Gas Heater Safety Repair in Richmond, CA

A homeowner in Richmond called us because their gas heater wasn’t working: the pilot light was on, but they couldn’t turn up the heat. They asked us to check the heater and the thermostat.

On inspection, our technician found more than a heating problem. He also found a loose unit, smelled a slight gas odor near the gas valve and an exhaust vent was sealed with duct tape that had melted from the heat.

At a glance

Location: Richmond, CA 94804
Date: October 2026
Customer’s complaint: pilot light on, heat won’t turn up
System: gas heater
Work: new exhaust vent, gas leak search, unit secured, high-limit safety switch connected
Cost: $890 before discounts. The $59 service call was credited to the repair.

What we found

The heater was not secured. It shifted when touched.
There was a slight gas odor near the unit and the gas valve.
The exhaust vent was sealed with duct tape. Heat had melted the tape, and it was crumbling off the joint. The vent pipe came away from the wall with almost no effort: there was no seal or gasket.
The high-limit safety switch was not connected.

Melted duct tape on a gas heater exhaust vent in Richmond, CA

Williams gas heater before repair in Richmond, CA

What we did

Installed a new exhaust vent, sealed with high-temperature foil tape rated for vent pipes
Searched the gas line and connections for leaks
Secured the heater so it no longer moves
Connected the high-limit safety switch
Ran a final gas leak check on the finished unit. The detector read zero.

The heater is back in service.

New exhaust vent on a gas heater in Richmond, CA

Carbon monoxide reading of 0 ppm at the new exhaust vent of a gas heater in Richmond, CA

Why it matters

The exhaust vent carries combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, out of the house. Duct tape is made for air ducts, not for hot flue pipes. Its adhesive breaks down with heat, and the joint can open.
A unit that moves puts stress on the gas connection and the vent joint every time someone bumps it.
The high-limit switch shuts the burner off if the heater overheats. Without it, nothing stops the burner when the heater runs too hot.

Signs to call a technician

The pilot is on, but the heater won’t heat
You smell gas near the heater
Tape on the vent pipe is peeling, melted or brittle
The heater wobbles or moves when touched
The vent pipe is loose where it meets the wall or ceiling

If your gas heater shows any of these, book a technician. The service call is $59, credited to the repair if you go ahead.

Sheridan Grosjean

Alex arrived on time and set about immediately to work. He worked for over an hour to diagnose why my furnace would not run when I set the thermostat to "on," and could find no parts that were not working and/or needed to be replaced. He also stated that he saw no reason why the furnace would need to be replaced now, as I had been told by another company. He observed an area that was rusted, though dry. He suggested that I schedule him to come back in a week to inspect that spot again. Alex was precise about his findings and explained things clearly. I'm confident that all was well managed.

Claire Hamlin

Excellent response and service!!

Don Martin

The Fuse technicians were knowledgeable and quick. Excellent job.

Geoffrey Deetz

After being bombarded after requesting information from Yelp, I chose fuse because they contacted me first and were able to explain same-day service and a very small feed to look at the problem with my furnace the repair man Alexander that’s the English version of his name was quick, polite, professional, and helpful. Explain the problem the price, and after agreeing, he immediately fixed it checked everything checked for gas leaks. Check the fire detectors as well without asking to ensure that everything was working and Sayf I highly recommend them.

Robyn Selva

Fuse is my go to for anything Electrical. They installed a sub-panel for a swim spa as well as Electrical for fireplace inserts. As usual, they always go above and beyond and are super helpful and professional. We know that electrical work done by Fuse is going to be done right and safe. They’re wonderful to work with.

MR Manion

Great experience with FUSE, again. This time it was a mini spilt. Alex and his team moved fast, tackled multiple points of work concurrently. There’s no “here’s my assistant who’s learning” going on here. They were done in 5 hours and it was a big install! I fully expected this would be done in two days but they are masters at their craft. I wish FUSE did full home remodels!

Bill HAMLIN

Fuse did a great job for us from the initial assessment to our options to the installation. They handled permits, kept us well informed and their personnel were courteous and professional. We would heartily recommend their services.

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Heather B.

The tech who arrived seemed very knowledgable. We discussed a smart thermostat installation without a C Wire. I ran out of time to buy the smart thermostat and get the work done but will hire them when I return to the site.

Eric J.

Yuri did a great job installing/upgrading my wired Nest doorbell cam. Fast, friendly and he did an excellent job. I would strongly recommend FUSE to anyone.

tamani M.

I used them for my washer repair. The were in my budget. We had some minor communication issused in the beginning. Once i explained my issue they were on it to fix that and made this a positive review. I would definitely use again.

Michelle B.

Anna from Fuse contacted me right away after I requested service via Yelp project feature on a Friday evening. Aleksandr stopped by the next day on Saturday and safely removed a busted refrigerator light bulb that I didn't have tools for. Fast response and great service overall. Thanks Fuse!

Ankit B.

Great service and very responsive! I had my AC repaired within 24 hours of reaching out. Aleksandr was very knowledgeable, explained everything clearly, and worked efficiently to get everything running again. The entire process was smooth, professional, and hassle-free. I really appreciated the quick turnaround and excellent customer service. I highly recommend them for AC repair and maintenance!

tuan t.

Technician was helpful and patient. He made sure that everything was thoroughly inspected. My ac unit had ice buildup and he was unable to complete the diagnosis, so he came back the second day to complete the job without charging another fee.

Michael O.

The service technician did a great job working through the problem and coming up with the solution. The convection coil in my Gaggenau oven had burned out and needed replacement. In order to replace the coil was more complicated than anticipated. But with perseverance the problem was solved.