C R GAS LOG & FIREPLACES INC

Brian did an onsite consult with me to go over options for extending gas lines and installing products, then we visited the showroom to pick out products that would work best for our fireplace. We had not been using the wood burning fireplace in our home for several years. We received a quote for the products and labor a few days later [just after Christmas], submitted a down payment and 3 weeks later an installer came and installed the gas line, burner and logs in just a few hours. The price was very fair and everyone we dealt with was helpful and provided excellent service. We are very happy with the new fireplace logs and really like the remote electronic ignition option that we went with. And we're really thrilled that they were able to install them so quickly so that we can use them now in January!

I didn't have a very good experience with them. They put the wrong fireplace in the first time and they said they didn't put in the wrong fireplace. The owner came out and he was very difficult to deal with. They finally gave us the right fireplace. There was a leak in the chimney in the garage that they put in and it still hasn't been fixed. I've called them a couple of times about the insert they put in on the inside that is supposed to look like brick and they never have fixed that either. I wouldn't recommend them. Their price was pretty competitive with other people around. They were good at punctuality. The owner was not professional.

We visited the company's showroom and were referred to a salesperson. After choosing a unit we scheduled an appointment for an estimate .At that time we chose doors, tile,  and log set. Work started about a week later and was completed within a few days .
 Customer service and workmanship were of the highest quality.

This was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish, and resulted in us spending an additional $4,000 in order to correct the problems created by CR Gas Logs. 

11/11/96 - The installer, Bill, worked quietly while I sat and read the paper.  It took only a few hours and the job was done.  We paid them immediately.  Big mistake.

11/27/96 - Several days later we noticed our family room was very cold.  A service call was put in with CR Gas Logs, and they sent Bill over to check it out.  Bill decided cold air was coming from the air gap that surrounds the fireplace's burn box, so he stuff fiberglass insulation into the space under the fireplace.  I later learned this was dangerous to do and was in violation of building codes.

12/5//96 - A few more days passed, and it was still unreasonably cold in our room, so Bill was sent over again.  Bill decided the holes drilled to run the gas line to the logs needed to be caulked, and he caulked them.  I was startled when I heard a small explosion from the fireplace.  Bill was attempting to touch up the inside of our fireplace with black spray paint - while the gas logs were lit - and the spray paint fumes ignited and blew back into the room.  Bill nervously smiled while he put out the flames, but I began to get the feeling that Bill might not have much experience at installations if he didn't realize that spray paint was flammable.

12/10/96 - I contacted Tom DePalma expressed my concerns about the ongoing cold seepage problems and Bill's efforts to fix them.  Tom agreed to stop by our house and assess the situation.

12/16/96 - Tom DePalma stopped by our house and examined the fireplace.  Tom was disturbed that insulation was stuffed under the fireplace, and began to lecture me on why I shouldn't have done that.  I corrected him that his installer, Bill, had done that as part of his remediation attempts.  Tom didn't seem to believe me, but removed the insulation and the black sheet metal that had been placed in front of the insulation to block it from view within the family room.  Tom then began telling me how these cold air seepage problems weren't due to CR Gas Logs' work, and must be due to some issue with the fireplace, and then suggested I contact the manufacturer of the fireplace.  I protested but Tom denied any culpability in the situation.

2/5/97 - We contacted several other fireplace servicers to see if they could diagnose the issue, but try as they might, they could not remedy the situation.  We ended up sealing off the fireplace with black sheet plastic in order to keep the room heated to temperatures above 60 degrees.  Without the plastic sheeting, the room temp would fall into the high 50's overnight.  The sheeting would billow out like a sail on a ship when it was windy out - a complete nightmare.

6/25/98 - After having suffered through the winter of '97-'98 with the same issues and being unable to get the temperature of the room above 64, we finally decided to replace the entire fireplace with a sealed gas unit.  While prepping the old fireplace and ceramic gas logs for removal, we finally found the problem: Bill had installed a sheet metal false ceiling in the fireplace with sheet metal screws. When CR removed the manual flue from the fireplace, they replaced it with an electric flue that was 5" in diameter, and which simply sat under the 10" diameter flue pipe.  There was no seal between the small damper and the flue pipe, so a column of cold air 20' in height would simply pour down and flow through the fireplace unhindered.

I presented these findings to CR Gas Logs, but they never acknowledged any responsibility for the problems or that their installation was flawed, unsafe, and in violation of building codes.  To this day we curse when we see or hear their name.

By far the worst contractor experience I've ever experienced. We lost the full amount of money we invested in this project, and had to shell out triple the amount this project cost in order to fix the problems CR Gas Logs caused. 11/11/96 - CR Gas Logs installed their own brand of gas logs in our existing family room's Majestic wood-burning fireplace. Almost immediately we experienced problems with the setup - even with the glass doors closed, it allowed extreme amounts of cold air into the house. So much so, it was impossible to keep the family room heated to a comfortable temperature. At night, temperatures in family room dropped into the low 50's, while day time temperatures in the room barely reached 60. 11/27/96 - We called and expressed our concern about this issue. CR's installer, "Bill", stopped over and assessed the situation. Even though I demonstrated to Bill that the air was coming from all around the firebrick in the fireplace, Bill decided the best idea was to stuff fiberglass insulation into the airspace under the burn box of the fireplace. Bill then cut some sheet metal as a front cover, spray painted it black, and placed it so to hide the insulation from view. I later learned this act not only violated fire codes as the insulation was in contact with the burn box, but it was totally ineffective at addressing the problem. 12/5/96 - Bill the installer shows up and gains access to the inside of our chimney chase, applying silicone seal around all entry holes he had drilled into the firebox of our fireplace. While he was here, he addressed a plugged gas nozzle and some flexible gas line that was visible in the firebox. He decided to spray paint the silver gas line so it would blend in better with the black metal of the fireplace. I watched in amazement as he spray painted this gas line WHILE THE GAS LOGS WERE LIT. The resulting small explosion caused both of us to jump, but Bill quickly recovered to douse the flames that now engulfed the freshly painted portion of the gas line. It was at this point where I started to have serious doubts about Bill's expertise in his chosen line of work. Again, the silicone caulking was ineffective at addressing the issues. 12/10/96 - I called Tom DePalma, administrator for CR Gas Logs, and expressed my concerns with the situation. After explaining what Bill had done to address the issue so far, Tom offered to stop by and check it out in person. 12/16/96 - Tom DePalma stops by and examines our fireplace. Tom was concerned about the insulation stuffed under the burnbox of the fireplace, and began lecturing me on the seriousness of what I had done, how the air gap was meant to keep the burnbox from overheating, and that this created a fire and safety hazard. It was quite obvious that Tom assumed I had stuffed insulation in this area. I pointed out that it was his installer, Bill, who had performed this action as part of his attempt remediation. Tom was incredulous, but proceeded to remove all the insulation and the sheet metal cover. At this point I requested Tom outline what further actions CR Gas Logs would take to remedy this situation. Tom argued that this must be a pre-existing issue with the Majestic fireplace, and disavowed any responsibility. I countered that we had had no problems with the fireplace prior to this project. Tom at this point disavowed any responsibility for the issue, and suggested I contact a Majestic fireplace dealer for assistance. 2/5/97 - I contacted a local Majestic fireplace dealer, who came to our house several times to assess the situation and attempt to fix it. I offered to pay for this service, but they refused my offer. 2/17/97 - The Majestic fireplace dealer insulated our chase in an attempt to fix the issue. We paid them for the work, but this too proved ineffective. At this point we placed black plastic over the entire unit, and it stayed like that until the weather warmed up in May. My son offered to give us a drawing which we could place on the black plastic so it wouldn't be "so ugly". To this day it is infuriating to look at pictures of family gatherings and see large 4'x5' sheet of black plastic covering our fireplace. 11/97 - 4/98 - We once again had to place plastic sheeting over our fireplace so the family room was inhabitable. It would puff out like a ship's sail when it was windy outside, but it allowed the temperatures to stay steadily in the mid 60's in the room during the winter. 6/25/98 - We ended up contracting with a third fireplace dealer in the area for a completely sealed gas fireplace unit to replace the compromised Majestic unit. In order to save some money on the job, I had agreed to perform tear down on the existing Majestic unit so the sealed gas unit installers would not have to do that portion of the job. While dismantling the Majestic unit, I made a startling discovery that would explain everything. In the course of installing their CR Gas Log unit, CR had installed a false ceiling in our Majestic fireplace. This false ceiling was meant to support a motorized flue damper of about 4" diameter. The motorized flue damper was an upgrade for our gas logs as a more energy efficient alternative to having a mechanical damper that would be required to remain 1/4" open even when the logs were not lit in order to vent gases given off by the gas pilot. This 4" diameter flue damper simply sat in the middle of 10" flue pipe - but with NO physical connection to the flue. This meant the air column of the 22' high flue pipe had nothing closing it off from the inside of the house. The false ceiling was simply some roughly cut sheet metal that was nowhere near airtight. As an added twist, the motor of the motorized flue damper sported some thin fiberglass insulation wrapped around it, and held in place with... ordinary duct tape. I'm quite sure that wouldn't meet fire code. I was so stunned and furious at my find I didn't even think to take pictures of it. The next morning the sealed gas fireplace installers came and performed their magic, and we haven't had a problem with the unit since. CR Gas Logs never responded when I contacted them with my findings. No apology, no offer to refund my money - nothing. To this day we mutter curses if we see or hear the name "CR Gas Logs".