Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Before
After
Before
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Before
AfterGelco Fireplace Services in Huntington: What to Know First
We provide independent Gelco fireplace services in Huntington, from gas fireplace tune-ups to firebox repairs and insert conversions. Most Gelco jobs we book are completed in a single visit, and we’ll tell you plainly whether a repair makes sense or you’re throwing money at a unit that’s past its reasonable life. Our estimates are free, our pricing is upfront, and the number we quote is the number on the invoice.
This page is for Gelco owners in Huntington, Huntington Bay, and the older neighborhoods off West Neck Road who need a technician who knows the difference between a Gelco GL-36 and a Gelco GD-80 without looking it up. If your fireplace isn’t drafting right, your pilot won’t stay lit, or you’re not sure whether that cracked firebox is a repair or a replacement, call us at (631) 776-4075. A live person answers, 24 hours a day.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
How Gelco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- GL-Series gas inserts: pilot assembly carbon buildup. The GL-36 and GL-42 units we see in Huntington’s 1970s and 1980s colonials develop flaky carbon deposits on the pilot orifice, especially when homeowners run propane with the wrong air shutter setting. The symptom is a pilot that lights but drops out after thirty seconds. We pull the assembly, clean the orifice with the right-sized bit, reset the air shutter for your fuel type, and test with a manometer. Takes about ninety minutes if the thermopile is still good.
- GD-Series direct-vent fireplaces: failed blower motors. The GD-80 and GD-100 units use a tangential blower that sits in a tight cavity above the firebox. After fifteen to twenty years the bearing grease hardens, and the motor starts humming without moving air. We’ve found that some aftermarket blowers run too fast and overheat the control module, so we source OEM-spec motors or verify the amp draw on any replacement. The real fix includes checking the snap disc limit switch, which often fails from the same heat cycling.
- Wood-burning firebox panels: thermal cracking at the rear wall. Gelco’s steel wood-burning units, common in the split-levels near Huntington Harbor, develop vertical cracks in the refractory panels where the rear wall meets the side cheeks. The cause is usually over-firing with dry oak or ash, combined with the thermal expansion gap packing with ash and preventing movement. We measure the crack width against Gelco’s service manual limits. Under an eighth inch and stable, we seal with a high-temp refractory rated to 2,000°F. Wider or growing, we replace the panel set and counsel the homeowner on fuel moisture and firing rate.
- Chimney-top dampers: corroded cable or frozen flapper. Gelco’s top-sealing dampers, the ones with the stainless cable running down the flue, seize up in Huntington’s salt-air environment faster than you’d expect. The cable frays where it passes through the throat, or the flapper corrodes at the hinge pin. We don’t just lubricate and hope. We drop a camera to inspect the cable path, replace with marine-grade cable if needed, and verify the flapper seals with a smoke pencil. In coastal Huntington Bay homes, we see this every other winter.
- Conversion attempts: gas-to-wood or wood-to-gas without proper venting. We’ve been called to jobs in South Huntington where a previous owner swapped a Gelco gas insert for a wood burner using the same venting, or vice versa. The collars don’t match, the clearances are wrong, and the unit is a house fire waiting to happen. We document what we find with photos, explain why the configuration is unsafe, and quote the proper venting or a suitable replacement unit. No shortcuts.
Our Gelco Fireplace Services Process
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Call and schedule. A live person answers, asks what you’re seeing, and books a window. We don’t give you a four-hour block and show up at the end of it.
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Level-2 camera inspection. Our technician arrives uniformed and background-checked, lays down drop cloths, and runs a camera through the flue or inspects the gas components with the appropriate gauges. You get photos you can see and a plain-English verdict on what’s wrong, what it costs, and what can wait.
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Parts decision. For Gelco units, we check availability of OEM parts against quality aftermarket alternatives. Some items, like GL-series burner assemblies, we prefer OEM for fit. Others, like refractory panels, a compatible aftermarket from our trusted suppliers works fine and saves you money. We explain the choice before we order.
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The repair. Most Gelco fireplace services are completed in a single visit. We use professional-grade materials from Gelco, DuraFlex, HeatShield, and our other trusted brands. No builder-grade substitutes.
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Testing and documentation. Gas units get a combustion analysis and spillage test. Wood units get a draft test and a visual scan for proper clearances. We show you the results.
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Cleanup and guarantee. We vacuum, roll up the cloths, and leave you with a written invoice and our 90-Day Done Right Promise. If it’s not right, we make it right. In writing, no arguing.
What Gelco Fireplace Services Costs in Huntington
These are real ranges for Gelco work we’ve done in Huntington over the past two years. Your exact estimate depends on access, parts availability, and what the camera shows.
- Gelco gas fireplace tune-up and safety check: $189-$249
- Pilot assembly cleaning or replacement (GL-series): $220-$380
- Blower motor replacement (GD-series): $340-$520
- Refractory panel repair or replacement: $280-$650
- Top-sealing damper repair: $195-$425
- Fireplace conversion consultation and proper venting: $150-$250 for inspection and written plan; installation quoted separately
What moves the price: whether we can access the unit from the living room or need to work from the roof or crawl space; whether OEM parts are still in production for your model year; and whether we find secondary issues like a cracked flue liner or improper original installation. We don’t recommend anything you can’t see for yourself in the camera photos. Call (631) 776-4075 for a free estimate.
Why Huntington Homeowners Call Hearthstone Chimney Co. for Gelco Work
We’ve been serving Huntington and nearby communities for over 42 years. Russell Haines, our owner, learned this trade at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and has spent the better part of the last decade reading fireboxes and flue liners in the older homes along West Neck Road. He knows which Gelco units were installed by which local builders in which decades, and what they got wrong.
Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and trained on Gelco’s specific quirks, not just generic fireplace repair. When a Gelco part is discontinued, we know which aftermarket alternatives from DuraFlex or HeatShield will work safely and which ones won’t. Our 90-Day Done Right Promise means if we miss something, we come back and make it right. In writing, no arguing.
A clean chimney isn’t a luxury - it’s just the job done right.
FAQs
No. As an independent Gelco service provider, we perform maintenance and repairs that preserve your warranty coverage, provided we use compatible parts and follow manufacturer specifications. We keep records of all work in case you need to document service history for a warranty claim. Call (631) 776-4075 if you have questions about your specific unit’s coverage.
Some GL and GD series parts from the 1990s and early 2000s are discontinued, but we maintain relationships with suppliers who stock NOS inventory or manufacture compatible replacements. For wood-burning units, refractory panels and gaskets are usually available. For gas units, we sometimes need to retrofit a modern control valve or pilot assembly. We’ll tell you before we order anything.
Replace when the heat exchanger is cracked, the firebox is rusted through, or repair costs exceed half the price of a new unit with similar efficiency. Repair when the issue is localized to a replaceable component and the unit has reasonable life remaining. We’ll show you the camera footage and give you both numbers so you can decide. Call (631) 776-4075 for a free inspection.
Annually, before the heating season. Even gas units accumulate dust on the burner, develop pilot issues, and can leak combustion gases if the venting shifts. In Huntington’s coastal climate, we also check for corrosion on the termination cap that inland sweeps might miss.
Creosote builds up in the flue, increasing chimney fire risk. The damper corrodes and sticks open, wasting heat. Refractory cracks widen, exposing the steel shell to direct flame. These are fixable problems if caught early, expensive or dangerous if ignored. We recommend a Level-2 inspection every year you burn, and a sweep when creosote exceeds one-eighth inch. Call (631) 776-4075 to schedule.
Written by Russell Haines, Owner, Hearthstone Chimney Co. at Hearthstone Chimney Co., serving Huntington and nearby areas.