Steve the Fireplace Guy

Steve assessed our needs for converting our fireplace to gas and then recommended a couple of places where we could see the various choices. Once done, he and his team of two talented, polite young men ran the gas line ( done professionally and cleanly) and installed the unit. Steve personally set it up and carefully explained how it functioned and how to use it. No detail was omitted. We are very happy with the service and our fireplace.

I think it was just after a big snow or in the middle of one of the cold spells, so I was anxious to get them in quickly and get the fireplace working. They came and unclogged the pilot and I had them do a full cleaning including the substrate on the bottom of the fireplace (It hadn't been serviced in about 4-5 years). The technician was great - I wish I could remember his name. He was prompt, did the work quickly, left no mess or sign that he was there, other than a clean, working fireplace. And he gave me some tips to keep it clean and working. I'll gladly use them in the future. Very satisfied.

Kyle came out both times. He was right on time, close to the start of the time window. He determine what was needed and promptly fixed our problem. The first thing he did was take off his shoes, an always appreciated touch when folks are working in your house. He ended up taking the unit apart, had all the tools, drop cloth, vacuum, etc. Everything was clean and perfect when he left. I have two other units and I will request Kyle (and this company), when I have them serviced.

Steve and his crew were diligent, professional and thorough.

I can't imagine a better experience that the one we had with Steve Swerdlin and his team. Steve was referred to us by The Fireplace Shop of Gaithersburg, where we purchased the insert. Once it was determined that we had a tricky gas situation, we were told Steve was the one guy who could help us. For the shortest and most economical gas run, we wanted to tap off an exisiting line running to a gas powered generator on the same side of the house as the fireplace, saving about 60' of gas line. Steve quickly determined that there would not be enough BTUs to run both units and, in fact, the line that had been run to the generator was undersized. When contacted, the contractors who had installed the generator 3 years earlier refused to believe they had made a mistake until we had it inspected by WSSC, which Steve helped arrange, at which point they agreed to install a larger diameter gas line at no additional cost. That meant not only that our generator would now have the proper power but that there would be more than enough surplus to run the gas insert as well. Once that was completed, Steve's crew - Chris and Demy - showed up exactly when scheduled, despite icy rain that day, and did a great job with the installation. They were neat, polite and friendly and careful to explain everything about each step involved in the process. Steve arranged for WSSC to return to inspect the work. Upon arrival, the inspector commented that he can always tell when it is one of Steve's jobs because of the quality of the workmanship. I was issued the official green sticker and Steve and his crew returned to complete the installation. They took plenty of time to explain and demonstrate all of the functions of our beautiful new gas fireplace. We were so pleased with the experience that we have already recommended Steve to a friend, and will gladly do so in the future. We only wish that there were more contractors like Steve the Fireplace Guy!

Steve's company was prompt in returning my initial call, setting up an appointment, and showing up on time. Kyle was very knowledgeable and fixed the problems with our gas fireplace (had been working poorly - not staying lit - for years) as part of their annual maintenance work. He cleaned the whole inside, repainted surfaces that required it, cleaned the glass, and fixed all issues. Furthermore, they guarantee their work for a whole year! Couldn't be more pleased that I found this company. Excellent service and will use them for all our fireplace needs in the future.

If you want a solid professional with character, I highly recommend Steve. I own a townhouse in Northern Virginia with two gas fireplaces. I was having issues with one of them. After reading several exceptional reviews for Steve I decided to give him a call. After a short conversation, Steve took the time to walk me through a series of self checks and I able to get the fireplace working. Talk about a quality guy. I would definately use Steve if I have issues in the future and would highly recommend him.

After an initial email exchange, Steve and his assistant Sharon came to the house and presented various configurations of gas logs and fireplace inserts that we had requested. We reviewed the proposed units at local fireplace shops and selected a Heatilator unit without fan and simple on/off remote. It was a somewhat complex installation since the gas meter was on the opposite side of the house, requiring to gas line to be routed through an enclosed ceiling and a new electrical circuit had to be added for the ignition. On the first day of the installation, Steve and Chris completed the gas, electrical and chimney vent installation in a meticulous fashion. After the WSSC inspector verified the new pressurized gas line, Steve and Chris completed the gas insert installation on the 2nd day. Steve's years of experience are obvious as you watch the installation process - he would always stop and explain any aspect whenever I asked. The gas insert has been a true delight in the family room over this cold winter - keeps the room at a comfortable 72-74 degrees with great ambience and no noise. Steve is the 'go to' man for anything to do with gas fireplaces.

I am a recent member of Angie's List and I was looking for a company to perform maintenance on my Gas Fireplace.. Since purchasing the home about 7 years ago I've only use the fireplace about 3 times. After my yearly maintenance on my home furnace I learned that I needed to replace the furnace , (they found a crack in it) and advised not to use it . I decided to use the fireplace until I can replace with a new furnace. However , since I had not used the fireplace in recent years I wanted to have it checked and I came across " Steve the Fireplace Guy" on Angie's List. I chose them over the ($99) deals after reading the great reviews from customers and I did not regret it. This is a company which lives up to and more of what they service. Kyle arrived on time , introduce himself and asked me a few questions concerning my fireplace. He then went straight to work by first laying out a drop cloth in front of the fireplace and then explaining all what he was doing. His explanation was detailed in every question that I asked and if I didn't understand something. I was basically impressed with the quality and professionalism displayed . By the way I received the 5% discount and would highly recommend them to all my friends. and will be the company I will use in the future . My fireplace looks brand new and the warmth and glow displayed makes me wonder why I haven't use it more. I am a very satisfied customer.

The insert is about 16 years and has not been serviced for about 2-3 years. The pilot went out and we could not get it to stay on. There was also a terrible draft coming from the fireplace. Kyle was wonderful. In less than one hour he lit the pilot, inspected the fireplace and cleaned it. Success!!. Thanks Angieslist for your recommendation

Kyle arrived on time. He even took his shoes off at the door explaining it was company policy. He had a look at the fireplace and we asked questions about safety. We just bought the home and are worried our daughter could turn it on or get inside. He had some useful suggestions about safety which we will separately investigate and offered some thoughts on alternative fireplaces which didn't have doors. They were pricey though ($5k+) but sounded really nice and something to possibly explore in future. Kyle prepped the area and went on about his work while we inspected the rest of the house with other contractors. He was super nice and quick. He explained that it was a good idea to get the fireplace cleaned and inspected at least once a year and also showed us how to use it. (for instance, I had no idea it was dangerous to run the fireplace with the doors closed as it could cause damage to some of the electrical lines inside; we didn't get the home with manuals so this is new to us). He also took off the model number plates (usually affixed inside the fireplace but removable) and suggested we keep them out of the fire so they could be legible after continued use. (makes sense) He then asked us if we wanted the white brick painted, at no extra charge, which made the fireplace look a lot nicer and less dirty. Finally, after he was finished and cleaned up, he explained he re-positioned the gas lines to place the fire in the center so it looked nicer rather than slightly askew. Again, at no charge. Cleaning was $225 and I think the remote was $125 - after the Angie's List discount it came in at around $330. I felt the remote was rather expensive and I think for an annual service, $225 also seems on the high side. Still, I'd happily pay it again because of the service and workmanship.

They were so good, I almost wish I had another gas fireplace that needed service. Steve the Fireplace Guy sent out Kyle to work on our Hearthstone gas fireplace heater. It wouldn't stay lit and kept shutting itself off. Well, Kyle jumped in and took it all apart, got it working, and put it all back together better than new. He went the extra mile, cleaning and reprinting parts (he didn't have to do that) and then setting it up the flames, logs, and glowing embers. It works beautifully now-- and looks so good it could be features in a photo shoot now. Well, to top it off, Kyle was a philosopher, conversationalist and all round great guy. When was the last time you really enjoyed having someone come over to repair something? Kyle was a delight to have in our home.

Our fireplace had not been serviced in 20 years, and had stopped working 5 years ago. We had assumed that it would be costly to get it working again. We contacted them on Monday and they made an appointment for Wednesday between 1 and 3. There was an error in communication as Kyle was running late and no one called us. When Kyle realized the error, he called and said he would be here in 20 minutes. He arrived about 4pm and went to work immediately. He asked us about the history and then brought in his tools. He replaced the remote and did inform us up front of the extra cost. Before he actually started the work he put down a drop cloth and carefully made sure that everywhere he might spread dirt was covered. Within 5 minutes we had a fire in the fireplace! We were surprised and delighted. He informed us that the pilot light was partially blocked and asked if we wanted him to spray paint the interior (at no extra cost). We said yes and he cleaned up all the dust and dirt, then spray painted the interior. He even took off the wall switch cover to make sure there was no dust or dirt in the switch. He cleaned the glass and the screen, and put the whole thing back together. Finally, he made sure we understood how to work the new remote as it has a thermostatic control and made sure to leave us the manual. Upon leaving he made sure that we understood that we could call at any time if we had further questions. If we had known that getting the fireplace working again would be so easy we would have done it sooner. We feel that we received excellent value for our money and would recommend this company wholeheartedly to anyone in need of work on their fireplace.

Wonderfully. Steve was efficient and the work is of excellent quality. Fantastic work, and we're thrilled with our new fireplace.

Cleaned out fireplace and checked gas log. Found defective part and replaced it at no extra cost (it was keeping remote control from working). Repositoned logs and tested equipment to assure it worked properly. Spray painted screen doors (not even requested) at no extra charge. Cleaned up

We would not hesitate to recommend to everyone. We are even going to post it on our development community board in case anyone else needs a reliable gas fireplace repair or maintenance company. |THANK YOU!!!!

Both my gas fireplaces were serviced/repaired. I selected Steve based on Angie's List reviews I had read. All the positive reviews were absolutely true: Steve is a genie at servicing and repairing gas fireplaces (they also do installations) and his price-point is well below other groups whom I have previously used and who did not do anywhere near as good a job. My fireplaces are over 20 years old. They are now operating as well as they did when we built our house. I was so impressed that I immediately marked my calendar for annual servicing by Steve. A really good experience.

At the suggestion of one of the vendors I called, it was suggested that since I lived so close to a fireplace showroom, we should stop in and take a look at the different types of gas logs in person. A color pamphlet just doesn't do it justice and we wanted to talk to the sales person there to get more information on the different types of gas logs?vent-free vs vented, natural gas vs propane, maintenance, etc. We went to the fireplace showroom and loved the Peterson Evening Fyre G18 series. It looked very realistic as close to a wood burning fire. We liked the natural gas G18-24-15 because the flames are adjustable to high and low with the 15 burners and the remote to operate it. They quoted us a "sale" price but we wanted to wait for the estimates first. Steve came by and looked everything over. The fireplace in the living room would be an easy install since the gas meter was right behind the wall of where the fireplace is located. The second fireplace in the family room was all the way on the other side of the house and would require installing a gas line from the outside of the gas meter and bring it inside through the basement ceiling to underneath where the family room fireplace is located. I told Steve the natural gas logs we had decided upon and that we wanted it to be vent-free. The only draw back with vent-free gas logs is that the smell of the ceramic logs can take at least 12 hours of burning time for the smell to go away but he said that if we crack the damper while the logs are on, then the smell won't be as bad since it would go up the chimney. Steve also suggested that we get the chimneys inspected and cleaned even though the vent-free is virtually maintenance free but for the first time of installation it should each be cleaned and inspected to avoid any problems with the chimneys and to avoid any debris falling onto the unit that could hamper the working of the logs. I quoted the prices for the gas logs from the fireplace showroom and Steve said he could get it for us even less and he automatically gave me a discount as an Angie's list member. Steve explained step by step what he would do and even suggested buying extra lava rocks and wood chips to make the fireplace more aesthetic. He said that the small bag of lava rocks that comes with the unit is not enough to cover the entire floor of the fireplace to cover the piping, tubing and other installation material. You also have to buy the wood chips separately since they do not come with the unit. Out of the three vendors, I decided to go with Steve the Fire Place Guy because of his explanation and attention to detail. He was not the most expensive or least expensive of the three but I liked the fact that he takes pride in his work and also an artist in his craft. I did bring up to Steve about the negative reviews on his unresponsiveness and he said that he did had problems with that because he was trying to do everything himself but that the problem has mostly be resolved with the addition of Sharon being responsible for answering calls and scheduling appointments. So Steve and Chris came 3 weeks later to do the installation after I have had the chimney cleaned inspected and repaired. It was a good thing that I took Steve's advice of cleaning and inspecting my chimneys because even though the chimneys were relatively cleaned (we never used the fireplaces since we moved into the house 6 years ago but the previous owners had used the one in the family room from the color of the fireplace wall, but the living room fireplace was almost new), both of the concrete crowns on the chimneys needed repairs due to age and weather. The crowns were the original crowns when the house was built almost 30 years ago. Steve and Chris started around 11:30AM working on the installation. They brought in the gas line through the basement and hung the line in the rafters in the ceiling. They did have to cut a square hole in the basement ceiling where the gas line came in so that the WSSC inspector could see that the line was properly anchored. Steve also asked if I wanted shut off valves inside the house for each fireplaces even though he has already installed shut-off valves for each unit outside the house. I told Steve that I wanted shut-off valves inside as well. Steve had to remove the brass and glass fireplace door and screen from the family room fireplace because the opening was not wide enough for the gas logs to have proper ventilation so the flame to function properly, if we did not remove the door, the flames would not be very pretty and would be jumping everywhere and you won't get the pretty steady movement of the flames. After removing the door from the fireplace, Steve and Chris worked on removing the soot from the bricks where the door was hung and also inside the fireplace wall. The bricks look wonderful after the cleaning and you could hardly tell that any black soot was there. Then they proceeded to paint the inside walls of the fireplace black. I only did it for the family room because of past burning of wood in the fireplace, the walls were already covered with black soot and burn marks whereas the walls of the living room fireplace still its original color. The installation of both gas logs, the gas lines, the pressure testing and assembly of the logs took all day and most of the night. The poor guys did not leave our house until close to 9PM. Steve told me that the inspector will be by tomorrow and that he would come back after the inspection tomorrow to finish the job. Steve came back as promised the next day, hook everything up, ran more tests, and decorated the fireplaces with lava rocks, glowing embers, wood chips. Steve was right I needed extra bags of lava rocks to cover the entire fireplace floor, the gas line, tubing, etc. The bag of lava rocks that came with the log set was not enough. The wood chip gave it an even nicer and authentic presentation. Steve had even painted the copper tubing, the silver flexible hose, the brass coupling all black so that they would not shine through the lava rocks, making them almost invisible. When all is said and done, the fireplaces looked beautiful and the flames looked very real. Even with the damper slightly ajar, we still got a lot of heat. Just turning on one fireplace on low with the damper closed heated up the entire floor. The smell of the gas log is apparent but not overwhelming and we did crack the damper a bit while burning and you can hardly smell it anymore. Have not burned the logs for at least 12 hours yet so do not know if the smell will go away but so far it is not bothering us. Steve and Sharon have been great throughout the whole process. Even coming back a couple of times to check on thing to ease my fear and mind, they have been very responsive. I could not be happier and I am so glad that we picked Steve the Fire Place Guy. Thank you Steve and Sharon.

Kyle was fantastic, arrived on time and was exceptionally polite. Even took his shoes off as soon as he stepped in the door without even asking, spread out a cloth to keep the hearth and carpet surrounding the fireplace nice and clean. Explained what he was doing and gave some great pointers on how to keep the fireplace in good working order. He knows his stuff.

Kyle who is one of Steve's employee's called 15 min before the end of the service window and informed me he was running about 30-45 min behind and offered to reschedule the next day, Sunday, if it was going to be a problem. This left me with a good impression as I have had too many service calls in the past run late or not show without even a phone call. When Kyle showed up he got right to work on the first fireplace and had it working in about 15 min. He cleaned, painted, and replaced old rusty parts as well as repaired the remote relay. He worked diligently and was attentive to the details. He had to replace the thermopile in the basement fireplace which added $95 in parts and $15 in labor to the bill. He ensured that both fireplaces were functioning properly to include the blowers. All safety concerns were addressed and he was very informative. All told the service fees were $225 for the first fireplace, $200 for the second fireplace, and then parts and labor which brought the total with a 5% Angie's list discount to $513. I would definitely recommend and plan on calling him back for future servicing.

Extremely well. Steve and his colleague Sharon showed up on time, did the work thoughtfully and well. Tthe fitting of the log set was quite a tricky bit of work, as we wanted a large log set for a relatively small chimney. Steve was careful, thoughtful in the placement of protective pads over hardwood floors and at the front door, and very thorough and thoughtful in his work. He answered a wide range of questions from us and adjusted the chimney controls so we had just the right amount of venting. He also generously made a small modification to our flue control, so that we would have no problems in future. He worked continuously throughout the afternoon without a break so he could be done in the early evening. We are very pleased with the embers, variable and controllable flame height, the remote, and the lack of smell from the fireplace. Steve was able to obtain a good discount for us on the cost of the fireplace log unit itself. We found Steve very easy to work with and are delighted with the job he did. We would use him again in a minute.

The project went very well. We were impressed with Steve's professionalism, his attention to detail and hard work. Steve and his team were careful to keep the work area clean which was greatly appreciated. The project was completed in two phases. First phase was the gas work, working on the chimney liner and running the venting lines, and the electrical work. The county inspected that work. The same day the inspection was done Steve came in and completed second and final phase, the set up of the insert along with installation of the doors for the system. We were very pleased with the results and would highly recommend Steve to anyone looking to have this kind of work done.

I had a similar experience as one reviewer who never received a response. I called twice - once in September, and once in October. I left detailed messages each time and a call back number I even sent an e-mail as requested in the answering message, and no response. It's just bad business and unprofessional. There are very few professionals licensed to do this type of work, which is why I called again, but I contacted another service provider from AL.

I needed a licensed contractor's help quickly, as I was in a bind with kitchen remodel and Steve came through...He is awesome..its the only way to explain they way he works. Very hardworking, intelligent, loves what he does, and seems to make sure you are very happy with you are going to get. I received all of this, and he moved his schedule to help me, worked well with my carpenters, and put some late hours in to see it all through. I can't thank him and his team enough and highly recommend him.

We are new costumers to Steve the Fireplace Guy and had previously been working with another company who has a poor grade on Angie's List. Kyle arrived on time. He examined my gas fireplace that was not working. He found two problems that the gas line was clogged and the manual switch had gone bad. He cleaned the gas line and removed the manual switch. Then he cleaned the ceramic logs and replaced the sand and embers and set up the ceramic logs back in the fireplace. He did a really good job. Steve the Fireplace Guy charged me half the price that I was being charged by the previous company I got service with. I will definitely call them again next year (and I will request Kyle) to clean and service my fireplace.