How Much to Fix Gas Leak in House

Through personal research and a DIY ethic, I managed to fix the fault in my gas fire. I now want to share my solution with others.

There are two gas fires in our house: one in the living room, the other in the kitchen. The latter kept going out after about half an hour, even when the dial showed it as on. Though I don't worry too much about carbon monoxide poisoning, I figured there must be some safety device to shut off the gas valve.

After doing some research, however, I now have basic knowledge about gas fires and have successfully fixed my gas fire. All it took was for me to blow through a drinking straw over the pilot/thermocouple area to clean them out. (This saved us at least £30.)

Different makes and models have different safety devices, however. Some have only a thermocouple, and some have an oxypilot (an atmospheric vitiation sensing device). So it's best to do some research on your particular make and model before attempting any repairs.

You can learn more about these devices below, including how they work and how you might be able to fix yours so that your gas fire won't keep going out.

Your pilot light should be sky blue in the middle and dark blue in the outer flame.

s_p_a_c_e_m_a_n, CC0-BY, via Flickr

How the Pilot Works in Your Fire

• When you first start the fire, keep it on the pilot light for a couple of seconds, and the fire should "kick on" when you turn the dial from the pilot light to the on position. (Sometimes you need to hold the pilot light on for longer to ignite the main fire.)
• When the pilot is lit, there should be two flames: one over the burner and the other (smaller one) touching the thermocouple.
• If you get dust in the pilot assembly and the pilot needs to be cleaned out, it produces a "lazy" flame, which will be disturbed by the draught of the main burners. The flame lifts away from the thermocouple and causes the temperature on the tip of the thermocouple to drop. This, in turn, makes the gas valve shut off.
• The fire produced by the pilot should be sky blue in the middle and dark blue in the outer flame, rather than a flame tinged with yellow. It should be directed at heating the tip of the thermocouple.

This is what a thermocouple looks like (though exact shapes and sizes may vary).

SparkFun Electronics, CC0-BY, via Flickr

How the Thermocouple Works

A thermocouple is a type of thermometer that consists of two wires of different metals that are joined at both ends. One junction is at the temperature to be measured, while the other is held at a fixed lower temperature.

The current generated in the circuit is proportional to the temperature difference. The thermocouple works by this difference. Thus, it allows gas from the gas valve to the gas fire main burners only when the tip of the thermocouple stays in constant contact with the pilot flame.

This is a close-up photo of an oxypilot.

How the Oxypilot Works

An oxypilot is an atmospheric sensing device in place to put out the gas fire if there is insufficient oxygen in the room. It is designed as a safety device to protect you from carbon monoxide poisoning if the air in a room becomes vitiated.

Basically, if the oxygen percentage in a room drops, the flame shape is altered by its incomplete combustion. The heat is then removed from the thermocouple, shutting off the gas valve. If the oxypilot becomes blocked with dust or soot, the flame lifts away from the thermocouple or flame sensing electrode. This will make the fire cut out, or the pilot not light.

How to Fix a Faulty Gas Fire

1. Between the pilot supply pipe and the pilot burner, there's a brass tail or connector. There'll be a small hole on one side. Make sure there's no dust blocking this, and clean if needed.
2. Then, place a bit of tubing or a drinking straw over each pilot hole. Blow down through the straw to clean it out.

Pilot Light

Hire a CORGI-Registered Gas Installer

Even if you have solid knowledge of gas fires, you still need a CORGI-registered gas installer to work on gas appliances when you have to break or disconnect any gas supplies or fittings or try to change parts.

Hiring a CORGI engineer to service the fire involves removing the gas fire and checking the chimney with a smoke pellet. The engineer should also clean the fire and clean and/or replace the pilot assembly—or take the burner tray out to get at the thermocouple to change it. This may cost you around £30–£50 or more.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

© 2009 Dalriada Books

Read More From Dengarden

R Montgomery on September 02, 2020:

Thankyou thankyou thankyou.

Out pilot light would go out after half an hour - some days after 5 minutes.

So frustrating & so cold over Winter.

We have had a plumber look at our heater & he was unable to repair it.

I read your suggestion.

I tried the straw but was unable to get a good seal.

I purchased a can of 'compressed Air' on ebay - $13.

A quick clean of both pilot outlets & WACKO - IT WORKS!!!

My pilot flame is now blue rather than yellow just as you said.

You saved us the cost of getting someone else out.

BRILLIANT!!!!

JJ on June 14, 2020:

i would have never thought of the straw...genius!

Steve Richards on May 08, 2020:

I have a Rinnai gas heater its starts but only last for for 3-5 mins then it goes out

What do i need to do ?

Carl Hobbs on April 27, 2020:

Thank you so much for this, quick blow through a straw and my long stored Valor gas heater is now working perfectly again after I couldn't get it lit via the pilot, or to stay alight if I lit it with an external source

Mary on April 09, 2020:

Thanks so much for the great advice. Worked perfectly after using the straw. Many many thanks!

Caspersen on April 07, 2020:

This arcticle is a life saver. I used a straw and blew through the 3 gas outlet holes in my Faber gas fireplace. The pilot flame were yellow before and the fireplace couldn't stay lit. Now the pilot flame is bright blue and everything is working again. It turns on easier and stays lit. It was the part of the pilot flame normally pointing backwards to the thermocouple tip (and normally hitting it directly) that caused the fireplace to automatically "de-couple" since the thermocouple never got hot – a cold thermocouple means that the fireplace thinks the fire is blown out and it stops the gas inlet for for safety reasons. Debris in or around the gas holes made my pilot flame burn sluggish (and yellow).

Thanks again.

mike on March 24, 2020:

Fire would start then suddenly stop the pilot light also went out. Blew out pilot hole for air made the flame blue like the article says and hey presto big problem fixed......thanks

Sharlene Rauschl on February 27, 2020:

I have a Heat & Glo gas fireplace, I can get a pilot lit but release knob to start and no fire. try to turn back knob but it locks have to turn back and forth to unlock knob by a click then start all over. Takes about 6 try's what part do i need? also will not turn off and on, when the wind blows fire goes out and releases gas

Amanda on February 18, 2020:

I can't believe my eyes, but this fixed my fireplace too! It has been shutting itself off after a minute then turning itself back on repeatedly for over a year. Pilot light stayed on the whole time though.

I called a service person and he couldn't fix it without recommending we spend $500 to replace a part. So we chose to leave it. After I saw your post I figured I'd give it a try and it worked!!! It's been on for over 30 min straight. No issues...so far. :) thank you!!

Dennis on February 15, 2020:

I have 3 propane fire places, they have never worked correctly, since I have had the house jilt. I hired 4 different Companies to fix them. They work for maybe 30 seconds, then go off. I am tired of hired people that, fix it long enough to get paid, then they stop working. I am at the end of my rope, I live in a medium side time and have called everyone of them with the Sam results. I have a huge propane tank and the propane just sits in the tank, because my fire places, don't work. Any advice?

Terry on January 19, 2020:

Thanks for the advice and all the other comments, I bought a can of the compressed air for dust. Can get at Home Depot of Office Depot. Sprayed everything mentioned above. Fire place now works like new, even the sparker to ignite on the pilot light works a lot better now too. this is also very easy to do. I have a wall mounted insert, there are 2 screws at the top (just above the glass). Remove them and then the front face tips out and lifts out of the unit.

James Sellers on December 07, 2019:

A very useful advice. The fire keeps on going out about 30mins to an hour. The gas technician suggested replacing the pilot burner/igniter/thermocouple. Unfortunately, all three parts were obsolete. I did what you advised, and it worked. It hasn't let us down ever since. Many, many thanks!

James Sellers on December 05, 2019:

Many thanks for your advice. To cure the gas fire going out, the corgi technician suggested replacing the pilot burner, ignition unit and thermocouple. Unfortunately, the aforementioned parts are no longer available. I did what you suggested. It has been working normally for a couple of weeks now. Fantastic! Thanks again!!

Angelo Unson on December 05, 2019:

Thank you for the advice. The corgi technician recommended replacing the pilot burner, ignition unit and thermocouple. But unfortunately, the parts are no longer available. I did what you suggested. It has been working normally for the past couple of days. Fantastic! Thanks again!

Tony F on December 04, 2019:

Tried doing this and will continue to try. I can light the pilot but when I turn it to the on position to light the burner, it only lights for about 15 seconds, sputters and then goes out.

Stuart UK on December 04, 2019:

My elderly parents gas fire kept cutting out. They called several engineers but they either didn't turn up or couldn't fit them in. As its December I decided to try your trick with a straw. Absolutely perfect, it's working like a dream.

Joe on December 01, 2019:

Great advice. Worked like a charm

Steve K on November 26, 2019:

I finally replaced the light switch that controls the fireplace and that solved the problem. Well worth the $1.98 investment to give it a try!

Stephanie L Fosburgh on November 11, 2019:

Amazing! My husband has been fooling with our fire place for weeks trying to figure out what's wrong with it. I told him about your straw trick and what do you know... my fireplace is now working!! Thank you!

Sharon on November 11, 2019:

It really works! Thanks for sharing the information.

Jim Prahme on November 08, 2019:

Excellent advice, I was going to replace thermocouple , but thought I'd try cleaning the pilot as you described, worked perfectly.

Thanx!

Jim

Paul Wiese on November 06, 2019:

Sone how it worked. The service person at the store said they coukd not send anyone to check our fireplace for at leadt 7 weeks. Wintery weather just started. He told me to clean the sensors on the oxypilot with a dollar bill. The pilot worked better but no sustaining flame. Did the atraw trick today. Boila, flame. Thanks

LillyA on October 31, 2019:

OMG it worked. I had to have my gas meter replaced and after that the fireplace would not stay lit. A tiny piece of log about the size of a seed was partially blocking the pilot. I removed it and blew through the pilot hole. Fixed!

Stephanie Sharpe on October 28, 2019:

Brilliant!!!! Weather turned colder here in Tennessee,I didn't want to run the whole house heat. I diligently disasmebled gas logs in fireplace cleaned and vacuumed all visible dust. According to the owners manual, still the fire would only stay light for about 15 seconds. Looked up the closest technician...is of course in Alabama!!! That be one heck of a service call. Took logs back out ,tried the straw trick and voila it's working great ! Doing the happy dance !!! Many many thanks!!!!

Stephanie

Scott Reddin on October 12, 2019:

Worked like a champ! Amazing. Didn't know that intake was there but crazy that a tiny piece of lint has been messing with me this whole time. Used a paper clip and a can of compressed air. Took 2 seconds and fire is working great!

Sarah on October 07, 2019:

Great tip. Thanks so much saved me a lot of money. My gas log stove would light then run only about 15 second and shut off. I didn't have a straw but had a can of compressed gas. It worked perfectly as you described. There is absolutely no danger in this diy fix.

Wayne on May 13, 2019:

I decided to get the certified technician in to do a full service on my gas fire. I told him I was having issues with the fire going out after approx 1 hour. $250 later he said everything was checked, cleaned and all good! First time I used the fire it went out after an hour! Decided to do the straw trick myself and the fire has been working perfectly ever since!

John on January 27, 2019:

Hi my portable gas fire gos out after a hour can you help

Donna on December 13, 2018:

I followed your directions & the diagram along with the straws. It worked!! I now have fire in my fireplace again. Thank you !!

leon on November 24, 2018:

used a straw as above. Worked first time. Also the diagram of how it produces the flame and how it is supposed to work is excellent. Saved me a lot of money. Thank you best wishes

WinterIsComing on November 07, 2016:

I don't normally post comments. However... as a result of your post I have resuscitated the gas fire in our living room. I've now secured super hero status at home.

Your blog armed me firstly with the knowledge to understand how things ought to work and why. Troubleshooting then becomes easy. I also know where i would draw the line and call in a pro.

Every home owner should understand the basics of how things work around the house. This removes FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt). Thanks

Steve on October 10, 2016:

Thanks for the advice with the straw. The pilot was quite reaching the thermo couple thermo pile. Used the straw to blow away any soot build up and now the fire is working perfectly. Took me a little while to find the small hole at the base of the pilot supply pipe but blew that out with the straw and now have a very healthy pilot light reaching both the thermo couple and the thermo pile. Thanks for the help.

Alex on July 09, 2016:

Thanks for the information. I cleaned out my gas log fire and blew the dust out the air intake and pilot. Now my fire is working perfectly again. Those posters who think that blowing out some dust is going to some how kill people are actually idiots! You're more likely going to cause a house fire if you don't clean the dust out.

cc on July 31, 2014:

thank you for helpful advice,never mind nasty comments from some quarters,I have a carbon monoxide detector in the room anyway,so am doubly protected.

richard on December 08, 2012:

Thanks took a little while to find the hole o the oxypilot value all sorted now

Flowtech on April 11, 2012:

"it is designed as a safety device to protect you from carbon monoxide poisoning if the air in a room becomes vitiated".

This is the most dangerous advice I have heard in a long time. Technically wrong on so many levels. Oxy Pilots don't detect CO they detect the absence of Oxygen. Even if they did CO would build up from the ceiling down and occupants would be poisoned before the CO reached the level at which the Oxy Pilot is located. Total nonsense and dangerous.

steve on March 02, 2012:

I know someone who tried fixing own fire, they are dead now. Says it all! Gas regs there for a reason

Gas Safe Engineer on December 20, 2011:

Mark is 100% bang on with what he is saying. Do you know how to test safety devices? Can you check that a flue is pulling correctly? Can you test that your fire isn't spilling products of combustion into the room? Thought not. Fires are the biggest killer of all appliances. There is a reason why the gas industry is so heavily regulated, because fatalities can easily occur when people play with things they don't understand. Call in a gas engineer. It's your life on the line for the sake of a few quid!

Sue on December 19, 2011:

Thank you for the advice re the straw. I will try this when I go home as my fire has been playing up for ages which isn't good this weather. Sometimes it will light, others it won't. Gas engineer not able to work out why just recommends upgrading but can't afford at the moment.

Samantha Walker on November 25, 2011:

Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou !!!

Our fire has been going out all the time for the last few months, to the point of it going out after a few seconds

Followed your easy instructions and now it stays on from morning till night

xxxx

Dalriada Books (author) from UK on May 26, 2011:

I think it's quite rude to call other people IDIOT. Knowledge is money, I am sorry if my post have affected your income.

mark on May 25, 2011:

THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU KEEP ON DOING THIS ONE DAY YOU WILL FALL ASLEEP AND NEVER WAKE UP. IDIOT. WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LIKE ME GO TO ALL THE BOTHER OF BECOMING A GAS SAFE REGISTERED ENGINEER INVOLVING LOTS OF TRAINING AND COSTING A SMALL FORTUNE. EASY TO STOP PEOPLE LIKE YOU KILLING OTHERS.

Elaine on October 17, 2010:

Looking for straws!! thank you, hope this saves me money I cant afford

Newman Hard on February 04, 2010:

Very helpful. Just what I needed to know .... my fire is doing the same thing. Thanks for the detailed advice!

How Much to Fix Gas Leak in House

Source: https://dengarden.com/home-improvement/Our-gas-fire-keeps-going-out-after-about-half-an-hour

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