Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to your questions about your wood burning stove or fireplace insert.

Fireplace Specialties offers WETT inspections on any installation that we have been involved in from the start. We will not inspect installations done by anyone other than our trained installers.

Yes, we offer gas fireplace service on most makes and models. When you call us it is helpful to have the model and serial number of your appliance ready, so that we can determine what help we can offer you. We like to be prepared on our service calls and the more information we have in advance the better prepared we will be in your home resulting in less costs.

We currently accept cash, debit, cheque, Visa, Amex and Mastercard for payment. We also have financing available with the Financeit.

We only cash and carry wood or pellet appliances and bbq’s to the general public. Gas appliances must be installed by a certified gas fitter therefore we do not cash and carry them.

We do not install product purchased elsewhere. We service what we sell and install. To ensure a quality product and a happy customer we want to know where the product has come from.

First, check your manual which has a detailed guide on how to light the pilot light. If problems persist, call us at the store with your model and serial number. We will attempt to diagnose the issue over the phone or, if necessary setup a service call for our service tech to inspect your fireplace.

No woodburning stove, fireplace or furnace can function properly without a good chimney. A good chimney results in a stove that is easy to light and draft builds quickly, smoke does not fill the room when you try and light a fire, no smoke spillage when you open the door to tend the fire and no foul odours or cold air when the stove is not in use. Woodheat.org is a great site that goes into great detail about woodburning from how to start a fire to the science behind drafting. Information that will help us include your wood moisture percentage, flue temperatures when your damper is wide open and closed, have you been conducting any yearly maintenance on your stove, etc. The more information we have, the better equipped we will be to help you. There are also accessories we have that can help effect your draft and get your stove working properly.

Some gas fireplaces use a blower to help move air through a heat exchanger creating more heated air in the room. Other gas fireplace (clean face) do not even have an option of a blower. This is part of our quotation process where we visit your home and help you determine your individual needs.

Woodstoves chimneys should be checked at the very least in the beginning and end of the burning season. Depending on the stove, gaskets should be replaced annually. The glass could be cleaned as needed with an approved woodstove ceramic glass cleaner. Firebrick should be replaced when they fall apart, cracking is normal as long as the pieces stay in place. Baffles should be changed as necessary depending on the composition of the baffle. Some Catalysts deteriorate over time. The manual for your brand will talk about replacement. We will do our best to help from photos if you do not have a manual.

This is an acronym for the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States. This agency sets the emission standards for the U.S. for woodburning appliances. When a woodstove is said to be EPA approved, it is meeting the guidelines.

Wood Energy Technical Transfer is a non-profit training and education association that promotes the safe and effective use of woodburning systems in Canada. They offer courses, and certification to its members who successfully complete the courses. They have established a code of ethics requiring professionalism in all aspects of work.

www.wettinc.ca has a locater that you can use to find certified individuals in your specific area.

We would like all our customers to come into our showroom, we have extensive displays and we feel that a fireplace should be seen in person. At the showroom we can look at multiple styles of fireplaces, help you narrow your choices down and discuss ballpark budgets. At that point we can decide if the next step is a home visit.


We understand work schedules and have our store open on Saturdays 10am – 2pm to help people who work Mon-Fri. We will also setup appointments after our normal business hours to help accommodate busy schedules.

Yes we can if it is a manufacturer we represent. You can also go to the manufacturer website where almost everyone now has a customer care section where they include current manuals and most times archived manuals.

The first thing to check is your batteries in your hand control and in the receiver normally located under the fireplace. Place yourself within 20 feet of the fireplace with the controller pointed at the fireplace and try it again. Your fireplace manual will have a troubleshooting section with some helpful tips. The other thing to keep in mind is that all gas fireplaces do have manual controls even if it is just an on/off control until a service tech can come to your home for a diagnosis.