
Water Heaters
Repair and replacement for tank and tankless water heaters that leak, make noise or run out of hot water too fast.
A fireplace that won't light when the first cold front comes through, a pilot that drops out or soot on the glass. Our plumbers are licensed for gas work and repair, clean and service gas fireplaces across McHenry. From our office on West Elm Street.

When the lake breeze turns cold, these are the calls we get:
Spiders and dust love a pilot tube that hasn't been used since April. A cleaning usually brings it back.
The thermopile may not be making enough power to open the main valve, or the wall switch has failed.
The burner ports are dirty or the logs have shifted, so the gas isn't burning cleanly.
Try new batteries in both the remote and the receiver. If that fails, the receiver may need replacing.
Get outside first. Call Nicor Gas or 911 from there, then call us when it's safe.
Everything on the gas side of your fireplace:
We test the thermopile output, the valve and the ignition system, then replace only what failed.
A full cleaning of the burner, pilot assembly and glass, logs set back in place, every fitting leak-tested and the vent termination checked outside.
New gas supply for a fireplace, insert or outdoor fire feature. See gas line installation.
About 3 in 4 McHenry homes were built between 1970 and 2009, so many gas fireplaces here are sealed direct-vent units or older fireplaces converted to gas.
Direct-vent fireplaces exhaust through a cap on the outside wall. Snow drifts, wasp nests and landscaping can block it, which leads to sooting and shutdowns. We check the cap on every service call.
Fireplaces in lake houses and cabins may go months without use. Mice and insects nest in the firebox and pilot area. Have it checked before you light it for the season.
Original fireplaces in 1990s and 2000s homes can almost always be repaired. Pilots, thermopiles and valves are still widely available.
A fireplace that burns poorly or vents badly can produce carbon monoxide. Test your detectors when you change the clocks.
Tested before we leave.
Gas work should be done by a licensed pro, and ours are trained for it.
Before any work.
Leak-checked and run until the flame is steady.

4.7 stars from 5,669+ Google reviews across all J. Blanton locations.
"Communication, information and installation went great. Price was very competitive. Shane explained everything extremely well and Alex installed hot water tank beautifully. Shortly after Alex left a gas leak from an old valve on the piping to the tank occurred and needed to be replaced, Alex came back same night and fixed it. This is a 5-Star company."
"We had a new gas pipe installed that ws located to sevice our dryer in the basement on July 14th. The Technician was friendly and did a great job with the installation. He cleaned up after himself, and the pricing was competative."
"Andrew and Ty did a great job fixing and replacing some old natural gas pipe that had a recurring leak. Punctual, efficient, kept me informed, cleaned up well after. I highly recommend."
Have it checked first. Nests and debris are common after long breaks.
It's worth a check first. Insects and mice often nest in the firebox, pilot tube or vent after a long break. A quick service visit clears it and confirms the connections are tight.
Often a weak thermopile or a blocked vent.
A thermopile that's lost output, a dirty pilot flame or a blocked outside vent can all make the safety system shut the fireplace down. We test each one.
Yes. Keep the outside cap clear.
Yes. If drifting snow covers the vent cap on a direct-vent fireplace, it can't exhaust properly and may shut down or soot up. Keep the cap clear in winter.
Once a year, before the heating season.
Once a year, ideally in September or October, so any weak part shows up before you really need the heat.
It depends on the part and the model. The price comes before the work.
Every repair is priced on what failed and the make of the fireplace. Once we've found the problem, you get a flat-rate number before anything is replaced.
Annual Protection Plan
Most plumbing problems start small. The No Drip Club brings a J. Blanton plumber to your home for regular maintenance, so small issues get caught before they turn into big repairs.


Repair and replacement for tank and tankless water heaters that leak, make noise or run out of hot water too fast.

Slow, gurgling or backed-up drains in kitchens, bathrooms and basements.

Tree roots, cracked pipe and repeat backups in the line from your house to the street.

Running toilets, leaky shower valves and new fixture installs.

Hidden leaks behind walls, under floors and around fixtures, found and fixed.

Sump pump repair, replacement and battery backups to keep your basement dry through heavy rain.

Burst pipes, sewer backups and no hot water, any time of day or night.
Our McHenry office is at 3406 W Elm St, and our phone line is open 24/7.
We also serve Johnsburg, Wonder Lake, Ringwood, Spring Grove, Lakemoor, Fox Lake, Island Lake, Woodstock and more.