Firegear Outdoors · Maintenance
How to Maintain a Firegear Gas Fire Pit Burner
A Firegear burner — Pro brass or SS stainless — will run for a decade with minimal upkeep. The maintenance routine is 20 minutes once a season: clear spider debris from the burner ports, pull and inspect the ignition components, check the media level, and verify the shutoff valve operates smoothly.
By Rob · Updated November 8, 2026
What you need
- Soft brass brush (never steel on brass burner ports)
- Compressed air or pipe cleaner
- Dry cloth or microfiber
- Gas leak detector solution for annual joint recheck
Step by step
Clear the burner ports
Spider webs, insect debris, and ash can clog burner ports and cause uneven flame. Use a soft brass brush OR compressed air to clear the ports. Never use a steel wire brush on a brass burner — the bristles embed in the brass and corrode.
Inspect the spark electrode and flame sensor (AWS only)
Pull the spark electrode and flame sensor, wipe with a dry cloth, check for corrosion on the tip. A green film means the sensor is fouling — gentle sanding with fine emery paper restores it.
Check the pilot assembly (TPSI / TMSI)
The pilot orifice can clog with dust or spider webs. A pipe cleaner or compressed air clears it. Confirm the thermocouple tip still has clean metal — soot buildup reduces heat transfer and shortens pilot-hold time.
Verify media distribution
Fire glass and lava rock shift over time, especially in windy sites. Smooth the media so the burner is evenly covered without any ports visible, and no deep piles that choke airflow.
Soap-test joints annually
Once a year, with gas on and burner off, soap-test every joint. Catches small leaks that develop from thermal cycling before they become big ones.
Common mistakes
- Using a steel brush on a brass burner. Steel bristles embed in brass. Microscopic steel particles then corrode and eat into the burner over time. Always use a brass brush on brass burners.
- Skipping the pilot assembly check on TPSI. Most 'my fire feature won't stay lit' calls trace to a dirty pilot or a soot-covered thermocouple. 5 minutes of cleaning fixes 80% of these.
Hands-on tips
- Do maintenance in spring before first use + fall before winter cover-up.
- Photograph the burner clean, then photograph each year — comparison catches wear early.
- Keep a spare thermocouple, spark electrode, and flame sensor in a dry box — all three are inexpensive and swap in 10 minutes each.
Questions people ask
How often does a Firegear burner need to be replaced?
Brass burners (Pro Series) last 10-15 years with routine maintenance. Stainless burners (SS Series) last similarly. The wear items that fail first are typically the ignition components (electrode, sensor, thermocouple), not the burner itself.
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