Lamp Maintenance

Tips for Gas and Electric Lamp Maintenance

For Gas Lamps

We recommend coordinating installation or service of gas lamps and lines with trained professional personnel. Please contact your local plumber, professional gas lighting specialist, or HVAC provider to schedule an installation or service appointment.

Professional gas specialists can often be found at retail stores that offer gas products. For example, a hearth & grill, fireplace, or pool & patio shop that sells gas grills, gas fireplaces, gas logs, gas torches, etc. Often times, these locations will have a service department with certified or experienced gas specialists who you may schedule an installation or service appointment with for your gas lamp.

To locate a specialist, please refer to a local directory.

Gas Mantle Lamps:

Gas mantle lamps are rugged, durable fixtures that can last for generations. However, they require minor maintenance that is best performed by a professional service person. In general, we recommend the following:

• Replace your gas mantles at least once per year, and at any time they are no longer fully intact.
• Clean glass and remove debris twice per year.  Removing debris will enhance the air flow around your mantles and improve their performance.
• Use only authentic, hard, preformed mantles in your lamp. Hard mantles will produce more light, last longer, and retain their shape much longer than “soft” mantles at a very small additional cost.
• Blow out the gas lines annually to ensure proper natural gas supply to your lamp.

Open Flame Gas Lamps:

Open Flame illumination is for the discerning homeowner looking to infuse an outdoor setting with the warm, flickering light of an open gas flame. American Gas Lamp Works’ open flame gas lamps provide a dramatic ambiance to outdoor settings, entrances, and walkways. We recommend the following routine maintenance for your open flame lamp, best performed by a professional service person:

• Clean glass and remove debris at least twice per year. Removing debris will enhance the air flow around the burner and improve its performance.
• Clean the open flame burner tip at least twice per year. Run a piece of fine dental floss or use a wire brush to remove any debris or soot that’s settled in the burner tip.
• Position the gas valve between 50-75% open, to where the bottom of the flame is touching the tip of the burner. Opening the valve too far can create an air pocket between the burner tip and the bottom of the flame, which can cause frequent blowouts.
• Adjust the flame by inserting a flat head tool or screwdriver through the valve access hole in the collar of the lamp. Turn the valve slowly to adjust the height and shape of the flame.
  • Please note: Turning the valve too fast or too far can cause the flame to extinguish. If the flame extinguishes, turn the valve to the OFF position and following the re-lighting instructions.

For Electric GasGlow® LED and Incandescent Candelabra Base Lamps

We recommend coordinating installation or service of electric lamps with an experienced electrician for dependable service.