What the symptom actually means
Every guide here starts from something you can see, smell or hear, and explains what it means on a Kansas City chimney specifically — because a 1912 house in Hyde Park and a 1989 house in Overland Park fail in completely different ways.
We do not publish repair instructions. Understanding the fault is useful to you whether or not you ever call us; walking a homeowner through a gas repair is not.
Gas fireplaces
Gas fireplace will not light from the switch or wall control
A gas fireplace with a healthy pilot that does nothing when you flip the switch has a break somewhere in a low-voltage circuit that the fireplace powers itself — most often a weak thermopile, a failed switch, remote receiver or wire in the chase, and sometimes a gas valve or a safety lockout that is refusing on purpose.
Gas fireplace pilot lights, then goes out — what that actually means
A pilot that lights while you hold the knob down and goes out the moment you release it means the flame sensor is no longer convincing the gas valve that there is a flame — usually a dirty or weak pilot, sometimes a failed thermocouple, and occasionally a venting fault that is putting the pilot out on purpose.
Not sure which one describes your chimney?
Describe what it is doing and we will tell you what it usually means. If it needs looking at, the inspection is $69 and comes off the invoice when you book the repair.