Gas Fireplace Safety Checklist for Every Ohio Homeowner

A gas fireplace is one of the safest heating appliances in your home — when it's properly maintained and used correctly. This checklist covers every safety step you should take before the heating season, during regular use, and year-round. Print it out, post it near your fireplace, and check it every fall.

• Schedule annual professional inspection (book in August or September to beat the rush)
• Confirm technician is licensed, bonded, and insured
• Review the written inspection report and address any findings

• Test every CO detector in the home
• Test every smoke detector in the home
• Replace batteries in all battery-powered detectors
• Check manufacture date — replace any CO detector older than 5–7 years
• Confirm you have a CO detector on every level and within 10 feet of each bedroom

• Locate the exterior vent termination cap
• Clear any bird nests, debris, or spider webs from the cap
• Check for damage to the cap — replace if bent, cracked, or missing
• Ensure adequate clearance around the vent (nothing blocking the area)

• Replace batteries in the remote control
• Replace batteries in the receiver module (behind lower louver panel)
• Test the wall switch or remote — fireplace should respond promptly
• Confirm you know how to operate the manual controls

• Clean the glass with fireplace glass cleaner
• Inspect glass for chips or cracks — do not use fireplace if glass is cracked
• Check that glass gaskets and seals are intact
• Vacuum dust from the firebox and blower intake grille

• Confirm the gas shutoff valve is fully open (handle parallel to pipe)
• Know the location of the shutoff valve for emergencies
• Confirm other gas appliances are working (rules out supply issues)

• Confirm hearth gate or safety screen is in place and secure (homes with children or pets)
• Check that gate anchoring is solid

• Ensure nothing is blocking the fireplace opening or vent area
• Remove any decorative items from the hearth that could be a fire hazard
• Confirm children and pets are at a safe distance

• Never leave the fireplace running unattended for extended periods
• Monitor children and pets around the operating fireplace
• Do not place combustible materials within 36 inches of the fireplace
• Do not hang stockings or decorations from the mantel while the fireplace is running

• Pilot light that won't stay lit
• Yellow or orange flames (should be blue with yellow tips)
• Soot or black marks around the firebox opening
• Unusual smells (beyond normal first-use dust smell)
• Fireplace shutting off by itself
• Cracked or damaged glass
• CO detector alarm

• Everyone in the household knows what a gas leak smells like (sulfur/rotten eggs)
• Everyone knows to leave immediately without operating switches or electronics
• Gas utility emergency number is saved: Dominion Energy Ohio: 1-800-362-7557 / Columbia Gas: 1-800-344-4077

• Everyone knows the location of the gas shutoff valve
• Emergency contacts are posted or saved: Ohio Gas Fireplace: 216-282-1995 | 911
• Household members know the symptoms of CO poisoning (headache, dizziness, nausea)

• Spring: Shut down pilot if not using fireplace in summer (optional but saves gas)
• Summer: Check exterior vent for bird nests (prime nesting season)
• Fall: Full pre-season checklist above
• Winter: Check exterior vent after heavy snowfall for ice blockage

The most important item on this checklist is the annual professional inspection. Ohio Gas Fireplace serves Cleveland and all of Northeast Ohio. Our licensed technicians perform thorough inspections on all makes and models.

Call 216-282-1995 or schedule online. Book in August or September — fall appointments fill fast.