We repair and service gas fireplaces across southeast Calgary: pilot and ignition
faults, a fireplace that will not light or will not stay lit, a fan that has stopped, a remote or
wall switch that no longer works, and the annual service that keeps the whole thing safe and
efficient. Desmond Neufeld is a Certified Type B Gasfitter and a Red Seal Journeyman Plumber. We
repair and service gas fireplaces. We do not install them, and we will say so on the phone rather
than send someone out. Call 403-404-9975.
If you smell gas, stop reading
Leave the building, take everyone with you, and call ATCO’s 24 hour emergency line on
1-800-511-3447 from outside. Do not switch anything on or off, and do not use the phone inside
the house. Call us afterwards.
That is the whole safety instruction, and it applies whatever appliance you suspect.
What we repair
It will not light. The usual causes are a pilot that will not stay lit, a failed thermopile or
thermocouple, an ignition module or ignitor at the end of its life, or a control valve fault. On
older units it is very often the thermopile, which is a replaceable part.
It lights and then goes out. A pilot flame that is not correctly positioned on the sensor, a
dirty sensor, a failing thermopile, or a safety switch doing its job because something else is
wrong. That last case is the one that matters, and it is why we look at the whole appliance rather
than swapping the obvious part and leaving.
The remote or wall switch does nothing. Batteries, receiver, wiring, or the millivolt circuit
that runs many of these fireplaces. Usually a small job.
The fan has stopped or is noisy. Blowers are replaceable and the noisy ones tend to announce
themselves for months before they stop.
The glass is sooty, cloudy or cracked. Soot on the glass is a combustion signal, not just a
cleaning problem, and it is worth investigating rather than wiping. A cracked or missing glass
panel means the fireplace should not be run until it is replaced, because on a direct vent unit the
glass is part of the sealed combustion system.
The pilot is on all summer and you would like it not to be. We will show you how to shut it
down safely in spring and light it again in autumn, or do it for you as part of a seasonal visit.
The annual service
A gas fireplace is a gas appliance that most people never have looked at, which is a strange gap
given how carefully the same household will treat its furnace.
A service covers the burner and pilot assembly cleaned and checked, the thermopile or thermocouple
tested, ignition tested, the glass and gasket inspected, the venting inspected, the log or ember
set positioned correctly, which matters more than it sounds because badly placed logs cause
sooting, the fan cleaned, and a gas pressure and safety check.
Two reasons it is worth doing. The first is carbon monoxide: any combustion appliance deserves
a check, and a fireplace runs in the room you sit in. The second is that a badly burning fireplace
sooots its own glass and its own firebox, and cleaning it up later costs more than the service
would have.
What we do not do
We do not install gas fireplaces, and we do not supply them. If you are buying a new fireplace,
buy it from a fireplace specialist and have them install it. Once it is in and running, we are
happy to look after it.
We do not do fireplace masonry, mantels or surrounds.
We do not do wood burning fireplaces, inserts or chimneys. Different trade, different
certification.
What we do is the gas side: the appliance, the gas line to it, and the safety of both.
What we do adjacent to this
- Gas lines for a fireplace, a BBQ, a fire pit, a garage heater, a range or a dryer. See
gas fitting. - Gas line repairs, including where an existing line has been damaged in a renovation.
- Furnace, boiler and combination unit work. See furnaces and
boilers.
Before you call, two things that help
Find the model number. It is usually on a plate behind the lower louvre panel or inside the
control compartment at the bottom of the unit. With the make and model we can bring the right parts
on the first visit rather than the second.
Note what it does. Does the pilot light at all? Does it light and then drop out after a few
seconds or a few minutes? Is there a click when you press the switch? Those three answers tell us
most of what we need before we arrive.
Booking it
Call 403-404-9975. We work across southeast Calgary. If your fireplace is out and the
weather is cold, say so when you call.
How we price this work
We charge by the job, not by the hour. You get one number for the finished work, agreed before
anything starts and always in writing. Parts, labour and disposal are in the number you agreed. If
we find something else once we are in, we stop and re-quote, and you decide.
If we open it up and find the honest answer is that the appliance is beyond economic repair, we
will tell you that plainly rather than sell you a part that buys a season.
Frequently asked questions
Do you install gas fireplaces?
No. We repair and service them, and we do the gas fitting side of the work, but we do not install or supply fireplaces. If you are buying a new one, buy from a fireplace specialist and have them install it. We are happy to service it afterwards.
My gas fireplace will not light. What is usually wrong?
On older units, most often the thermopile or thermocouple, which is a replaceable part. On newer ones, the ignition module or ignitor. Other common causes are a pilot that will not stay lit, a dirty flame sensor, or a control valve fault. If it lights and then goes out, a safety may be doing its job because something else is wrong, which is worth diagnosing rather than overriding.
Why is the glass on my gas fireplace black?
Soot on the glass is a combustion signal rather than a cleaning problem. It usually means the log or ember set has been moved out of position, the burner needs cleaning, or the air to fuel mixture is off. Wiping the glass without fixing the cause means it comes back, and a fireplace that soots is a fireplace worth having looked at.
Should a gas fireplace be serviced every year?
It is a combustion appliance running in the room you sit in, so yes. A service covers the burner and pilot, the thermopile, ignition, glass and gasket, venting, log placement, the fan and a gas safety check. Most fireplaces in Calgary have never had one.
Can I turn my pilot light off in summer?
On most standing pilot fireplaces, yes, and it saves a small amount of gas across the season. There is a correct way to shut it down and relight it, and we will either show you or do it as part of a seasonal visit.
What do I do if I smell gas?
Leave the building with everyone in it, do not touch switches or use a phone inside, and call ATCO’s 24 hour emergency line on 1-800-511-3447 from outside. Call us afterwards.
Written by Desmond Neufeld, Red Seal Journeyman Plumber and Certified Type B Gasfitter. Last updated 23 August 2026.
