Gas fire and stove servicing across Berkshire

What a proper service includes

A gas service is more than a visual check. The fuel bed alone matters more than people expect — coals and logs sit in a specified pattern, and coals that have been nudged out of place genuinely change how the appliance burns.

• Burner and pilot assembly cleaned and checked
• Fuel bed reset to the manufacturer’s specified layout
• Flue draw and spillage test
• Oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) function check
• Gas pressure and soundness test
• Glass seal and door catch on glass-fronted units
• Visible flueway and terminal inspection

What happens if it is skipped

Sooting on the glass and the fuel bed, a pilot that becomes unreliable, and in the worst case a flue that is not clearing properly. Carbon monoxide is not a theoretical risk with an unserviced appliance — it is the reason the annual interval exists.

There is also the paperwork. If you sell the house, a service history alongside the original Gas Safe certificate turns the fire into a non-issue in the survey rather than a question.

How often does a gas fire need servicing?

Solid fuel appliances

Wood burning and multi-fuel stoves need the chimney swept at least once a year — more often if you burn a lot of wood — and rope seals, baffle plates and fire bricks checked for wear. The right sweeping interval depends on the appliance and how much you use it.

Carbon monoxide alarms

Building Regulations in England require a carbon monoxide alarm in the room when a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker, is installed or replaced. Alarms have a limited life and the sensor expires regardless of the battery, so it is worth checking the date on yours.