Our Process
How gas fireplaces are installed in Heathrow
Horizontal vent caps on an outside wall
A direct-vent cap on an outside wall has to stay clear of openings people breathe through. Florida's fuel gas code, in Table 503.8, sets it at least 12 inches above the ground, a porch or a deck, and away from any window or door that opens by 9 inches for units over 10,000 up to 50,000 Btu/h, or 12 inches for units over 50,000 up to 150,000.
The manual for a given model can ask for more, and when it does, the larger number wins. Our installers measure the cap position on your Heathrow home against both before the hole is cut.
Natural gas or propane fireplace installation
The rating plate names the one fuel a gas fireplace is built for. One direct-vent manual says its fireplace is for use only with the gas type on the plate and cannot be converted without the maker's conversion kit. It also says propane tanks belong outdoors, never inside any structure.
Before a unit is ordered, our specialists confirm which fuel your Heathrow home has at the planned location and order the matching model. Switching fuels later is a job for the maker's kit and a qualified technician.
Normal quirks of a newly installed gas fireplace
A few things surprise new owners. One maker's manual explains that condensation on the glass at startup is normal and clears as the unit warms, that flames start blue and turn more yellow as the unit heats, and that ticking or metallic noises come from metal expanding and contracting.
It also says a film on the glass after the first burns is normal and should be cleaned with a non-abrasive gas fireplace glass cleaner. We go over each of these during the walkthrough in your Heathrow home, so nothing new sounds like a fault.
Yearly service for a newly installed gas fireplace
Even a brand-new unit needs a yearly look. One maker's manual asks for the burner system and the venting to be inspected annually by a qualified service person, and for the control compartment, burner and air passages to be kept clean.
Our fireplace maintenance visits cover the burner, the glass seal, the barrier, the controls and the vent cap outside. Homeowners in Heathrow can book the first one on the same terms as the installation, with a written record each time. The record makes the next visit faster, because the technician starts from what was found last year.
