QUESTIONS & ANSWERS from "Ask-the-Wizard":

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM:

paulaa:

Regarding re-lighting the pilot on your Majestic gas fireplace, we found a free video for you on the Majestic website that shows you exactly how to do it. You can see it online at: http://www.majesticproducts.com/ and it is right in the middle of the homepage of the website. The video runs about 2-3 minutes, and shows you the entire procedure in detail. If after seeing the video you are not completely comfortable doing the re-lighting yourself, then you should definately consider bringing in a professional.

If you need more information than you get from the video (since the video is for one particular model of Majestic gas fireplace, and your model may have a different pilot lighting system), then you can download the owner's manual for your particular model of Majestic gas fireplace at:

 http://www.majesticproducts.com/content/support/manuals.cfm?browse=drilldown&categoryid=5

We hope this is helpful for you.
Sincerely,
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "Terry":

My propane fireplace comes on with a loud bang when the gas ignites. I've had it serviced twice for the same problem but to date it still exists. Any ideas as to what might be causing this problem. I'm afraid it is going to blow the glass out one of these times.

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM:

Terry:

We STRONGLY recommend that you not use your gas fireplace until a qualified service technician has done a full inspection and made the appropriate repairs or adjustments to your unit. It should not be making a bang when you ignite it. There are several things which could potentially be causing this, but without doing a physical inspection of the unit, its not possible to say exactly what it is. It sounds like you have had someone look at your unit before. They may be very qualified, but I would suggest that you contact the manufacturer of your unit, and ask if they can provide a list of qualified technicians in your area, for your particular gas fireplace.

And again, we suggest not using your unit until the ignition problem is resolved.

Sincerely,
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "Bshipperbkbb1":

I have a customer with a gas fireplace and here is the question...he has a 110 live power line coming from the wall switch that he want to install to the igniter and i refuse to do it because i am afraid it may cause serious damage or can result in death.  The box doesn't show a ce mark!  Anyway the gas fireplace came from a company called 'Stuart'.

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM:

Bshipperbkbb1:

I think you are VERY wise to be cautious about adding any wiring to a gas fireplace. A gas fireplace should only be installed in accordance with the exact specifications provided by the manufacturer for that particular unit. And you are correct, electricity and gas can become a very dangerous combination.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "Julie in Colorado":

My gas fireplace continually has a strong odor when on (kind of like burning urine). We have lived here for 2 years and have not had it serviced. Is it possibly a simple matter of needing a professional cleaning service, or could it be something else, more dangerous?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM:

Julie in Colorado:

No, it is not normal for a gas fireplace to give off a strong smell for this long of a time. The strong "urine" smell could be urethane insulation that is too close to the firebox or vent pipe. Or if you are running on natural gas, it could be the mercaptan odorant in the gas which is leaking.

But regardless, I would strongly recommend that you be safe and shut off your gas fireplace until you have the unit thoroughly inspected by a service technician who is qualified to work on your particular model of gas fireplace.

The technician should inspect whether there is insulation anywhere that is too close to the unit or vent piping. And the technician should also check for any gas or vent piping leaks.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "Lezlie":

We have a gas fireplace that has a switch that turns the gas on and off. With the pilot light on. When we turn on the fireplace it runs for awhile and then it quits and sometimes it starts up again in a little while. How do we figure out what is wrong? What type of repair person takes care of this?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM:

Lezlie:

It sounds like your gas fireplace could have a thermostat control, that when the room (or fireplace unit) come up to temperature, that it tells the fireplace to shutdown. Then when the room (or unit) cools down, it tells it to come back on. And it would work like this when the switch for the fireplace was in the "on" position.

A common "complaint" with gas fireplaces is that they are so efficient, that they can heat up a room fairly quickly, and then if they have a thermostat control, they will shut down to keep from overheating the room. One way around this is to turn down the flame settings down as low as possible, but you loose the nice look of the flames in the fireplace. And another alternative, is with some models, you can add piping and a blower that takes heat from the fireplace and has it blow into an adjacent room (if your rooms will allow this configuration). This way the fireplace can run, but not all the heat goes into the room it is in (so the fireplace can run longer).

Getting back to your question about a service person, I would suggest that you contact the manufacturer of your particular brand of fireplace, and ask them for a list of qualified and trained service technicians in your area who they have approved to work on your brand of fireplace.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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FOLLOW-UP QUESTION from Lezlie on 1/9/2008

Re: Gas Fireplace, that was extremely helpful. Thanks!
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QUESTION from "Shirley":

I have a Majestic gas fireplace with an automatic pilot light that keeps blowing out after a period of time. We tried cleaning it for dust accumulation, but it still blew out. Help

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM:

Dear Shirley:

We are of the firm belief that when it comes to gas appliances, they should be inspected and adjusted by trained professionals.

Here's a link that will give you a list of authorized Majestic fireplace dealers in your area:

http://www.majesticproducts.com/content/wheretobuy/locator/index.cfm?locatortype=dealer

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "billsfishing":

Hi, I have a propane gas insert. I think it is ventless.  The box has no openings in it.  My problem is, it gives off a odor.  I'm not sure how to explain the odor, propane?  I'm not sure, but I don't like the smell.  Help!

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM:

Dear billsfishing:

We recommend not taking any chances with odors from a propane gas fireplace. You should contact the manufacturer of your particular gas fireplace, and get a list of qualified service technicians in your area. And if it were me, I'd be slightly opening a window in the room with the fireplace, to provide fresh air until you know what the source of the smell is.

If your fireplace is brand new, and the smell is somewhat metallic, it could be typical for a unit that is heating up the first several times. But it is better to find out for sure from a qualified service technician for your specific unit.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from schultz6 on 4/16/2008:

Our majestic fireplace is on for awhile and than goes off. Pilot is still on.

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM 4/16/2008:

Dear schultz6:

Does your gas fireplace have a thermostat control? If so, it is normal for it to shutoff when the room comes up to the set temperature of the thermostat, and then it automatically comes back on when the temperature in the room drops below the set temperature.

One issue that homeowners sometimes find with gas fireplaces (versus gas logs) is that gas fireplaces are so efficient (especially if they also have a blower) that they heat up a room very quickly and therefore end up cycling on and off frequently. One remedy for this is that some gas fireplaces have attachments that allow you to safely vent heat into other rooms, which allows the fireplace to run longer in the room where it is located.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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FOLLOW-UP QUESTION from schultz6 on 4/16/2008:

No it does not

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 4/16/2008:

Dear schultz6:

Since you say that your gas fireplace does not have a thermostat, here are some possible things that could be causing your fireplace to cycle on and off:

1) You could have a high limit on your vent pipe, which is there for safety reasons.

2) Your fireplace door could have a switch that must be in the closed position to operate, and if the door isn't fitting snugly, or if the switch is faulty, then the heat of the fire can move the door, causing the switch to go off. As it cools down, it moves back and makes contact with the switch again.

3) There could be a loose wire somewhere in your system.

4) The pilot light sensor may not be reading the pilot light properly when your fireplace is running up at temperature.

With the exception of possibly the door, the other items are fairly complicated to diagnose and correct, and we would suggest that you have a trained professional inspect your unit.

If it helps, here is the toll-free customer service number for Majestic: 1-800-668-5323

Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from mike on 4/13/2008:

can i bleed my own gas lines my gas been shut off four 5 days

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 4/13/2008:

Dear Mike:

When not managed properly, natural gas can be VERY dangerous.

We would suggest that your gas lines only be bled by a licensed profession who has the experience and skills to do this.

Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from simone on 4/6/2008:

hi i have a gas fire and when the fire is switched off, and its windy outside, there a strong smell of gas seems to blow from the fire. this only happens when its windy outside and the fires off. is this normal?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 4/6/2008:
Dear Simone:

No, this is NOT normal. We would suggest that you immediately contact an authorized service techician for your gas fireplace.

When it is windy outside, and blowing across the top of your chimney, it can be causing a pressure differential between the inside of your house and the outside of your house. This could be causing the gas from your fireplace to be sucked into your home. This situation is similar to problems in some homes that show up when an exhaust fan in a bathroom or kitchen causes a negative pressure differential, which can also cause gas from a fireplace to be sucked into the house, rather than venting out the chimney.

You should have your fireplace checked thoroughly for leaks, and whether it needs a fresh air make-up kit, etc.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from sandy_92766 on 3/21/2008:

not sure how to open my majestic gas fire place door to clean the glass

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 3/21/2008:

Dear sandy_92766:

If you look on page 25 of this online guide, it explains how to open the glass of one model of Majestic Gas Fireplace: 

http://www.cfmcustomercare.com/elements/uploads/files/Manual_BDHT36majestic_EN.pdf

However, if you go to this page: 

http://www.cfmcustomercare.com/content/manuals/index.cfm

you can select the exact manual for your particular model of fireplace from Majestic.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from BrendaJ61 on 1/30/2008:

I have a propane gas log fireplace that I use very rarely. I just had the tank filled, but when I turn on the fireplace, the burner lights, but the flame never gets higher than the burner. Any suggestions?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 1/31/2008:
Dear BrendaJ61:

Most gas log fireplaces allow you to adjust the flame height. To see exactly how to do this, you should look at your owner's manual (or go online to get one from the manufacturer of your specific fireplace).

But if you have not had your fireplace serviced for a while by a qualified service technician, then you should definately schedule a visit as soon as possible. I'd be suspicious as to why the flame height has gone down, and whether there are any obstructions. With gas fireplaces it is always best to be on the safe side. A qualified service technician can check things out and make sure that everything is operating properly.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Ryan on 4/21/2008:

I have a RFSDV42 RP propane stove.  It sometimes gives a poof when it shuts down. It has been professionally cleaned and set up twice in the last two years.  The pilot light keeps going out.  5 times in March and April.
Why?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM ON 4/21/2008

Dear Ryan:

I assume from your model number that your gas stove is by Majestic. For the problem you are having with your pilot light, I would suggest that you contact Majestic at their toll-free number: 1-800-668-5323

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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