Hi and thanks for any responses in advance. I have two waterfalls with a natural gas fire feature in center of each of them. You can see in the pic attached. On one of them, the gas valve won't open even thought the brass handle turns the valve all the way open and closed. I haven't had the fire feature on in two years and I am selling the house and of course there was a home inspection today and the inspector found that gas valve won't open. Of COURSE it won't. As you can see in the pic, the gas valve appears to be way down inside the stone wall. I haven't attempted repair yet but can't figure out how to get to it. I'm assumming valve is stuck due to lack of use but am confused by the fact the valve control spins both directions easily to full stop open and full stop closed but no gas comes out. I KNOW it worked when I bought this place. I'm guessing stuck valve. I plan on removing all the glass beads to expose the fire shaft and maybe soaking it with WD40 to try to break it loose but not really sure how it works. Anyone have any ideas how to get to the valve. You can see in pic how low it is below the fountain assembly.....I'm stumped on how to fix it or cost to hire repairs. Have to come to agreement in next 3 days as movers come Thursday. Again, any help appreciated.
Fire Feature/Waterfall. Gas valve won't open. Selling....any ideas?
- Thread starter red_georgia
- Start date
I have the same setup as you do. Mine has a gas valve also back at the equipment pad at the gas meter. Double check that it has not been turned off there. Can you tell when you turn the gas valve handle that the stem is turning. Sometimes the handle strips out and turns but the actual valve stem does not. If your's is built like mine, as it appears to be, the actual valve is inside the concrete that the bowl sits on ( straight back from valve handle ). That is going to require a tear out to fix. I sure hope it is something simple that has been overlooked. Your WD40 idea is a great idea also if all is fails. I also think that brass plate that the valve key goes into screws off.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,077
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
The buyers are not buying your house because it has the fire feature. Offer the buyer $1,000 or whatever off the price because of the inoperative fire feature. Chances are they will never fix it and do the same when they sell it.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,150
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
There are two features and the other one gets gas so no valve is off somewhere else. The stem is turning freely. I'm thinking maybe the burner has corroded shut since the valve turns so freely. Will remove all the glass and see what I can see this am.
So I took it apart this morning. Best I can tell, the riser pipe is rusted shut. Unfortunately, they used two sections instead of one to the burner and of course only the 3" nipple on top unscrewed. Cant get wrench on lower section without lifting the cauldron off the pipe. There is the next problem.....how do you disconnect it? Looks like the drain is a PVC fitting that maybe glued into bottom of it???? Don't want to break it but it is clearly loose everywhere except where the drain for the cauldrom connects. The cover for the drain doesn't come off so it is not like it is a screwed on hold down to the PVC or anything. I'm stumpped? It is soaking in WD40 right now but not sure it will be able to break free.....or how to get the debris out of pipe so it doesn't plug valve..