How To Fix A Gas Fireplace That Keeps Shutting Off

Picture this scenario: you get home from a long day at work. You’re tired and ready to unwind in front of your fireplace. So what do you do? You turn on your gas-powered fireplace, pull up a chair and close your eyes to relax. Sounds perfect, except for one thing: the fire won’t stay lit. How do you fix a gas fireplace that keeps shutting off? Today, we’re going to cover four solutions that can help solve this problem.

What are the parts of a gas fireplace?

A gas fireplace works by tapping into your natural gas or propane supply. A gas fireplace has several main components:

• A pilot light;
• Three sensors: the thermocouple, the thermopile, and an oxygen sensor;
• And the heating element.

So first, check your pilot light

The first step you should take to troubleshoot a gas fireplace that keeps shutting off is to check your pilot light. Just like with your gas-powered furnace, your gas fireplace has a pilot light that will ignite whenever you flip the switch to turn on your system. Get down on your knees and see if a blue flame is visible. If not, you may simply need to restart. Checking your pilot light is a fast and easy way to fix a gas fireplace that keeps shutting off.

It’s time to inspect some sensors

However, if you can’t get the pilot light to reignite, you may have a problem with one of three sensors within your gas fireplace insert system. First, the thermocouple regulates the temperature of your fireplace. If it’s gone bad, it will prevent the pilot light from igniting.

Second, your thermopile may have an undiagnosed issue. This sensor opens and closes the gas valves whenever you try to start a fire. If it’s broken, fuel cannot get to the system. Finally, check your oxygen sensor. As this checks the amount of oxygen within your living space, if it’s broken it’s likely to stop the fireplace from working altogether.

Repairing major problems with these sensors is a job best handled by your Ye Old Brit technician. If you find that they’re not working as intended, just let us know.

You may need to clean the heating element

Some may refer to your heating element as the burner. Whichever terminology you use, check to see if they’re dirty. If they are, clean them. This may be all that you need to do to fix a gas fireplace that keeps shutting off.

Finally, is the gas working elsewhere?

Our final solution is to confirm that the gas supply to the rest of your home is working properly. If you have a gas-powered stove, see if it turns on.

If your home uses a forced air HVAC system, engage it. If neither of these works, it’s likely that the problem rests with your home’s natural gas line or propane tank rather than the fireplace itself.

Still having problems? Then contact our office today!

If none of the above solutions work, then it’s time to contact the professionals. With over 30 years of experience in the industry and experts trained to handle problems like these with ease, our team can save you many headaches with our efficient solutions.

Ready to get started? Then contact Ye Old Brit at (909) 880-2120 or send us a message through our website contact form.