Should I Turn The Pilot Off On My Gas Fireplace During The Summer?
June 8, 2013
Should I turn the pilot off on my gas fireplace during the summer? This is a great question which gets asked all the time regarding gas fireplaces and gas inserts. The short answer is that it really depends on individual and what they are trying accomplish by either leaving it on or turning it off. There are functional reasons for asking the question, such as “will it hurt my fireplace if I do or don’t turn it off”, and then there are monetary reasons. It depends on what you want to know.
Here is some basic information about leaving the pilot on or off…
Pilot OFF:
- No gas is being wasted so you are conserving energy and saving money!
- No heat is being generated by the pilot so the glass door on your fireplace will not be warm to the touch. Just one less thing to worry about when it is HOT out.
- With the pilot off, there are still trace amounts of gas molecules in the burner and pilot tubes of your fireplace. The gas companies add a chemical called Mercaptan to the gas which gives it that lovely odor we all know. Spiders are attracted to the smell of the Mercaptan and will sometimes build webs in the pilot and burner tubes when the flow of gas is off. So when you go to turn on your fireplace in the early fall or late summer, it will not work, and you will have to call you local installer to come service the unit. This will cost money.
Pilot ON:
- On a cool night you can flip the fireplace on to take the chill out without having to re-light the pilot.
- No chance for a spider to make a web in one of the tubes and clog the burner
- If the pilot is left on for long stretches of time, without actually turning on the main burner of the fireplace, a white film can develop on the inside of the glass. This is sulfur based film and if left uncleaned could possibly etch itself into the glass. The sulfur is a bi-product of the burning pilot and it can build up over time on the glass. If you see this develop, refer to your user manual (or look it up online) to find out how to clean the glass or risk having that white haze there forever.
The big questions that people are usually wondering about is how much gas does it use. Really, it is “how much to it cost per month for the pilot to run?”
You need to understand that most Gas Fireplaces have pilot’s which use about 900-1100 BTU/hr. This is pretty powerful, and for good reason. The pilot must generate enough Millivolts of electricity to open and close the gas valve. This also means that it uses a fair amount of gas.
For a natural gas home, you pay for you gas by the Therm. A Therm = 100,000 BTU. So if you your pilot uses 1,000 BTU/hr and it is running for 24 hours a day, and 30 days a month, that comes out to be about 720,000 BTU. Divide that by 100,000 BTU to find the amount of Therms it uses (approximately 7.2). Then look at your gas bill and find out what you pay per Therm. Usually it is $1 and change. So you pilot can be costing you $7 to $10 per month.
Propane is a little bit different. Since propane is done by the gallon, the numbers are different. There are about 91,000 BTU in a gallon of propane. And the cost per gallon of propane is a lot higher than natural gas, floating somewhere around $3.05/gallon now. Doing the same math it would mean the pilot uses about 8 gallons of propane per month, which translates to about $24.00 in fuel cost.
Those are the facts to the best of my knowledge. For propane users, it seems to make sense to turn off the pilot light from a monetary point of view. Even if the pilot gets clogged while its off, it is a virtual wash in money having it serviced by a repair person. For natural gas customers it can really go either way.
Hello! I was wondering how much heat a burning gas log Pilot Light- by itself- puts out? For example, 2 degrees? 5 degrees? I’m trying to calculate the temperature of a room in the summer.
THanks!
I am not really sure. you would have to talk with a fireplace manufacturer on that. I know they can be anywhere from around 900 -1100 BTU/HR
If I turn the pilot off on my gas fireplace and the switch on the wall gets turned to the on position will it open the gas up?
It should not open up. If it does open up, it would mean that the gas valve was damaged and should be replaced.
Hi, i’m just wondering approximately how big the flame should be on the pilot light. There is an actual small fire on a round burner thats still on in my fireplace with the switch turned off, i don’t remember it being lit that big last year. Any suggestions on what I should do?
Pilot flames are pretty big because they have to generate a certain amount of heat to convert the heat into millivolts of electricity. They are typically half blue and half yellow. The flame should be fully engulfing the the thermopile and thermocouple.
Can I leave the flue closed with the pilot light on?
I would not do so. In Massachusetts where we are located the local code makes us remove the damper completely when the gas log set is installed in a masonry fireplace so I would leave the flue open, even just a crack, to vent it out.
does the pilot light generate heat if i turn it on, i.e. heat enough to warm up a small room?
It generates enough heat to warm the glass on the direct vent appliance. In the winter time I do not think it would be powerful enough to warm a room up with any significance.
I couldn’t say the exact amount because I never actually measured it, but I used to have a fireplace that was “sealed” with glass front you could not open, and turned on and off with a wall switch(as long as pilot was lit). it was in a bedroom that was about 20 by 20 and the pilot alone raised room’s temperature atleast 10 degrees. the fireplace couldn’t be on for more than 30 minutes to an hour or you’d literally be sweating. Obviously oversized for room, but I rarely used it or even had the pilot lit because of how much heat it gave off even in winter
Great article! We have a little one who we don’t trust around the glass when it is hot from the pilot light. Is there any problem with turning the pilot light on and off say 3 times a week? Would we hurt the fire place?
It shouldn’t hurt the fireplace. At some point the thermocouple and thermopile will stop working and need to be replaced, but it happens with all fireplaces and should not be related to turning on and off the pilot.
The fire keeps going out on my fireplace. Is there a problem with leaving the switch in the ‘on’ position even thought there is no flame? This was actually how it was for a great while as I didn’t know which was the on or off position as neither turned the fire on? Is there a gas leak risk? thanks.
I am assuming you mean the pilot keeps on dropping out, or the fireplace is running and then turns off. There is no danger in leaving that knob in the on position – at least that i know of. When the flame sensor, thermocouple, or thermopile no longer sense a flame presence, they automatically shut gas flow off through the valve. It is a safety built into the unit to stop the gas flow. This can happen a number of different ways – through a very windy day moving the pilot around and off one of those for a split second, or they could be old and need to be replaced. In either case even though that knob may still say on, the flow of gas has been stopped, and wont be allowed through until you physically relight the pilot. It sounds like your fireplace is in need of service.
Great article. My question is does it hurt the pilot light switch to keep turning it on if it’s used on an almost daily basis in the winter? Thanks.
James,
To my knowledge it does not hurt the pilot light to keep turning it on or off. But, like anything else, the more you use that switch, the faster it may wear out. We do not replace many though.
If I turn off the pilot light, does this mean that the propane company would have to come and perform a pressure check in the fall before relighting the pilot? Cause that’s expensive 🙁 Does anyone turn off both the pilot light and the propane tank?
LJ
The line should stay under pressure even with turning the fireplace pilot off. When you go to light it again in the Fall, it may just take a few minutes for the gas to come through the line, as it will dissipate over time. Some people do turn off both. If you turn off gas at the tank, it could take even longer to get it to light up the first time in the fall, but then once you do get it lit, it should be fine.
What should you do if the pilot is on but there is a faint gas smell?
Patty,
I would call the company that installed the gas fireplace or a service company and ask them to come out and check for a gas leak. In the meantime, turn off the shutoff, to stop the flow of gas and do not use the fireplace.
Hi, this is the best string I’ve seen on this topic! My question is, I have 2 ventless fireplaces (new) in 2 old brick fire boxes (the home is over 100 years old). Both have the flue completely sealed up to keep water from getting in. The gas is propane. Is this safe?
Debbie,
Ventless fireplaces are legal in a lot of states and are designed to operate in fireplaces that are sealed up. Being from Massachusetts, I am only familiar with our codes, so they could change from state to state. And we are not a vent free dealer, so I am not an expert on vent free completely, but I will tell you what I think I know. In MA, as long as it is not a bedroom, or a very small confined room, under 130 sq ft I believe, the vent free logs are allowed. I know that each manufacturer gives off a clearance above the opening to any combustible wood, such as a mantel, so that also would have to be taken into account. As long as the fireplace was installed to the manufacturers’ specifications and designed to operate with propane gas, you should be fine. If you get headaches while using it, or see an excess amount of soot on the logs, I would stop using it immediately and call a professional to come out and service them to make sure they are working correctly.
Can I turn off the pilot light or do I need a technician to come to my house to do it?
Janice,
There should be directions on how to turn the pilot off for you fireplace in the installation manual. Usually it is just turning a knob on the valve. If you are comfortable doing it by yourself then do so. If you are not comfortable doing it, then you can call a service technician to do it for you, but they will most likely have to charge you to come out.
If I turn off my fireplace pilot light, do I have to turn off anything else….like the propane line that feeds it?
Patricia,
You should not need to do that. The flow of gas should stop at the valve when you turn the pilot off in the unit.
Is a spider going to nest in my boiler which has a spark ignitor when it is unused for 7 months of the year. I don’t want to have to have a service call every year when I should have bought a piloted boiler to ward off spiders. I also have cave crickets, maybe they’re eating the spiders and it’s ok to turn off a pilot.
Peter, I cannot say for sure whether or not they will. It is by chance. Some people have no issues ever with spiders and some people have it often.
This is a great article that enabled me to find the pilot on/off knob. Should the supply valve be closed also? It is on the hose in the open position. Thanks
Jim, It doesn’t have to be but if you want to turn it off go ahead.
I can detect a gas smell coming from the outside vent of my gas fireplace. Is this something to worry about, or is it because the pilot light is lit?
Leslie, It could be from the pilot, especially if it vents right off the back. There is difference in smell between burning gas and unlit gas. If you are worried about it I would call a service company come and check it out and maybe have them go over the the entire fireplace while they are there and make sure there are no small leaks.
Can heat radiate down the vent stack, on a hot day, into my house? I keep my pilot light lit and was thinking the heat that was coming from the fireplace was from the stack because all the heat seems to be emanating from the top of the fire place.
In theory yes, but the heat is probably coming from the pilot. Heat rises, so the top of the glass would be the warmest. With the pilot off it is typically like a window, so on warm days the glass will be warm, on cool days the glass will be cool
That was very helpful. Obviously one can see the pilot flame in a gas fireplace so it is using fuel, always wondered how much is actually being used.
Hi there, thanks for all your time answering everyones questions!I too have one to add as I’m newto this whole gas fireplace thing.
We have our pilot light lit, just wondering if the knob should be turned to “pilot” or “on”? is the “pilot” setting only for when lighting it? do I just turn it to “on” when I want to use it?
Thanks!
The “Pilot” mode is only for lighting the pilot. If you want to use the fireplace then you will have to turn it to the “on” position. Once it is in the on position the wall switch or remote control should operate the fireplace. If you do not want someone else using the fireplace when you are not around, you could turn it to pilot and that would de-activate the switch, unless they know enough to play with that knob.
Should the pilot be turned off if the house is only used a few weeks each year?
It is really your call. It doesn’t hurt having it on the entire time. It would only make a difference if you didn’t want someone using the fireplace when you were not around. It does not hurt anything by having it in the “on” position all the time.
I’m concerned about the “safety” factor, of leaving a gas fireplace pilot light on when fireplace is not in use. Wouldn’t the open flame of leaving the pilot light on, when fireplace is not being used be a safety risk? Wouldn’t it be much safer to turn the pilot light off when fireplace is not in use, or when nobody is on the premises? Aug. 26, 2015
Lots of great info., we have turned our pilot light off for years now. If we get a cold winter this year and turn it on, any prepping we need to do?? Extra cleaning, looking for spiders?
I am in the market to replace this old thing and was considering an elec. insert. Anyone have any experience switching fireplaces?
There really is no prepping. You will not know until it you go to turn it on whether or not there is a problem.
If you change to electric do not expect the same heat output. Most electric fireplaces are only the equivalent of 3000 – 5000 BTU which is not that much.
Just returned to my summer home, turned off gas to the fireplace where it was tapped into the gas line. Try to turn it on, igniter fires, but no flame. What can I do to get it running again?
The gas line may need to be bled out. It could take a few times to fire up with the fireplace being off so long.
Lots of great info, thanks so much for all the answers! Hoping you could confirm if a fireplace in a house i bought is normal. Gas fireplace with the pilot always on, has a hole with key in it on the floor right next to fireplace (based on prior answers thats for gas supply), a ‘light’ switch across the room that when flipped on basically turns the flames on and entire fireplace lights up, then a knob next to the light switch that when turned clockwise increase the size of flame, and vice versa. Just curious if its normal to have three steps/control switches…one for gas supply, one to go from only pilot light on to entire thing lit up, and one to control the flame size? Thanks again for your responses, huge help!
Hi Rachel. I am unfamiliar with that system of being able to control the flame from the switch on the wall, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. It may be something custom, or just not approved for us in Massachusetts, which is why I am unfamiliar with it. If it makes you nervous I would call a local professional and speak with them directly.
We have a weekend home we never use during the winter mos. I would like to know if it is advisable to leave the pilot off during the winter mos. since nobody is there to use it. To prevent any rust, should I remove the glass maybe? Any suggestions would be helpful.
I would not remove the glass. That sounds like a bad idea, in case someone tries to use it while you are away. It is up to you to leave the pilot on or not. It is similar to a water heater in that respect.
Hi ive just moved into my first house and noticed our gas fire has its pilot lit constantly and is operated with a remote my fire is wall mounted with no glass over it just has a bowl with pebbles the only way to turn it off is to take it apart as the knob is underneath , am i still safe to keep it on all the time ? Thanx
Hi Rachael. I am not sure what type of fireplace it is. I would call a local company and see if they can service the fireplace and explain to you on how to use it. You could also check the fireplace to see if there is a metal tag attached to it with the manufacturer and model info and see if you could get the installation manual online.
Our gas insert fireplace has its pilot light lit all the time. It seems to be on windy/cooler days (we live in WI) the fan will randomly turn on when we have not even had the fire going. Is it safe to leave the pilot light on and the fan turn on? Is this even normal? We had a technician come out last year and he said he lowered the pilot light but we haven’t touched it since he did and the fan is turning on again. Like I said it’s pretty windy outside, can that make a difference?
Hi Aubrey,
That would have to be a strong pilot on what i assume would be a small unit for it to heat up the thermal sensor from just the pilot. That is the first time I have heard anything like that happening. You could ask the technician to move the thermal sensor to an area further from the pilot so it will not happen. I have never run into that issue.
Is it normal to smell a faint bit of gas it the pilot is not light and shut off ?
Hi Glen,
you could have a slight leak if you are smelling gas with the pilot in the off position. You should probably have someone check it out.
great information. Having read this , I will feel safer leaving pilot light on.
This article, and the thoughtful questions and answers that follow, are a model for any business that deals with the public. Thank you for offering this service. All my questions were answered while I consider installing a gas log in my Cape Cod home. I googled how much does the gas in a pilot light cost and you offered the answer.
I wish your company were closer to Cape Cod and I would ask you to install my gas log.
Thx for all the info 🙂
But I just want to verify again even after all the comments on top…
I have a small natural gas smell (only) when the pilot is on.
When i shut everything up, theirs no gas smell, or when its in full effect.
I am top vented, with only a few feet of exhaust pipe, going outside.
I dont remember the technician sealing the rear vent, do you need to have a good seal ?
Thank you
It was cool reading this. Thanks.
Flipping the wall switch is enough to turn the fireplace off without risk of gas leaking right?
Why do we have so much heat coming from our fireplace when just the pilot light is on. Heat is coming from the vent into our room in the summer and we are trying to cool the room with A/C. I walk past the fireplace out about 3 to 4 feet and there is a lot of very warm air coming out. Is there a problem with the way it’s vented to the outside?
Most standing pilot gas fireplaces have a very powerful pilot. The pilot has to be strong in order to generate enough millivolts of electricity to open and close the gas valve. A side effect of this is that they produce a decent amount of heat. This heat will both radiate from the glass and from the vents on top of the fireplace. The venting should be fine. If it was incorrectly vented, chances are the fireplace would not operate properly when you go to use it. You could turn the pilot light off to reduce this heat.
Had my propane fireplace working but think it may be spiders now….no pilot just a spark……tried over and over to light it…how do i clean a propane fireplace where a spider web may have been created? Thank you
Your best bet is to call a service tech. The webs, or bodies of the dead spider, are usually located down in the pilot by the orifice. Your best bet is to call a tech to service the fireplace.
I live in an 11-yr old apartment complex in Waltham, MA, and have a gas fireplace I turn on and off with a wall switch. If we should lose our power, will I be able to start the fireplace for heat?
If there is a pilot that is on all the time then the chances are good you can start it without power. Any blower or fan would not work, but the fireplace should come to life and radiate heat.
If there is no pilot all the time, then the fireplace would need some sort of battery backup in order to work in a power outage.
There is so much great information. I have yet another question: if I want to turn the pilot light off (I want to install a cover over the outside vent to keep birds from nesting inside the vent), is there any way to keep spiders out of the tubes? Where would they get into the tubes to build spiderwebs? Thanks for any comments.
Spiders seem to get just about anywhere they want, so I dont know how to stop them for sure. I would be careful with the cover to keep birds out. I believe you are supposed to leave them open, just to be safe.
Open gas fires work in much the same way as a traditional solid fuel open fireplaces using a cleaner fuel source. This means the fire will use air from the room as an ignition source, and while a certain amount will be drawn under the fire and re circulated into the room whether fan assisted or through natural convection, a proportion of the rooms warm air will be drawn into the fireplace box and travel out through the flue.
correct.
Great Article,
I just moved into a house and the pilot light is always on. I don’t intend using it through the fall/winter months. Will this cause any adverse effects with the heating system? I heard if the pilot light isn’t on, it might cause some damage with the heating sytem.
I have never heard of a pilot from a gas fireplace affecting a separate heating system. They should be completely independent of one another.
Excellent article. Good info… helpful answers to the follow-up questions!
All of this has been helpful.
But–just to make sure–
I ran the fireplace a couple of days ago for the first time after summer. Today I noticed that the room was hotter than usual. The glass on the fireplace had more “frost” on it (no–we haven’t cleaned it) and the glass is VERY hot to touch–mostly on the part where the frost is.
Everything else seems to be working alright.
Should I get a fireplace repair company to check it? We are going away and I have a real fear that something will happen while we are gone. Thank you
sorry for the delay. There should not be frost on the fireplace glass. I would have them check it out to make sure everything is Ok. If you hadn’t used the fireplace in a couple of days then the room should not have been overly hot from the unit. I would check to make sure the fireplace was not in a thermostat mode.
Every year I turn the pilot light off for the summer. This year the fireplace has a lot of wasps and flies in it. So many that I need to clean the inside of the glass. I don’t remember this happening other years. Is there a way to keep the bugs out of my fireplace?
Small insects can find their way into the fireplace. Sometimes the pilot light and heat will keep them out, but there is nothing you can do for sure that i know of to stop them from getting in
The other day while dusting, I noticed our insert fireplace the glass was very hot and had not used the fireplace in months, but had left the pilot light on. Why would the glass be hot and not having used the fireplace.
The pilot lights can generate a lot of heat and the glass is typically a ceramic glass which holds the heat very well. They can be warm or even hot to the touch depending on the unit. It sounds very normal.
I currently have a vent-free propane fireplace log but the smell of propane when the pilot is on bothers me quite a lot. Can I get a log set that does not have a pilot light?
You should not be able to smell propane when the pilot is on. I would have it checked for a small leak. There are some manufacturers that make either and IPI or electronic ignition gas log set. You will probably have to swap out both the burner and the logs.
When our vent-less propane fireplace only has the pilot light burning, the smell of burned propane is strong enough to waft all through the house. I could understand it if the whole thing was lit up, but this is just the pilot burning. It’s not a raw propane smell; it’s a burned propane exhaust-type smell. Does that happen with all vent-less propane fireplaces?
That is one of the main reasons that we do not sell vent free fireplaces. The potential for odor. It could be that the fireplace just needs to be cleaned and serviced if it is just happening all of a sudden. You are better off talking with someone that deals with vent free fireplaces. They may be able to give you more information.
Is it ok to leave a gas fireplace on overnight or while at work for heat?
It should be as as it is a direct vent gas fireplace and as long as you follow the manufacturers instructions on clearances to combustible materials (ie dont leave a stack of newspapers directly in front of it)
We have a propane fireplace in our living room that we keep the pilot lit all the time. Problem is the pilot light keeps getting brighter and bigger until it won’t work any more. Lasts only about a month after having it serviced. Any ideas on what could cause this? We have stopped using it because of service calls to replace the pilot every time.
Not sure exactly what would cause that, unless the orifice in the pilot is the wrong size. It could be getting too hot and burning out the thermocouple. I would have the service people check to make sure the orifice is the right size.
Hi, I have a mendota, gas insert.do I need to leave the glass on? The room heats faster without it. Is it safe?Thank you, Stan
Yes you should leave the glass on it. Mendota does not make any vent free fireplaces that I know of so you should definitely keep the glass on. You could be betting an unsafe amount of carbon monoxide if you try to burn with the glass off. It is not safe with the glass off
Will the pilot heat help to mitigate drafts from the partially open damper plate?
Possibly but i dont know for sure. In Massachusetts we have to remove the dampers completely so I am not sure.
I have a flame on one side of pilot and not the other what must I do
First i would ask if it used to look different. Some pilots are only one direction, some two, three or four. If it looks different now, then it sounds like there is a blockage in the pilot. I would call a service company to come out and check.
The pilot light is on and there is a cold draft coming through the top and bottom vents. Can these vents be covered with the pilot on?
Jean,
you really should not cover the vents with the pilot on. There is always the chance someone could accidentally turn the fireplace on which could cause a major problem. If you are going to do that i would turn the shutoff valve off, preventing any gas from entering the valve.
I just learned how to use my gas fireplace yesterday (just moved in) and the handyman lit the pilot. At one point this morning, the pilot flame was larger than it had been and I could also hear a slight hissing sound, perhaps the gas moving. I’ve turned off the pilot until I figure out whether this was normal?
The pilot should be consistent throughout. I would have someone check it out to make sure the connections are secure.
is there a electric damper I can install on my gas fireplace.
If it is a direct vent fireplace then i believe the answer is no. If it is a log set that is installed inside an existing wood burning fireplace then there is a company called Flue Sentinel that may be able to work in conjunction with the log set. It is an electronic damper that sits on top of hte fireplace chimney, so it will be visible from the street. Check out http://www.fluesentinel.com for more information.
I usually leave the pilot light on my gas fireplace on during the summer. Propane is expensive in New England. I believe that by keeping the pilot going during the summer, it keeps out moisture inside the fireplace and the vent pipes. If I shut the pilot light off during the summer, will the vent pipes rust out sooner because of moisture that will get in during damp weather ? In other words, will the fireplace and components actually last longer by keeping the pilot light on during the summer and keeping moisture out ? I use the fireplace about 6 times during the winter, that’s all. But it cost me $60.00/year tank rental and about $325.00/year for the propane gas. I just had it serviced this year and they said the fireplace is running fine. It’s costing me a lot of money and I hardly use it.
Alan,
That is what I was talking about in the post. There are pro’s and cons to leaving the pilot on. However, I have not seen a vent rust out in any of the fireplaces we have installed and many are pilot-less, but I have seen pilots rust out for sure.
Hi-
I have an older gas log in a traditional style fireplace.
Recently I took out the ‘logs’ cleaned them up (outdoors) and piled them in in a way that seemed ok. Let me add that this system has stuff on the bottom, fluffy stuff, sand and little black stones to mimic the look of a real fire. After I did this now when we use it there is the slightest gas smell that was not noticeable before I did this.
Really, very faint- but noticeable…seems related to this adjusting of the stone logs.
Any ideas or suggestions?
(pilot has always been left on and don’t think it is an issue in this situation)
Russ,
It could be the sand and ember material (fluffy stuff) is not done correctly and gas is escaping before it combusts. I would see if you can get the manual for the log set and make sure you set it up as specified by the manufacturer. there should be a metal tag connected to the valve on a metal chain which will give you the model number. You could also call the company you purchased it from to come out and service the unit. Also, the logs are supposed to be set up a very specific way, and can soot up if they are not installed correctly.
Should I leave on the pilot lights to all 3 of my units? I have the fireplace in the living room, a wall unit in the kitchen and one in the basement?
It doesn’t hurt to. It is just burning gas, so you are paying for the gas that is being spent.
Should I leave on the pilot lights to all 3 of my units? I have the fireplace in the living room, a wall unit in the kitchen and one in the basement? Also, do I press the knob down to turn it counter clockwise?
Different valves operate differently. There should be some markings on it to tell you which way to turn it. It should only go in one direction.
Next to the gas fireplace there’s a knob built into the floor with a turnkey that you use to turn the knob. The instructions tell me to turn that knob about half a turn counter clockwise, and then do the usual work to turn on and light the pilot. My question is, what the significance of that knob in the floor? It seems to be turned as far counterclockwise as it goes now. What does that mean? What would turning it clockwise do? Thanks!
Hi James. I have no idea what that is. It could be the shutoff for the gas. It is probably the safety shutoff. If it is already on, then the gas stops at the valve until you light the pilot/main burner. It sounds like it is for safety.
I leave my pilot iight on all year…never a smell in my basement..when I come downstairs I turn up the heat as needed ..get a nice flame going..toasty warm…recently though I have noticed a gas smell when I turn up the heat..faint.. but noticeable..if I had a leak wouldn’t I notice even when i didn’t turn it up.. because pilot light is always on?
Sometimes the line from the valve that lights the pilot is different than the line that lights the main burner. You could have a leak that only comes through once the main burner is lit. A fitting could have come loose so it is possible that is the problem. I would have someone come out and service the fireplace.
“So when you go to turn on your fireplace in the early fall or late summer, it will not work, and you will have to call you local installer to come service the unit. This will cost money.”
Or I can just leave it off, and use my high-efficiency boiler furnace.
You can do whatever you would like. I was just trying to give the pros and cons of both.
Great article, thanks for the info.
I was wondering if in general I turn the pilot light off for the summer but switched it back on again for a day or two every month, would that help prevent the presence of spider webs, etc. from building up?
In theory it could, but it would only take a day or two for it to get in and spin a web, so it could be all about timing. There is no way to know for sure
I’m wondering what size propane tank I should get if I install a gas fireplace in my beach house. It’s a 24×24 room with a high pitched ceiling. I would only use it during the summer (ithe beach house is not winterized), and sleeping there in the summer is quite chilly. I might only use it 1-3 nights/week.
In an earlier post you warned about not having a ventlesss fireplace in a bedroom or small space. Do I need to worry about that given the size of my room and that it is quite drafty?
Thanks in advance,
Cora
Hi Cora,
I speak of codes in MA. Not sure of the size of tank you would need. I would talk to a local propane company about it. A 24×24 is not a small room, but I wouldn’t chance sleeping in a room with a ventless fireplace.
If I turn the pilot off and a spider infestation results, how extensive/expensive is the repair?
We typically charge $200.00 for a service charge. The repair is usually fairly quick. They have to pull out the pilot hood and the blockage is usually right there. Sometimes it can be further down in the pilot tube which can take more time to clear out.
Hi….we have a home that’s 1 year old….a defective gas fireplace was installed first….never worked properly-so
the guy came back and put in an Arista one….it works
okay now….however, we came home the other day after
being away for around 6 hours….and the fireplace
had ignited itself….no one touched it at all!! This is a
safety concern for sure. My husband immediately shut
off the pilot light…but reading about the spiders, and we have lots in NC is also a concern. Jus wondering your opinion on this-they guy that installed it seems to think
the fireplaces ignite on their own like this all the time????
Does the fireplace have a remote control to operate it. Occasionally fireplaces can be turned on through other devices, such as neighbor garage door openers or even another fireplace in the neighborhood that uses a remote. The frequencies could be crossing. You should be able to change the frequency on the remote control either through physical dip switches or through a reprogram. Your instructions should show you how, or call up the company that installed it for you. We see it from time to time. Usually it works right away, but it could require two changes.
Hi, we shut the gas off in our fireplace for the summer months and a few hours later there was a sweet burning smell coming from the fireplace. Nothing is burning and the gas is shut off, just a smell.
The smell sort of reminds me of the training smoke a fire department uses to teach children fire safety at school ( if that helps at all).
Once the gas is turned off, you shouldn’t get any smell from the fireplace. I hope the smell went away. If it was to persist you should call a local professional.
I would just like to thank you for keeping this thread going for four years and answering everyone’s questions. I own a retail business in Middleboro (art gallery) that has a gas log fireplace. We have events which sometimes bring in many people during summer months and this year I just remembered that we’ve kept the pilot burning all summer and became suddenly concerned about safety issues or fire hazards that might result. This thread has done a lot to ease my concerns.
My pleasure. Thank you for reading!
I bought this house a little over a year ago and was unable to get the propane stove turned on. Had a service technician come. He rearranged all the “logs”, did various things to it, installed a new thermostat and it has worked well ever since. I will add that the pilot light is quite large. He said it was OK to leave it on all year and I did b/c was afraid I wouldn’t be able to re-lite it in the fall. Today is extremely windy and we’re having 35 mph gusts and torrential rain for the last two days. Since earlier today I’m smelling gas. The tech told me there are three ways to turn off the gas and I’m tempted to do it, but also thinking that at least if the pilot is burning it means the gas is burning. What to do? Cannot call anyone until morning. Meanwhile, I’m cracking windows upstairs.
I hope everything worked out. The gas fireplaces do have many ways to turn off the gas, and if you ever smell gas you should turn off the shutoff. Just because the pilot is lit it doesn’t mean that there cannot be a small leak someplace. A fitting could have come loose.
So I am following manufacturer’s instructions to light the fireplace. I turned off in June completly.
Pilot lights fine and will stay lit. I turn the know to on and it stays on. Regardless of the wall switch. I feel I am doing something wrong. Any thoughts?
If you have a standing pilot unit, the pilot will stay lit all the time. Pilots are typically pretty big, so that does not sound alarming. I am really not sure what your question is. If it is about turning on the fireplace then there is one more step. One the pilot is on and the knob turned to the on position, then there is usually either a wall switch or remote control which you must turn on for the main burner to ignite.
so when i turn knob to “on” this causes the fireplace to stay lit, even with the wall switch in the off position.
Well the pilot should stay on, not the main burner. It sounds like you have a standing pilot unit, which would keep the pilot on when the fireplace is off.
I have a ventless fireplace that the pilot is always on. If the pilot would happen to go out, will the propane continue to flow or is there an automatic shutoff valve that doesn’t allow for the propane to be released into the air when the pilot is not lite.
This is my first propane ventless fireplace so I’m a novice with this type of fireplace. I’ve always had a natural gas/wood burning fireplace. Thank you
Hi Kaye,
It depends on the valve it has. Most gas fireplaces have a safety pilot which stops the flow of gas if the pilot goes out, but without knowing the unit it is very tough to tell. If you want to know for sure you can look up the model information and ask the manufacturer.
Great article and comments thread…very informative – thanks!
With a recent storm with wind driven rain the rain leaking in the closed chimney put out the pilot light on my gas logs. Luckily I was having them replaced the next week. The technician implied that if gas logs burner got wet it should be replaced. With the new set I can turn off the pilot with the remote. My question is, if I know there will be a rain situation like that again can I put out the pilot and then cover the log area with a metal “sheet” or even aluminum foil to keep the logs and burner dry?
Kathy, YOu may wan to have someone come out to inspect where the leak is coming from. If there is too much water the log set and burner will rust out and should be replaced. I would recommend fixing the problem rather than just trying to protect the logs with aluminum foil
How many hours at a time can I burn my gas log fireplace? Will burning it longer than six hours at one time affect anything?
Angelo,
It is diffucult to say without knowing your unit, but most fireplaces you can run without any issues for long periods of time. If it is a direct vent i think you should be fine. I cannot speak to vent free though, I do not know it too well. If you are worried about it I would read the instruction manual to see if the manufacturer has anything written about it.
Our problem is that even on the lowest setting, the flames on our gas logs are too high and gets the family room in the basement so hot that you can’t stay for very long even with a fan running to redirect the heat to other rooms. Fortunately, it does a great job when the power goes out but it would be nice to be able use the family room with the fireplace going. It seems to be using more propane than our previous gas log set on the lowest setting.
Have you heard of this problem and is there a solution short of replacing it again? Is this part adjustable?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with your readers.
Dee,
Some gas logs have adjustable flame heights. It sounds like even on low yours is doing a great job of heating. I am assuming there is an adjustable flame height that you have all the way down. If that is the case, then there is not much more you can do short of replacing the log with something that offers less heat (BTU). I would also imagine that this is a vent free unit then. Most vented gas logs will not provide that type of heat. Different logs burners have different BTU’s so you may want to think about downgrading to something will a lower BTU or one that has a larger turn down, so that you can enjoy the flame on a lower setting.
My propane fireplace will light and the unit will heat up my cabin. By thermostat, when the cabin heats up to temp, it will then go to pilot. When the cabin cools, the thermostat will then call for more heat and my fireplace flares-up in a small explosion. It’s kind of scary. Any ideas on where I should start to troubleshoot?
John,
I would have that fireplace serviced asap. Fireplaces should start without a bang. They should be relatively quiet on startup. Propane by nature is a heavy gas so it sounds like there is something delaying the pilot flame from igniting the main burner. It could be that the ember material is either too thin or too thick around the pilot, or that there is a clog in the main part of the burner nearest the pilot, so the gas is building up and then igniting with a bang. If this continues to go on and on then you may run into problems like the glass cracking. I would get it looked at by a professional right away.
What a great website! So my gas fireplace works just fine but is it normal for there to be some constant noise when the pilot remains on but the fireplace switch is off? It’s comparable to the sound when one of my gas range burners is on, or a bit louder. I don’t think there was a smell, but I got nervous that there was any noise since friends have told me their fireplaces are silent when only the pilot is on. Thanks!
Hi Jean,
If you have an open gas log set where you can reach right into the fireplace and touch the logs, it is not uncommon to hear the pilot. They are pretty powerful. It should be perfectly safe. There are small adjustments that can be made to the pilot, but it may not change the noise very much.
Hello.I mistakenly left my pilot light to my propane fireplace running for two days. How much of an extra charge should I expect on my bill when I receive it.
Hi Ricky,
It depends on the price of propane but I would say about $1.00 to $1.50.
I was using my propane fireplace this evening and then when I turned it off, the pilot went out also. Do I need to light it back up or can I leave it off for the night?
Hi Rebecca,
I would really need to know what kind of fireplace you have to answer that correctly. I think it may be ok though
I have a 4 year old home: a gas fireplace with a “mesh curtain”,no glass doors. I use it on very cold days, 3-4 months a year. I turn pilot off after each use, too afraid my home might catch fire!! After reading your replies,is it still safe to always leave the pilot on with just that mesh “curtain”, and use the switch?
When in use during day,if it gets too hot, I use the switch to turn it off, then back on again when it cools off. Your thoughts on that. Thank you!
Hi Alice,
Most gas fireplaces that are designed to have a standing pilot should be safe enough to leave the pilot going. But it is up to you as to whether or not you feel safe. You may be able to get a set of glass doors for the fireplace as well, if that would make you feel better about leaving it on, but you would have to remember to open the glass doors when your used the fireplace or you could damage the unit. You would need to check the manual for the gas fireplace first to see if that is an option. Other than that, it is up to you.
Our pilot light on our gas fireplace went out, we turned the knob on the bottom to off. Is there anything else we should go. The switch on the wall near the fire place was on off.
Joan
That should be fine. There is sometimes a gas shutoff you can turn off too. YOu could also try relighting the pilot by following the instructions on the unit.
Hi! Great source of info! I leave the pilot on all year long. I have recently notice that pilot flame is half blue / half yellow. Is it normal? Should the flame be blue? Could the wind outside affect the colour of the pilot?
Jerome,
Most pilots are blue toward the base and yellow at the tips. It sounds very normal. Most of the time the fire in the fireplace will be blueish near the bottom too.
The pilot light is out on my gas fireplace. The knob is turned to the off position and the key on the floor next to the fireplace is also turned to the off position. I’ll call someone in the morning to come out and turn on the pilot and check everything. Is it safe to be in the house over night like this with the pilot out?
It should have been fine.
I have a natural gas fireplace (w/wall switch and a gas water heater. Used the fireplace on Christmas day for about 5 hours (no usage any other time of the year). Gas usage bill for Nov 3-Dec 4 – 87 units, 197 therms used; Dec 4-Jan 4 = 163 units, 208 therms used (I noticed the overlap). Is it possible the fireplace could use 84 more units than the previous month with only 5 hours of use for the total month?
Thank you much for your feedback.
I
Not that seams way off. It would have to be something else. The biggest gas fireplaces I know of would only be able to add maybe 1 therm per hour.
I have a propane gas firplace vented. I seem to be using a lot of propane. The flame is really really large. I know that seems odd because most people want a big flame. My concern is does the size of the flame make me use more propane. Thanks
Darcy,
I really cannot let you know without knowing what the fireplace is. If it is a gas log into a real fireplace, they can use a lot of gas, some as much as a gallon/hour.
One thing that really stood out to me while reading this article was that you need to make sure that everything is installed correctly because you do not want your carbon monoxide to leak. My husband and I are definitely thinking about putting in a fireplace into our new home, but we definitely want to make sure that the lines are installed properly. Thanks again!
My apartment has a vented natural gas fireplace. I kept getting a white film on my furniture and even on silverware and ziplock baggies just brought home. I cleaned everything with water and then turned on fireplace for 6 hours…white film came back. There is no glass on fireplace and flames are the correct color. My eyes and skin are burning…what kind of chemical could this be? Carbon monoxide detector is new and not going off, apt. Mgr. said its construction dust…my neighbors don’t have it. Where could I get this white film analyzed?
Elizabeth,
It sounds like something is wrong there. I would have a professional come out and take a look at it. It could be a lot of things. If the unit is new, it could be the initial burn off. If it is older, the door may be not latched properly. I would call a professional company come out and take a look at it.
Hello my husband and I just bought a brand new house in another state. We won’t be moving quite yet so I haven’t had the gas in our home turned on yet. We have a gas fireplace that has a pilot light that stays lit. Because we haven’t had the gas on since the day we got the keys. My husband is afraid that when I do have it turned on and we are not there at the time. That the gas will build up in the fireplace and our home. I wouldn’t think until the switch was flipped on that no had would leak. What do you think we should do? Thank you!
Hi Kay,
Most gas fireplaces have a safety pilot, meaning that if the flame pulls away from the pilot sensor for even a half second it stops the flow of gas through the gas valve. So if gas was turned off in the house, the pilot would drop out, triggering the safety and stopping the gas flow, and then would not be allowed to flow through the valve until someone tried to relight it by turning the pilot knob into a very specific position and depressing it. I cannot speak for all systems but this is typically how they work. I think you should be fine.
We get a small odor of propane when turning switch on (pilot is already on). Just for 30 to 60 seconds, then no more odor. Is this just a normal mechanism till the flame catches up the entire way around the feeder tube, which only takes seconds.
Michael, it is hard to say. my guess is that you have an open flame fireplace so there is no glass between you and the burner. It could be from what you say, although you may want someone to check it out. Ideally you should not be smelling anything.
Just had a natural gas vent free log set (Empire VFSM) installed in my old wood-burning fireplace. It sounds like it is ok to leave the pilot light on with both the glass doors and flue closed. Is that right? Thanks
It should be fine to leave the pilot on, but the doors must be open when the fireplace is on. If not you could overheat the gas valve and damage it.
It’s good to know about the pilot light when it comes to a fireplace and all the pros and cons of keeping it on or off. I’ve been thinking of getting a new house that has a gas fireplace in it. I’m trying to educate myself on how to use one and all benefits of it. Thanks for the tips.
Help me decide!!! I am replacing a wood burning insert with natural gas insert in a small home in Pacific Northwest. I’ve had three contractors bid the job. Two quote IPI systems saying “nobody installs standing pilots anymore.” The 3rd guy is kinda old-school and went on and on about the benefits of a standing pilot (although he did not mention spiders). He said it’s better to keep the box and flue warm, as it will reduce condensation, which is bad for the igniter in the IPI systems. Also, he mentioned that “if you have a high flame the night before and the box cools overnight, when you turn the system on the next day, you can get a backdraft and the system will shut down.” I have not found such a thing in all my searching. I am not worried about saving money on the gas a pilot uses, but the MV system is cheaper. But, the house is small, and I don’t want a pilot heating it at night. It seems that IPI is the obvious modern choice, but I’m wondering if the claims about standing pilots being “healthier” for the box/flue are correct. We don’t get THAT cold in PNW. Thank you!!!!
Lori, the nice thing about IPI (or at least all the models I deal with) is that it stands for Intermittent Pilot Ignition, meaning that you can switch between standing pilot or electronic ignition. If you go with an IPI model, you can just leave the pilot on in the cold months, if you so choose. We recommend it for people here in Massachusetts. Fireplaces tend to work better when the pilot is on all the time. It is sort of like priming the engine. I have never heard of backdraft on a direct vent unit, but there certainly can be problems getting units to fire up in cold weather from a “cold” start (no pilot). You tend to have more additional features with the IPI units, but there is nothing wrong with MV. But with MV the only way to turn the pilot on and off is by doing it manually at the gas valve. Most IPI we deal with have the ability to control the pilot from the remote control if it is a Proflame 2 system, which is what we see a lot. I don’t know if MV is healthier, but you will probably have less trouble getting it going in the cold weather.
Hi, I think I would like to turn the pilot light of my Vermont Castings propane fireplace off for the summer. But I don’t entirely trust that the valve in the pilot will not let propane gas leak out a little bit. I see a blue “thing” on the propane intake line to the fireplace which I assume can be turned, to turn off and turn on the propane. My question is, how do I know which direction to turn it? Thanks!
That should be the shutoff valve. It should only turn one way. The valve should be perpendicular to the intake line when it is in the OFF position.
my fireplaces sometimes stop working. i figured if i touch one of the tubes in there it works again. is there a auto shut off for static or something? is there another way to fix this ?
Hi Jay,
You should contact your local dealer and have them service the fireplace. It sounds like some sort of bad connection. I would have it serviced before using it.
Great article! I am going out of town for an extended period of time. Sometimes, our fireplace turns on for no reason. I called the company & the guy said our remote may be picking up some signal. He had me turn the pilot knob in the pilot position when I am gone. Is this ok? Or is gas building up?
That is fine. In the pilot position, it will not let the fireplace turn on. It just keeps the fireplace pilot going. You may be able to change the frequency of the remote control and the receiver so it doesn’t happen again. Ask your dealer how to do that. It differs from remote to remote.
Hi, I have a Lennox fire place. I was gone for a while and when I came back home I’ve noticed a small flame which I’ve never noticed before. The glass is warm to the touch and there is a white film on the glass. My fireplace was cleaned and repaired about 6 months ago and this is the first time I’ve noticed the flame and the warm glass. Should I worry about it? I have no idea how to open the glass or what to do. Thank You.
hi Bar,
If you never noticed it before then there are probably two things that could have happened. 1. It was always there and you never noticed, or 2. The technician switched the fireplace from IPI mode to CPI (continuous pilot). Fireplaces tend to run better if the pilot is on all the time, but if you like it without the pilot I would contact the company that serviced it and they should be able to walk you through it. Sometimes it can be done just from the remote control
I like this website so much, saved to my bookmarks.
Just moved into a house with gas stove and a flue with a powered extractor. They previous owners left the pilot on. It’s summer and I’m wondering if I turn the pilot off, can I turn off the powered extractor?
Hi Dave, I am not sure what you mean by powered extractor. I would need a make and model to be able to tell what you are talking about.
I just moved into a home with a gas fireplace, so thanks for sharing this. I like your point about how, if you don’t turn off your pilot, then you can get a sulfuric film on the glass. We’ll be sure to turn it off so we don’t need to constantly clean it.
Thank you for reading it!
I have a question, thank you for keeping this open and answering still!
Today, I turned on my gas fireplace pilot, no problem, with nice flame, but when I turned knob to On after lighting the pilot, the flame goes way down. I see it in the slits of the pipe piece but it’s not staying aflame, per se, I see the blue color of the flame in the slits where the flame comes up normally. During lighting it was aflame, like normal, then goes back down when turn knob to On. Sorry if that was repitisous but I wanted to be as clear as possible to get an answer.
Hi Denise,
Typically the pilot will be very strong. Once you turn main burner on, it is not uncommon for the pilot flame to shrink a little bit, but not too much. The fireplace should still stay lit. The main burner flames typically appear very blue at first and then get more yellow the longer they are on. If the fireplace is not staying lit, once the main burner is turned to on, you could have a gas pressure issue. It may be time to call your dealer for a service call.
Forgive me if these two questions has already been answered.
1. I bought a house that’s 14 years old and has a pilot light lit 24/7 in gas fireplace and I was told this is normal. Now, my parents house and my brothers house that is only couple of years old, they have a electric start gas fireplace so no pilot light is needed. Is it worth to get the pilot light system to electric start and is it expensive? Just to mention, I’m comparing apples to apples. They all are gas fireplaces that have the modern small vent.
2. I am going to turn off the pilot light, do I need to do anything to the fireplace vent? Should it be closed with pilot light lit?
Thank you Patrick.
Hi Grover,
1. For older fireplaces it was very normal to have a pilot on all the time. There is nothing wrong with that at all. Those systems tend to have less problems then the newer electronic ignition models. It is a simpler system with less to go wrong.
2. Typically, in MA, you cannot do anything to the fireplace vent. Without knowing exactly what you have it is difficult to say if you could close anything. I would advise leaving it as is, just in case it gets re-lit again and someone tries to use it.
How do I know I need a new thermopile
If your pilot stays lit in the valve is in the on position but you cannot get the main burner to ignite, then usually that means that the thermopile is bad. If the pilot won’t stay lit then it would be the thermocouple
I’ve never really thought about turning off the pilot light during the summer since as you said, it will help save on your energy bill! Now I actually don’t have a fireplace in my home but if I did, I’d leave it off unless I really needed it. Plus, I do like how you mentioned that the area around the fireplace will be cool to the touch as opposed to warm with it on.
I purchased a home with a gas log fireplace. I have difficulty lighting the fireplace. It seems that from the time I turn the switch on until it actually light s can be long. I am thinking iris something with the switch. Is there a way to test that?
Hi Mike,
If it uses a low voltage wall (thermostat wire) switch you could remove the switch from the wall, and take the low voltage wires off the switch, and touch the two wires together, completing the circuit. It should fire right up. If it ignites right away then it is the switch.
Read the entire blog on the pilot light but did not see an answer to our question which is : is it safe to leave our direct vent natural gas logs on while away for 2 months in the winter on a low temp. setting such as 55 degrees to keep the pipes from freezing? We plan to have our cadet electric heaters set at 50 degrees as a back up?
Thank you for all of the previous discussions.
Hi Patti,
As long as there is nothing combustible left directly in front of your fireplace while you are away, I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t leave the fireplace in thermostatic mode for a backup. It is like a heating system in that aspect so you should be fine. Just pay attention to the clearances for combustibles.
Hello guys-
I found this to be very helpful and hoping you could help me resolve my problem.
We have a Jotul – Allagash gas stove that is exactly 22 Months old. We tried to run it for the first time this season, it keeps shutting off about a minute and a half after we light it (we hear an audible click and both pilot and flame shut off)
I went outside and check the vent pipe, it is not blocked and can feel warm air coming out)
Any suggestions?
Thank you-
Mounir Jermany
Hi Mounir.
I am assuming the unit worked fine last season. Is it a standing pilot unit? If so, maybe let the pilot run for a little while before turning the fireplace on, to try and balance out the air on the inside. If it is an electronic ignition model, you can try turning it on, and keeping the flame at its lowest setting. Sometimes when they start up from a cold start (with no continuous pilot running all the time) the hot and cold air mixing can knock the pilot out. If you have the ability to leave it in standing pilot mode, I would put it in that for a half a day then try again
New to me LP stand alone fire place came with 1999 house. Getting ready for propane delivery. I wanted to check to see if the fan work. I turned the heat thermostat all the way up and no fan. My question is does there need to be pressure In the lines and or heat in order for the fan to come on usually?
Most of the fans require that the unit be on. They are thermally activated and will not kick on until the unit comes up to temperature. There is a way to bypass that and check the fan, but I would not have you do that. Better to check the operation after the propane is delivered.
Hi,
I got a new gas furnace so they (obviously) turned the gas off to install it. About six weeks later when it got chilly, I tried to use my upstairs fireplace and it did not work. I checked for the pilot light and it was out. Then, a few days ago, the same thing happened to a downstairs fireplace. I still have one downstairs functioning fireplace with the pilot light on. Does this have something to do with the gas being turned off?
Thank you.
It probably did. But there is an off chance the Thermocouple is bad and needs to be replaced.
The flames in my gas fireplace are not as high as they have been in the past. Turning the adjustment knob makes no difference. They are the same on low & high. Since the pilot light is off in the summer, if a spider has nested in the gas tube, would the flames work at all, or do you think it is the regulator that may be the problem?
Hi Vivian,
It may be the gas valve. If there was a spider nest in there i doubt any gas would flow through.
So the propane guy was just here and lit my pilot and then my gas logs. We bought the house in late May and the pilot was off. So it’s been probably a year since it’s been lit. I have had the fireplace going for about an hour and I still smell an odor coming from the fireplace. It’s not a rotten egg smell, but almost like a burner smell. Is this normal for a first fire of the year?
Hi Woody,
Yes that smell is probably all the dust that has settled on the unit over the time it was off. It gets hot and burns off. Typically it smells like burning sawdust. It should go away in a few hours.
We have lived in our current house 5 yrs. We have never used our gas fire place. My father had a heat and air guy in and dad asked about the fireplace (safe to turn on etc.) . It is a older model no switch. When I got home the pilot was making a clicking sound and there was a very light smell of gas in air. I found out how to turn pilot off. The heat and air guy said he had same model and it was normal. since not lit in a while?????
Hi Stephanie,
Typically you should not smell any gas. If it was clicking and the pilot hadn’t lit yet, you could have been smelling the gas that is released at the pilot. It should go away very quickly. If the odor of gas does not go away I would turn off the gas supply to the fireplace and call in a service technician to see what is going on.
Is there a way to turn down the pilot light? After the fireplace was re-lit by the gas technician several months ago, the Pilot seems to burn a lot brighter than it did before. Our fireplace is in the bedroom and the brightness sometimes wakes me up at night.
Hi Denise,
Most pilots can be turned down. I would have a professional do it for you though. Call your local fireplace dealer and see if they can adjust it for you. If you turn it down too much the fireplace may not operate.
I just moved in a house built in 1952. It is a vented gas unit. The former owners just had a flat metal screen that covers the front. Do I need to get a glass covered front? I like that I don’t have to open glass doors but does a glass cover really help economically or is there a safety issu?
Hi Rachel
It depends on what you local gas codes say. Some areas require glass doors, others do not. It wouldn’t be for safety issues. It is more for reducing the heat leaving the house when the fireplace is off.
Is it ok to close the glass doors of my masonary fireplace with natural gas ventless logs when only the pilot light is on? I know to leave doors open when the fire is burning.
Hi Jan,
I would consult the installation manual first, but typically you can close the doors with just the pilot going.
Question…..We have a freestanding Gas Fired Fireplace insert (Hunter…out of business for over 15 years) . Our pilot light has been running constantly for 20 years. The u burner has a bigger hole (1/2 inch diameter)where the pilot light is…corrosion? Is it safe to operate? All HVAC suppliers cannot find a replacement u burner for it. I have received Conflicting answers to safety question. Thanks a bunch.
I would not use the fireplace with a large hole in the U-burner. It will change the flame appearance and potentially make the unit too hot. It may be time for a new unit. After 20 years of use you certainly got your moneys worth!
In the debate on where to leave the pilot light burning in the warm seasons, I was told to leave it on as it will burn off any humidity in the fire box and reduce corrosion.
Hi Ron,
That is correct. It is one of the benefits.
Hello, I just moved to this house and it has a gas fireplace that runs on a thermostat which I have turned low since it is summer. I decided to leave the pilot light on but I just heard the fan start up? Is that because the stove is too hot? Is it safe to turn the fan off so it doesn’t blow warm air into the room or should I turn the pilot light off? Thanks so much. Great site and great info!
It could turn the fan on with the pilot on and the heat from the summer. It is safe to turn the fan off if you wish. It cannot harm anything. That will prevent it from turning on.
I like how said that by turning the pilot off of your fireplace no gas is being wasted so you are conserving energy and saving money. My sister is going on vacations for a couple of weeks so it might be a good idea to turn off the pilot. I will share this article with her so she is aware of what she needs to do when she leaves.
Hi! I have a direct vent Heatilator gas fireplace. The vent is directly behind the fireplace out the back of the house facing west (afternoon sun). The pilot light remains on and the house/fireplace is 5 years old. This summer, I noticed high humidity in this room and noticed the entire interior firebox rusted and have very hot, humid air flowing into the house. The glass also has condensation from top to bottom. Technician came out and sanded/repainted the firebox and checked the installation, including outside vent which is open on all sides. Said it was normal for all that to happen. The hot air is 80 degrees coming out of the fireplace warming that room. Could this be vented incorrectly?
Hi Kim
Typically if a direct vent fireplace is vented incorrectly it will not operate at all. The fireplace will constantly die out due to the fact that it would be recycling its own used air. So that most likely is not the reason. The humidity from the outside could be causing the rust. The fireplace vent is constantly circulating air into the unit. The humid air should not be coming from the fireplace.
It was great that you recommended leaving the pilot off because if you leave it burning, it will create a glass cover in the pilot. My dad wants to get a gas log and he will need some maintenance tips when the heater gets installed. I will pass him these details so he can be aware fo the consequences of leaving the fireplace on when not being used.