fireplace that sat through a sale is worth sorting well before the academic-year cold sets in. If it's a gas unit, the usual unknown-history culprit is a pilot and burner fouled over an idle season; if it's actually a wood unit tucked up one of these hollows, the flue may need a look and a sweep.
That's a cleaning and a tune-up, not a replacement, and we'll tell you plainly if it's worth keeping. We're a licensed gas contractor about 30 minutes north and permit any new work, meeting the inspector ourselves. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Mars Hill
We install and service fireplaces throughout Mars Hill and the rest of Madison County — just 30 minutes north from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- The builder-installed fireplace in my new-construction home has never worked — what should I check?
- How do I tell whether my gas fireplace has a standing pilot or electronic ignition?
- Why won't my gas fireplace turn on at all?
- Nothing happens when I flip the switch on my fireplace — where do I start troubleshooting?
- How do I relight the pilot light on my gas fireplace?