Firebrick, hearth extensions and period surrounds
Where the fireplace is original to an older house, it may have a decorative tile or brick surround worth keeping. Repairs to the firebox can usually be done from inside the opening without disturbing it, so long as the surround is protected.
Loose or eroded firebrick is replaced and reset in refractory mortar. A hearth extension that has cracked or dropped away from the firebox is repaired, because the gap lets heat and embers reach the framing below.
Deciding what the fireplace will burn
South Coast AQMD can declare no-burn days from November through February. On those days no wood-burning device may be used, and that includes cleaner-burning wood stoves and pellet units. Gas fireplaces are not subject to the alerts.
Under Rule 445, any permanently installed device sold or installed must be an EPA-certified wood-burning heater, a pellet heater, a masonry heater or a dedicated gas fireplace. Status for a given day can be checked on the district's no-burn alert map by address or ZIP code, or by calling 866-966-3293.
If the fireplace will be lit only a few times a year, a gas log set may be the simpler repair. If wood matters to you, the firebox and chimney have to be fit for real fires.
Tell us whether you plan to burn wood or gas, how long the fireplace has been unused, and whether it has an original surround. A short description, and a photo if you can take one safely, is a good start to an estimate request.
Gas log sets and inserts that misbehave
Soot on the firebox walls or glass usually means the logs have been moved or the burner ports are partly blocked, so the flame burns yellow and dirty. A pilot that will not stay lit often comes down to the thermocouple.
If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility from outside before anything else. If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone out and call 911.
What a South Pasadena fireplace repair estimate depends on
The fuel decision sets the scope, since a gas-only firebox needs less masonry work than one burning wood. Then it depends on how long the fireplace has been idle, how much firebrick has to be replaced, whether a period surround needs protecting or matching, and whether the chimney above needs attention before any fire is lit.