What should I check before lighting my gas fireplace for the first time each fall?
In Asheville, the check depends on which house you're in: a Montford or North Asheville home with vented gas logs in an original masonry firebox needs the damper clamped open and the flue clear, while a clean-face direct-vent unit in newer South Asheville construction needs its glass seal and sidewall vent cap inspected. Either way, hunt for the summer's cobwebs first.
Two housing stocks, one question
Half our Asheville calls come from Montford and North Asheville, where a vented gas log set sits in an original masonry fireplace — those need the damper clamped in the open position and a glance up the flue for whatever a chimney swift left over the summer. The other half are clean-face, direct-vent units in South Asheville and West Asheville builds, where the job is confirming the glass front is clipped tight against a good gasket. Know which one you own before you strike the flame, because the wrong assumption is how a room fills with soot on the first cold night.
Cobwebs love an idle summer
At 2,134 feet the nights drop into the 20s well into spring, so your fireplace works hard here — then sits untouched all summer collecting dust and spider silk on the burner and pilot hood. Shine a flashlight on the burner ports and pilot before you light. If the first burn comes up lazy, yellow-tipped, or sooty, a log has drifted out of its factory seat or the orifices are fouled. Drop fresh batteries into the remote and receiver too, so a dead cell doesn't masquerade as a broken fireplace.
Where the DIY check stops
Cleaning the pilot assembly, brushing the burner ports, or testing the thermocouple is our work, not yours — and we're right up the road at 629 Emma Rd in West Asheville. A tune-up starts at $189 and usually spares you the January no-heat call. If the pilot won't hold or you smell gas at all, shut it down and call (828) 545-0525. There's more in our [annual maintenance](/guides/annual-gas-fireplace-maintenance) guide.
Fireplace help in Asheville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Asheville and the rest of Buncombe County — we're headquartered right here.
Related questions
- What should I do before the first fire of the season in my wood-burning fireplace or wood stove?
- Why does my fireplace smell like burning dust the first time I use it each year, and is that normal?
- What do I need to do to get my gas fire pit running again after it sat unused all winter?
- Should I leave my gas fireplace pilot light on all summer or turn it off?
- How do I light the pilot light on my gas fireplace?