How to Access a Wall Fireplace Valve

In the event of an emergency, all gas fed wall fireplaces must have shut-off valves connected to them. These valves can be tricky to locate and operate. Below are a few steps that should make the process much easier.

Step 1 – Locate the Valve

Gas fireplaces are required to have two shut off valves: one in the firebox where the fireplace attaches to the gas line, and another service shut off somewhere along the gas line that feeds the fireplace (the main gas shut-off for the house does not count as one of the two shut-offs).

The first valve can be found by looking within the firebox of the fireplace itself. This valve is mostly used for maintenance purposes and will likely be impossible to reach in an emergency situation.

The second valve though, must be no more than 4 to 6-feet away from the fireplace and must have easy access. This means it cannot be in a place where a ladder would be needed to reach it, or in a place that requires crawling to reach.

Step 2 – Use a Valve Key

Once the valves have been located it will become obvious why they are tricky to operate. Rather than a handle or knob, a valve key will be needed in order to manipulate the valve. These keys are small and resemble old roller skate keys. To operate the valve, the key is placed in the center of the valve and twisted.