Gas fireplace valve stuck.

Get your family out of the house quick and then be damn sure there's no gas leak if you've broken the valve before I'd let them back in. Call the gas company.

Joe-

Can you smell gas? The odorant that is put into NG can be noticed by most people down in the parts per billion range.

No need to panic but do the sniff test & have someone else do it as well if your nose isn't great.

BTW the explosive limit range on NG is something around 10% +/- (not sure if that's volume or mass ratio). There is a range but I'm not sure how wide. The odorant allows NG to be sensed at concentrations well below 1% so you have a sbustantial margin before you get anywhere close to the explosive.....unless you're dealing with a "confined space", like a small utility basement, vault or closet.

I know it would be cool to get the fireplace running for Xmas eve & Xmas.....but personally, I'd give up on trying to get it working today. Best to attempt a repair without holiday deadlines. :(

Better to have no fireplace than an uninhabitable house.

I had a gas log set that my wife had me "disable" so that we could use real wood.

Is your installation such that you could remove the "fake logs" and burn a little wood for the next couple days?

cheers Bob

Joe-

Can you smell gas? The odorant that is put into NG can be noticed by most people down in the parts per billion range.

No need to panic but do the sniff test & have someone else do it as well if your nose isn't great.

BTW the explosive limit range on NG is something around 10% +/- (not sure if that's volume or mass ratio). There is a range but I'm not sure how wide. The odorant allows NG to be sensed at concentrations well below 1% so you have a sbustantial margin before you get anywhere close to the explosive.....unless you're dealing with a "confined space", like a small utility basement, vault or closet.

I know it would be cool to get the fireplace running for Xmas eve & Xmas.....but personally, I'd give up on trying to get it working today. Best to attempt a repair without holiday deadlines. :(

Better to have no fireplace than an uninhabitable house.

I had a gas log set that my wife had me "disable" so that we could use real wood.

Is your installation such that you could remove the "fake logs" and burn a little wood for the next couple days?

cheers Bob

Burning it for the holidays isn't a priority. There is no gas odor, I do know what that smells like. Would you recommend calling a plumber or someone else for repair? I just found out it is not covered under our 1 year home warranty insurance, Darn!

Thanks, Joe

rance, =A0Darn!

Congratulations. You've just had your first lesson in worthless home warranty insurance. By now you probably have read the policy provisions and found that almost everything is excluded. At this point you need to have the repairs done by a competent plumber. As the work progresses, take a few pictures of the operation. Ask the plumber what the root cause of the problem was and have it itemized on the invoice. Since you bought the house expecting it to have functional plumbing, it is not unreasonable to be compensated for replacement of faulty parts or poorly installed controls. If the amount of the invoice is substantial, a letter from your lawyer may change the attitude of the insurance weenies. If it not all that pricey, then write it off to experience and if you must have warranty 'insurance' go shopping for a more highly rated company via A., M. Best. Good luck.

Joe

Hi, Ditto!

Bubba-

Thanks for your constructive additions to the thread........

And thank you for your concern about the extra costs built into water heaters.

But I seriously doubt any additional cost will have significant financial impact on me since water heaters in my house last about 20 years.

However, it is important to keep "the masses" afraid & ignorant......... so keep up your selfless public service.

Isn't the answer always supposed to be "hire a pro, lest you hurt yourself or endanger your family" ?

Merry Christmas Bob

Dont mess with what you dont know about, find a gas shutoff before the bad valve in the basement, or call someone. I hope you have tools ready to shut gas off at the meter and know how to do it. Do you have a home warranty. It may be a bad install missed by the inspector and free to get it fixed with their help, call your city its free.

You'll be hard pressed Bob, to find a water heater that lasts 20 yrs anymore. 10 yrs is about if for them now. You can be afraid or not. You can also pay me now or pay me later. I really dont care which. Bubba

That depends on local water and what you buy, try AO Smith commercial line.

Bubba-

I will never pay you because I will never have a need for your services; I can either do it myself or hire one of the pros from my "stable"......... competent & reasonable w/o the "attitude".

And the water chem in my city is noted for being very benign to water heaters. If I'm lucky my current water heater might even outlast me...even if I don't replace the anode.

btw......much to your likely chagrin, I was able to "talk" Joe through his repair...... no gas leak, no explosions, no fires, no deaths, no injuries, no problem :)

just a little guidance & information

(actually via private email to avoid your insistent, annoying & useless kibitzing)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Bob

Bob, Thats a good think because I would never show up if you called. Your one of those customers that no one wants.

"Stable" as in........you would find your local at the bar. Nice choice.

Water pressure has a lot to do with it too.

and like I said.......a new one wont. Your old clunker just might. The new stuff isnt made to last. (Ransley, Im not talking commercial stuff but even that doesnt last). If it lasts too long the company goes out of business.

Id be suprised if you could talk anyone through anything even if you had a step by step book and a tutor.

Exactly. Very Very LITTLE.

cant handle a little internet poking? Christ man. Grow some gonads.

Yup, Right back at ya Bob. Bubba

Bubba-

I can easily stand a little internet poking but rude, ridiculous rants that cover three standard deviation cases without adding anything constructive to the thread just get in the way of a solution.

Don't worry you won't need to show up, you won't we getting a call.

Don't have the nerve to tell a customer you won't work for them...just don't show up? Great technique!

I don't frequent bars (you're projecting again). I have pros that I've used for many years & they seem to enjoy working for me...go figure. Maybe that's because I appreciate their knowledge, skill and the good work they do for me.....and the fact that I tell them so.

Thanks for the tip on water pressure! Oh, I guess that's why I installed a pressure reducing valve and a set of water hammer arrestors? Maybe it was just luck?

I'm not surprised you're surprised......the stuff you think is so hard that a DIY'r should stay away from it.........it ain't rocket science, since even you can do it.

But you just want to insult, ridicule & instill fear.... not share information & educate.

I won't be needing that tutor or step by step instructions. I'm the guy who is part of the design team for this type of stuff & writes those step by step instructions. :)

cheers Bob

uh huh. Thats right Bob. You keep believing all that rant you type. In your own words: "it ain't rockec science, since even you (Bubba) can do it." "I (bob) wont be needing that tutor or step by step instructions." "I'm (bob) the guy who is part of the design team for this type of stuff & writes those step by step instructions." Now, with all that horse s*it chest beating, patting yourself on the back crap you typed yet YOU cant fiqure out such a simple little problem. Something so simple it was easily diagnosed by your first post yet several posts later and you still havent a clue. Maybe you should go back and type yourself some more step by step instructions with that tutor that you dont seem to need. It must suck to be Bob. Bubba

Bub-

I was really worried about you....... being silent for so long. I thought maybe you got locked for DUI over the weekend or worse ........killed in a traffic accident.

Glad to see you're still around. But that hangover must be a killer....your recent post makes even less sense than your typical one.

All I can say is ..... huh? You win, with your next post you can have the last word on this thread. :)

Be safe and ......

Happy New Year!

Bob

He cant get to the computer in the Prison library every day and you are 104 on his list to beat on.

I just wanted to see another rude reply from the king of rude, I got it you replied rudly.

Unfortunately, you'll NEVER "get it". Bubba

It would be hard to spin if hard mounted in pipe. There are two types of these valves. one "angle"' inlet bottom and outlet side. and "straight", inlet one side and outlet on the other side. Wall is normally "straight". If plumbed with copper (not allowed here), then it is possible to spin the valve housing. Take off the cover plate, a 1/2" ratchet works. See if you can see more with it off. Some of these valves push in 1/4" then turns. If you have damaged the plumbing, it is time for a professional.