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On a more serious manly question - fireplace question

moog5050

By moog5050,
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moog5050 Mentor

moog5050

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Anyone here know anything about gas fireplaces.  Mine wasn't working and a company came over relit the pilot and it worked fine until 5 minutes after they left. Came back and are now telling me the entire system needs to be replaced because the pilot won't stay lit and the entire guts, remote etc. all come as one unit.  $1200.  Does that make sense.  I am a DIYer most of the time but this is way outside of my skill set (primarily because the net sites all advise to hire a qualified professional).  No easy fix it videos. 

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fasteddie Grand Master

fasteddie

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Don't know who your maintainance person is but we bought a gas stove to replace our wood burning stove from Williamson Hardware . They have been in the business for years . I have never heard anything bad about them . It might pay to get a second opinion . 

p.s.  I have been to your home . You can afford the $1200 .   :rolleyes:

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Lawdwaz Grand Master

Lawdwaz

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3 hours ago, moog5050 said:

Anyone here know anything about gas fireplaces.  Mine wasn't working and a company came over relit the pilot and it worked fine until 5 minutes after they left. Came back and are now telling me the entire system needs to be replaced because the pilot won't stay lit and the entire guts, remote etc. all come as one unit.  $1200.  Does that make sense.  I am a DIYer most of the time but this is way outside of my skill set (primarily because the net sites all advise to hire a qualified professional).  No easy fix it videos. 

I'll ask my wife in the morning.......:)

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moog5050 Mentor

moog5050

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Doing some more reading and i will definitely try cleaning the pilot and testing the thermocouple.  I am going to be annoyed if this tech was trying rip me off.  He never suggested that could be the issue but the web gurus say it's one of these inexpensive fixes 99% of the time. 

Thanks gents and lady.  

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Doewhacker Newbie

Doewhacker

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3 hours ago, moog5050 said:

Doing some more reading and i will definitely try cleaning the pilot and testing the thermocouple.  I am going to be annoyed if this tech was trying rip me off.  He never suggested that could be the issue but the web gurus say it's one of these inexpensive fixes 99% of the time. 

Thanks gents and lady.  

That happens all too often, thermocouples are usually about a $6 part.

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Culvercreek hunt club Enthusiast

Culvercreek hunt club

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They aren't complex systems. Usually only two options. Thermocouple of bad gas control valve. I can't believe the control valve is proprietary to the manufacturer but the service companies shy away from component replacements that the manufacture don't supply as a unit. You should be able to get the make model and numbers off the control valve and they aren't hard replacements. the biggest PITA is the small work area. Hell for 1200 you are about in a new gas fireplace. 

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chas0218 Newbie

chas0218

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I third or was it fifth the thermocoupler. They are cheap and come off easily with an open end wrench. Take it to any plumbing/HVAC place and they should have one in stock that will work. Not sure if you are in the webster area or not but there has to be a place in rochester that deals with that stuff.

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SteveB Enthusiast

SteveB

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Many have a thermopile not a thermocouple. When they go bad, there may be enough millivolts generated to light the pilot but will drop out when the burner is lit. It is almost never a bad valve. Sometime a simple pilot adjustment is all it takes. A bit more flame and/or adjusting it so it hits the top 1/3 of the coupler/pile. 

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moog5050 Mentor

moog5050

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Well thanks for all the suggestions.  After a bit of cleaning this morning, my conclusion is that the service tech was full of crap.  Found the manual on line, cleaned and lit the pilot, cleaned the glass and it's been running fine all morning.  Great news, saved $1200, bad news, once again my trust in the integrity of others is diminished a bit.  Why won't many people just do a good job for a fair price.  Happy to pay for that but hate being swindled.  It's the reason I typically try to do most repairs myself.  Kinda sad.

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