Does San Rafael's wood stove rule apply to my gas fireplace?

No, not by its wording. The City of San Rafael's rule covers new wood stoves, which must be EPA certified. It also covers non-EPA Phase II certified wood stoves in rooms being remodeled or enlarged during a remodel affecting more than 50% of the home's floor area.

I have an older wood stove and a big remodel coming. What should I do about the fireplace?

First find out whether the stove is EPA Phase II certified and whether it sits in a room being remodeled or enlarged. If the remodel affects more than half the home's floor area, the city's rule says the stove must be removed or replaced with an EPA-certified stove. If you'd like a gas fireplace or gas insert in that spot, we can give you a free estimate for the installation and any gas line it needs.

How do I know whether I need service or a repair?

Routine service is upkeep on a fireplace that still works: cleaning the burner and logs, checking the pilot and ignition, and confirming the glass seal and venting are in good shape. A repair is for a fireplace that won't light, won't stay lit or burns poorly. Either way, the visit starts by finding out which one you need.

What if the fireplace acts up at night or on a weekend?

Emergency calls are accepted, and 24-hour service runs Sunday–Friday. If you smell gas, don't try to light the fireplace or flip switches. Leave the house and call for help from outside before calling us about the fireplace itself.

Can a gas insert go where an old wood stove used to be?

Sometimes. It depends on the space, the venting and whether a gas line can reach the spot. We can look at the opening and the chimney and give you a free estimate for the insert and any gas line work it needs.

Gas Fireplace Service in San Rafael, CA

Gas Fireplace Service for San Rafael Homes

A gas fireplace that won't light, won't stay lit or leaves soot on the glass needs a service visit to find the cause. We handle routine maintenance and repair for gas fireplaces, gas fireplace inserts and gas log sets in San Rafael homes, and estimates are free.

Gas fireplace service in brief

A service visit covers the parts that keep a gas fireplace lighting cleanly and burning safely. We check the pilot and ignition, clean the burner and log set, look over the glass and its seal, and confirm the venting is clear. If something has failed, the visit turns into a repair. We work on all major brands, from built-in units to a gas log fireplace in an older masonry opening. The gas fireplace service page walks through each step in more detail.

Technician testing gas fireplace controls with a meter

What affects gas fireplace service in San Rafael

In San Rafael, all new wood stoves must be EPA certified, and a non-EPA Phase II certified wood stove must be removed or replaced with an EPA-certified stove during a major remodel affecting more than 50% of the home's floor area when the stove is in a room being remodeled or enlarged. Source: City of San Rafael - Wood burning fireplace and stove rules.
San Rafael does not allow converting a gas fireplace to a wood-burning fireplace, and basic gas log lighters may not be installed. Source: City of San Rafael - Wood burning fireplace and stove rules.

San Rafael's wood stove rule and your fireplace plans

According to the City of San Rafael's wood burning fireplace and stove rules, all new wood stoves in San Rafael must be EPA certified. A non-EPA Phase II certified wood stove must also be removed or replaced with an EPA-certified stove during a major remodel affecting more than 50% of the home's floor area, when the stove is in a room being remodeled or enlarged.

Who the rule applies to

The rule is written about wood stoves. It matters to you if your home has an older wood stove that isn't EPA Phase II certified, and you're planning a remodel that affects more than half the home's floor area, with the stove in a room being remodeled or enlarged. If your home has only a gas fireplace or gas insert, the rule's wording doesn't describe your appliance.

What it changes about the work

For homes that do fall under the rule, the stove has to be removed or replaced with an EPA-certified stove as part of the remodel. That decision affects your fireplace plans:

Before the remodel starts, we can inspect the existing stove, chimney and hearth so you know what condition they're in.
If you plan to put a gas fireplace or gas fireplace insert where the stove was, we can estimate gas fireplace insert installation and any gas line installation it needs.
If a gas fireplace already serves another room, it's sensible to book routine service while you're already planning around the hearths in the house.

Confirm the requirement for your project

The rule's details come from the City of San Rafael. Check your remodel plans with the city before you decide what happens to an older wood stove.

When to book gas fireplace service, and when another job fits better

Book gas fireplace service when the unit is in use but not working right. Typical signs are a pilot that keeps going out, delayed or noisy ignition, a weak or yellow flame, soot on the glass or logs, or a fireplace that hasn't been looked at in a long time. A different job fits better in these cases:

You want gas where there's none now, or you want to replace an existing unit. That's gas fireplace installation, gas log installation or an insert installation rather than a service call.
An older wood stove is staying in place. A wood stove cleaning and an inspection make more sense than gas work.
The chimney above a gas insert is open at the top. A cap keeps out debris and animals, and chimney cap installation in San Rafael covers that job.
You're still deciding between fuels. Our guide to gas vs wood burning fireplace lays out the trade-offs before you commit.

Booking a visit

We also take commercial and property-manager work, including fireplaces in rental units. To learn how a gas fireplace works before the visit, start with the full service page, and for the rest of our work in this area, browse everything we do in San Rafael.

Sources (1)

The sources of the San Rafael facts on this page.

1City of San Rafael - Wood burning fireplace and stove rules