Masonry repair
Sweep & inspection
Caps & crowns
Flue relining
Gas fireplace serviceLevel 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed
Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
Famco Gas Fireplace Repair in Jacksonville: What to Know First
We repair Famco gas fireplaces across Jacksonville, and most jobs are done in a single visit, usually within the same week you call. A diagnosis runs $89, and if you approve the repair that day, we apply it toward the work. We’re an independent Famco service provider, not a manufacturer warranty center, which means we tell you straight when a part is worth replacing and when the fireplace has hit the end of its practical life.
If you own a Famco unit and it’s clicking without lighting, burning yellow when it used to burn blue, or shutting off mid-cycle, this page explains what’s actually happening and what it costs to fix here. Call (904) 453-7823 and a live person answers. Tell me what you’re seeing and I’ll tell you what it actually means.
How Famco Products Fail – and How We Fix Them
Famco built a lot of gas fireplaces in the 1990s and 2000s, and Jacksonville’s humidity plus our salt air creates a specific set of problems. Here’s what we actually find when we open these units up.
- Thermopile degradation on the VF and DV series. Famco’s standing-pilot units from the late ’90s and early 2000s run hot, and over years the thermopile output drops below the millivolt threshold the gas valve needs to stay open. The symptom is classic: pilot lights fine, main burner lights, then everything shuts off after 10 or 15 minutes. It’s not a gas supply problem. We replace the thermopile, verify millivolt output with a meter, and the unit runs like it should.
- Fouled pilot assemblies on direct-vent models near the coast. In Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, and anywhere east of the Intracoastal, we see pilot orifices clogged with fine salt dust and spider debris. The flame gets weak and lazy, the burner won’t light, and the homeowner has already tried cleaning it three times. We pull the pilot assembly, clean or replace the orifice, and reseat everything so it’s not an every-winter problem.
- Gas valve solenoid failures on mid-2000s Famco units. Famco used valve assemblies from a few third-party suppliers across their model years, and some of those valves have known solenoid coil failures after 15-plus years. The unit clicks, the igniter sparks, but no gas flows. We test for voltage at the valve first, and if the solenoid is dead, we source the correct replacement. We won’t wire in a generic valve and hope for the best.
- Blower motor failures on Famco inserts and fireplaces with circulation fans. The original blowers in many Famco units use sleeve bearings that get noisy, then seize. Jacksonville dust doesn’t help. We replace the motor or the whole blower assembly depending on what’s shot, and we check the fan control switch while we’re in there, because that fails about as often as the motor itself.
- Log set and burner media deterioration. After 15 to 20 years of heating and cooling cycles, Famco ceramic logs crack and the fiber burner media under the log set crumbles. That changes the flame pattern and can cause sooting on the glass. We replace with log sets and media rated for the specific Famco model, not whatever universal kit happens to be on the truck.
Styles & brands we work with





Our Famco Gas Fireplace Repair Process
Here’s how a Famco repair runs from the first call to the last test, and what you can expect at your door.
- 1
You call, we listen. A live person picks up 24/7. You’ll describe the symptom you’re seeing, and we’ll give you an honest read on whether it can wait or needs attention before you use the fireplace again.
- 2
You’ll know who’s coming. Before the visit, you get the technician’s name and photo. When they arrive, they show a photo ID badge at the door. No exceptions.
- 3
We diagnose in front of you. The technician walks through what they’re testing, in plain English. You’ll get a written price before any repair work starts, so there’s no surprise number at the end.
- 4
We source the right part. If a part needs replacing, we tell you whether OEM or a quality aftermarket replacement is the better call for your Famco model, and what each costs. We don’t make that decision without you.
- 5
We repair, test, and show you. Once the work is done, we cycle the fireplace, check gas pressure, verify the safety systems, and show you what changed. You’ll know it works before we leave.
- 6
You get a written guarantee. Every repair comes with our 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If the repair fails within a year, the second visit is free. That’s the deal, full stop.
What Famco Gas Fireplace Repair Costs in Jacksonville
| Service | Typical Cost in Jacksonville |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic visit (applied to repair if you proceed) | $89 |
| Thermopile replacement | $180 – $260 |
| Pilot assembly cleaning or replacement | $150 – $300 |
| Gas valve replacement | $350 – $600 |
| Blower motor replacement | $220 – $400 |
| Log set and burner media replacement | $250 – $500 |
What moves the price is mostly parts. A gas valve for a 1998 Famco DV unit costs more than a thermopile for a 2004 VF. If the unit is older and the part has been discontinued, sourcing takes longer and sometimes costs a bit more. That’s Jacksonville reality, not a markup game. We’ll quote you a written price before any work starts, and the estimate is free. Call (904) 453-7823 and we’ll walk you through it.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterWhy Jacksonville Homeowners Call Alcott Chimney Jacksonville for Famco Work
Ruben Castellano and our crew have worked on Famco units from Arlington to Ortega to the neighborhoods out by Timuquana. We know what these fireplaces do after two decades in a humid coastal climate, and we carry the service parts these jobs actually need. When a Famco unit needs a component that crosses over to a liner or venting issue, we’re already set up for that. We install and service DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco materials, so we’re not calling in someone else and marking the job up while we do it.
Every technician who comes to your door is background-checked, identity-verified, and announced by name and photo before they arrive. That’s the Threshold Standard. It’s not an add-on. You get a written price before work begins, a written guarantee on every repair, and a live person on the phone at 11 p.m. if you smell gas and need to know whether to shut the valve off now. We’ve been doing this in Jacksonville since 2002, and we’re still here because we tell you the truth about what your fireplace needs, not what’s easiest for us to sell.
FAQs
If your Famco unit is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, repairs done by any third party can affect remaining coverage, and we’re up-front about that. We’re an independent Famco service provider, not a warranty center. If you’re within warranty, we’ll tell you when it’s smarter to work with Famco directly. If you’re outside warranty, which is most of the Famco units we see in Jacksonville, the question doesn’t apply, and we can get to work right away. Call (904) 453-7823 and we’ll help you sort out which situation you’re in.
Common Famco wear parts like thermopiles, thermocouples, and pilot assemblies are usually on our truck or sourced locally same day. Valves, blowers, and niche components for older Famco models sometimes take a few business days to bring in. We’ll give you a parts timeline on the written estimate, so you know exactly when the job gets done. Call (904) 453-7823 for a free estimate and a realistic timeline for your specific unit.
If the firebox, gas valve, and venting are sound, a $250 thermopile beats a $4,000 replacement all day. But if the unit has multiple failures or the heat exchanger is compromised, we’ll tell you that too, and we won’t recommend a repair that doesn’t make financial sense. Ruben keeps a notebook of every unit he’s opened in Jacksonville, and he can usually tell you within five minutes which side of that line your Famco is on. Call (904) 453-7823 and get a straight answer.
On Famco standing-pilot units, that’s almost always a thermopile that’s producing too little millivolt output to hold the gas valve open. The pilot stays lit because it needs less current than the main burner, so the unit teases you with a working flame and then drops it. We replace the thermopile, verify output at the valve, and the problem’s gone. Call (904) 453-7823 and we’ll get you on the schedule.
We do. Famco is a big part of what we see in Jacksonville, but we also work on other major brands, and we install and service venting and liner products from DuraFlex, HeatShield, and Gelco. If you’ve got a mixed setup or a second fireplace from another manufacturer, one visit can cover both. Call (904) 453-7823 and tell us what you’re running.
Get Your Famco Fireplace Repaired in Jacksonville
If your Famco gas fireplace isn’t lighting, won’t stay lit, or is burning wrong, call (904) 453-7823. A live person answers, we’ll talk through what you’re seeing, and we’ll get you on the schedule with a tech whose name and photo you’ll know before they knock. Written price first, written guarantee on every repair, and a full year of accountability if anything doesn’t hold.
Written by Ruben Castellano, Owner, Alcott Chimney Jacksonville at Alcott Chimney Jacksonville, serving Jacksonville and nearby areas.