A gas fireplace gets used perhaps twenty evenings a year in San Antonio and then sits untouched for eleven months. That usage pattern is exactly why they fail on the first cold night — components corrode, spiders nest in pilot orifices over the summer, and nobody finds out until the temperature drops and the burner will not light. October is the sensible month to have it looked at. November is when everyone else calls.
If you can smell gas near the fireplace
- Leave the building. Do not switch anything on or off, including light switches, and do not use your phone indoors.
- Once you are outside and clear, call CPS Energy’s 24-hour line at (210) 353-4357.
- Call 911 first if the smell is strong or anyone feels lightheaded.
- Do not go back inside to look for the source.
Call us once the property has been cleared and we will find and fix what caused it.
What we get called out for
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The pilot will not stay lit
Usually a failing thermocouple or thermopile — the sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is actually burning. When it weakens, the valve closes as designed and the pilot dies.
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Pilot lights, burner does not
Points at the gas valve, the wall switch or remote receiver, or a thermopile no longer generating enough voltage to open the main valve.
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No ignition at all
On electronic ignition units this is often the igniter, the control module, or a tripped safety interlock rather than a gas supply problem.
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Delayed ignition with a thump
Gas accumulating before it lights, usually from partially blocked burner ports. Worth dealing with promptly rather than living with.
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Soot, or yellow flames
Incomplete combustion, often from incorrect log placement, a blocked vent, or a poor air-to-gas mixture. It means the unit is not burning cleanly.
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A gas odour near the unit
A connection, valve or line fault. Treat it as the box above describes rather than as something to schedule for next week.
Why this is a licensed plumber’s job in Texas
Running, altering or repairing gas piping in Texas is plumbing work, regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. That matters for two practical reasons beyond compliance. Unpermitted gas work is a routine finding during a home sale inspection and a routine cause of a delayed closing. And homeowner’s insurance carriers have been known to contest claims arising from gas appliance work carried out by someone not licensed to do it.
Worth asking any contractor: is the gas connection itself in their scope, and under whose license? Some fireplace and hearth specialists install the appliance but subcontract or simply omit the gas line work — which is the part that needs the license.
Annual service, and why spiders are the reason
The single most common cause of a fireplace that will not light after a long summer is a pilot orifice partly blocked by web or debris. It is a genuinely trivial fault that reliably strands people on the first cold evening of the year, which is also the evening every plumber in the city is booked.
- Pilot assembly and orifice cleaned and checked.
- Thermocouple or thermopile output measured rather than guessed at.
- Gas pressure verified at the valve.
- Burner ports inspected and cleared.
- Log placement checked against the manufacturer’s diagram — it affects both flame appearance and sooting.
- Venting, glass gasket seal, and a leak check on accessible connections.
New installations
| Type | What to know |
|---|---|
| Direct vent | Sealed combustion, drawing air from outside and venting out. The usual choice for a new install — safest and most efficient — but it needs an exterior wall or roof route. |
| Vent free | No flue required, so placement is flexible, but it puts combustion moisture into the room and is restricted or prohibited in some jurisdictions and room types. Check before committing. |
| B vent | Vents through an existing vertical flue and draws combustion air from the room. Usually only sensible where a suitable chimney already exists. |
| Gas log set in an existing masonry firebox | The most common conversion here. Needs a gas line run to the firebox and a damper stop fitted so the flue cannot be fully closed. |
Our scope on a new install is the gas side: sizing and running the line from the meter or an existing branch, fitting a shutoff within reach of the appliance, pressure testing, connecting the unit and handling the permit. Sizing matters more than people expect — a line already feeding a range, water heater and dryer may not carry another appliance without being upsized. If your project involves new gas elsewhere at the same time, that sits with gas line installation and repair.
What it costs
- Repair or installationA repair is a diagnostic plus parts, and thermocouple or thermopile replacement sits at the lower end of that. A new installation is a different order of job entirely.
- Vent typeDirect vent needs a route through an exterior wall or roof. A log set into an existing masonry firebox usually does not, which is why the two quotes differ so much.
- How far the gas has to runPriced largely by distance and by what the pipe has to pass through. Whether the existing line needs upsizing to carry another appliance is the common surprise.
- PermitMost new gas work requires one. We pull it as part of the job rather than leaving it with you, which also puts the work on record for when you sell.
We quote before the work starts. We also wrote up local pricing in more detail: what gas fireplace installation and repair actually costs in San Antonio.
Work is carried out by licensed plumbers under our Responsible Master Plumber, license RMP-43333, issued by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. You can verify that license yourself.
What San Antonio homeowners say
Reviews pulled live from our Google Business Profile, not retyped here.
Questions homeowners ask us
Why does my pilot keep going out?
A failing thermocouple or thermopile is the usual cause. That sensor confirms the pilot is lit, and when its output drops the gas valve shuts as designed. It is a common part and a routine replacement.
Do I need a licensed plumber for gas fireplace work in Texas?
Yes, for anything involving the gas piping. Gas piping falls under the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, so the connection, the line and any alteration to it require a licensed plumber working under a Responsible Master Plumber.
Why will my fireplace not light after the summer?
Most often a pilot orifice blocked by spider web or debris after months of disuse. It is a small fault with an annoying habit of appearing on the first cold night of the year, which is why an autumn service visit is worth booking.
Is a vent free fireplace safe?
They are manufactured to safety standards and include oxygen depletion sensors, but they release combustion moisture and byproducts into the room, and their use is restricted in some jurisdictions and in certain rooms such as bedrooms. Confirm local requirements before choosing one.
How often should a gas fireplace be serviced?
Annually, ideally in autumn before first use. The visit covers the pilot assembly, sensor output, gas pressure, burner ports, venting and a leak check on accessible connections.
What should I do if I smell gas near the fireplace?
Leave the building without touching switches or using your phone indoors, then call the gas utility’s emergency line from outside. Call 911 first if the smell is strong or anyone feels unwell. Do not go back in to investigate.
Can I convert a wood burning fireplace to gas?
In most cases yes, using a gas log set fitted into the existing masonry firebox. It needs a gas line run to the firebox and a damper stop so the flue cannot be closed completely, and the existing chimney should be inspected before conversion.
Does a gas fireplace need a permit in San Antonio?
New gas line work generally does. We handle the permit as part of the installation rather than leaving it with the homeowner, which also means the work is on record if you later sell the house.
Book it in October, not on the first cold night.
A service visit in autumn costs a fraction of an emergency call in December, and it is usually a blocked pilot orifice either way.
Silverback Plumbing & Drain provides licensed plumbing and drain service for homes and businesses throughout the San Antonio area. From emergency repairs to routine maintenance, we diagnose the problem, explain the fix, and get it done right the first time.
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Copyright © 2026 Silverback Plumbing and Drain
Mark Vargas, Responsible Master Plumber #43333 Licensed through the Texas Board of Plumbing Examiners P.O. Box 4200, Austin, Texas 78765 (800-845-6584)