Gas Fireplace Service in the City of Boston, MA

Who may work on a gas fireplace in Boston

Gas fitting in Massachusetts is licensed work. The state Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters licenses journeyman and master gas fitters, and a licensed plumber may also do gas fitting. You can look up a license with the board before anyone starts. Our work is done by a licensed Massachusetts gas fitter.

In the city, gas permits come from the Inspectional Services Department (ISD). Boston says its gas permit covers installing and replacing gas lines, gas appliances and gas heaters, and only licensed contractors can apply. A homeowner cannot take it out; the licensed contractor applies in their own name and does the work. No work should begin before the permit is issued, and the contractor has to be on site for the city's inspection.

Whether a particular repair needs a permit depends on what is being changed, so ask before any gas work starts, and ask to see the permit when one applies.

What Boston's energy codes mean for a fireplace repair

The state energy department's adoption list shows Boston's Stretch Energy Code taking effect on July 1, 2011 and its Municipal Opt-in Specialized Code on January 1, 2024. Boston is not one of the communities in the state's fossil-fuel-free building demonstration program.

Those codes set rules for building and renovating, not for fixing an appliance. The state's code FAQ says the Specialized Code applies only to new construction, and the Stretch Code to new construction plus certain renovations and additions. Fixing the pilot, ignition or controls of a fireplace you already own is a repair.

Replacing a gas appliance falls under Boston's gas permit. A new gas fireplace in a new building is a design question: under the Specialized Code, a new home that uses gas on site takes on extra requirements, such as wiring for a later switch to all-electric. Boston's Net Zero Carbon Zoning adds a net-zero emissions standard for large new projects filed after July 1, 2025, such as buildings of 15 or more units or of at least 20,000 square feet, and it excludes renovations. This is a plain summary, not legal advice; ISD decides how a project is classified.

Boston homes: old, dense and mostly heated by gas

In the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 46.7% of Boston's 310,625 housing units were built in 1939 or earlier. Only 11.9% are detached single-family houses; 23.5% are in buildings of three or four units and 27.8% in buildings of 20 or more. Utility gas heats 56.4% of occupied homes.

The owner-occupied rate is 35.7%, so most households rent. If you do, the fireplace belongs to your landlord, so get their go-ahead before booking. In condo and apartment buildings, mention parking, elevator reservations or any notice the manager needs, so the visit starts on time.

The city also has the Landmarks Commission and 10 historic district commissions, which handle design review in their districts. A repair inside the firebox or control compartment leaves the exterior untouched; raise anything that would change it with the district commission first.

Two gas companies serve Boston: what to do if you smell gas

The state Department of Public Utilities lists both National Grid (Boston Gas) and Eversource (NSTAR Gas) for Boston, noting that one city can have more than one gas company. Your gas bill shows which one serves your address.

If you smell gas, leave the building first. State guidance is to call 911 once you are outside, and not to flip switches, open windows or try to shut off the gas. National Grid tells customers to go outside and call 1-800-233-5325 or 911. Eversource asks you to get to a safe place, call 911, then report the leak to Eversource at 800-592-2000. Our gas smell and CO alarm guide covers what comes next. Book a fireplace visit only after the gas company or fire department has made the home safe.

Fireplace symptoms worth a closer look

Each guide below lists likely causes and the few checks an owner can safely make first, such as the wall switch, the remote and receiver batteries, and whether the glass front is in place. Past those checks, a gas fireplace repair visit finds the cause.

• A fireplace that won't turn on from the switch or remote
• A pilot that won't stay lit once you release the control
• A remote that has stopped working, even with fresh batteries

Neighboring towns with their own pages

Boston borders several of the 68 towns we serve. Cambridge sits across the Charles River, Newton lies to the west and Quincy to the south, each with a page of its own. Brookline, Somerville, Milton, Dedham and Watertown also share a border with the city; the full list is on our service areas page.

Booking a Boston visit and the $99 inspection

The $99 safety inspection is a full inspection with a gas leak check, a look at wiring and controls, a safety check and a maintenance check. One price covers every gas fireplace in your home. It is inspection only, so cleaning is extra, and the $99 is credited toward any repair. The offer is for a limited time.

Visits run Sunday through Friday from 8am to 6pm, in two-hour arrival windows: 8-10, 10-12, 12-2, 2-4 or 4-6. Request a time online and we confirm by phone or email, or call 617-915-2647. If the fireplace works but hasn't been serviced lately, see gas fireplace maintenance.