Gas Fire Specialists

All gas appliances, including your gas fire, should be safety checked at least once a year and serviced according to manufacturer's instructions. Failing to have your gas fire regularly serviced and safety checked could be putting you and your family at risk with possible fire danger and potential carbon monoxide poisoning. The annual gas safety check involves a Gas Safe registered engineer inspecting your gas fire and ensuring it is on the right setting and burning correctly with the correct operating pressure. They also check that all harmful gases are being removed from the fire safely to the air outside and any ventilation routes are clear and working properly.

Gas Fire Safety Check

This annual check also identifies any defects which require remedial work. Some gas suppliers may offer a free gas safety check if you are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick or if you have children under 5 years old. A gas safety check assesses the basic safety of a gas appliance, whereas a service will involve taking the appliance apart to assess the physical condition of the appliance, the installation pipework, air vents and any flues. Servicing will generally also include performance tests and should be carried out in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.

If your gas fire is not working properly or you notice it is burning with a lazy yellow flame instead of a crisp blue flame, and/or can see black marks or soot stains on or around your fire - you need to call an engineer as soon as possible. If the engineer identifies a problem with your gas fire he or she will follow the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure when assessing the risks of an unsafe gas appliance and will leave you with a report which explains what checks they have completed. A typical gas fire safety check cost is around £35 to £60.

Typical Gas Fire Problems

Typical problems include incorrect gas pressure causing the fire to shut down, a drop in pressure will mean that the safety device on fire will shut the fire down to protect you. The chimney draw can also cause the pilot flame to lift away from the thermocouple if it is too strong which will make the safety device to shut the fire down.

The fire will also shut down if the chimney has become blocked, as this will cause the fire to spill dangerous fumes into the room. No electrical power means that most gas fires will not operate, if fire is powered by a mains supply check if a power cut, fuse blown or check and change the batteries. Other common problems tend to be caused by incorrect installation.

Gas fires are supplied with an installation manual and should be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions to ensure it is safe. The warranty will be invalid if the fire has been wrongly installed, so ensure your fire is installed by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer who will provide a certificate showing the work that has been done and confirming that it is safe. Typical gas fire installation cost will be around £200, plus the cost of the gas fire and surround itself.

Find a Local Gas Engineer

You can use the "post your job" button on the left hand side of this page to have local gas engineers get in touch with you to arrange a safety check, repair, gas fire installation or replacement. The service is completely free and takes just a few minutes. Local gas engineers will be happy to provide quotes for their services with fixed prices and no obligation.

When comparing quotes, remember to always use a gas engineer who is on the Gas Safe Register, never choose a gas fitter on first impressions or recommendations alone, always ask for the Gas Safe Register ID card and check that the engineer is registered to put in a gas fire. You can double check that a gas engineer is registered by calling the free Gas Safe helpline on 0800 408 5500.