Are fumes from a gas fireplace harmful?

Author: Kailyn Grant  |  Last update: Wednesday, June 4, 2025

With a gas fireplace indoors, you could release dangerous pollutants into the air, like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other harmful particles. To protect your Indoor Air Quality, we recommend following these gas fireplace safety tips!

Do you need to open a window when using a gas fireplace?

Yes. Burning logs produces carbon dioxide as well as carbon monoxide, so the open vent is needed to get these harmful gases out of the house.

Is a gas fireplace safe to breathe?

Yes, gas fireplaces are one potential cause of carbon monoxide poisoning. While there are many potential sources of such exposure—including certain appliances and devices, motor vehicles, and wood stoves—gas fireplaces are a common culprit.

Is it bad if I can smell my gas fireplace?

Yes, it can be normal for a gas fireplace to have a slight smell of propane, especially when it is first ignited. This odor is often a result of the combustion process. However, a strong or persistent smell of propane is a cause for concern and could indicate a gas leak or incomplete combustion.

Is it safe to sleep in a room with a gas fireplace?

Leaving it unattended increases the risk of accidents. Embers and Ashes: Hot embers can remain ignited for hours and may pose a risk if left unattended. To ensure safety, it's best to extinguish the fire before going to bed or to use a well-designed gas fireplace that can be safely managed.

Gas Fireplace Odors

How long can I leave the gas fireplace on overnight?

If the glass is properly sealed and the fireplace is fully vented this fireplace should run continuously without incident. HOWEVER, if you want to err on the side of caution, it is much better to only leave your fireplace burning, no matter what type it is, for two to three hours at a time.

What are the fumes from a gas fireplace?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, emissions from natural gas-burning appliances include nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, volatile organic compounds, and small amounts of sulfur dioxide, as well as particulate matter.

How long does it take to burn off smell from a gas fireplace?

New gas fireplace logs typically have a break-in period during which they can smell strongly. This will go away after the first three or four hours of use and is not cause for concern.

Why does my gas fireplace give me a headache?

The smell of burning gas can cause sensitivity, headaches, and other issues in some people. This can especially be the case with vent-free gas logs. These types of logs don't have a chimney or vent to remove the fumes produced by the fire, so the smell is typically stronger.

Does a gas fireplace need a vent?

Ventless gas fireplaces are deemed to operate within the range of safety for cycling these combusted gases back into the home's interior. By contrast, vented gas fireplaces create a dangerously high amount of combustion exhaust and therefore must be vented to the outdoors.

When should I be worried about a gas fireplace?

You start smelling strange odors

This smell should go away after three to four hours of use. A dirty fireplace with excessive pet hair or dust can also produce an odor. If you smell rotten eggs, call for help immediately, as you likely have a gas leak.

Do gas fireplaces leak toxins?

Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Gas fireplaces, if not properly installed and maintained, can leak this toxic fume into your home. Every year, over 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning with many more hospitalized due to related health complications.

How do I know if my gas fire is leaking carbon monoxide?

Signs of a carbon monoxide leak in your house or home

Sooty or brownish-yellow stains around the leaking appliance. Stale, stuffy, or smelly air, like the smell of something burning or overheating. Soot, smoke, fumes, or back-draft in the house from a chimney, fireplace, or other fuel burning equipment.

Should I leave the glass doors open on my gas fireplace?

Similar to wood, gas logs need oxygen to burn efficiently, so keeping your fireplace doors open will help the flow of oxygen to your gas fires.

Does a gas fireplace emit CO?

Gas fireplaces are safe. But as with all gas appliances, they do produce carbon monoxide. If something goes wrong, carbon monoxide put the home's occupants at risk. It's not always easy to tell when theres a carbon monoxide leak.

Does cracking a window help with carbon monoxide?

Does Opening Windows Help With Carbon Monoxide? Opening windows helps the carbon monoxide quickly leave your home (as does opening doors). However, don't leave your exit path when getting out during this emergency to open as many windows as you can.

Is my gas fireplace making me sick?

Unfortunately, this pollution has adverse effects on your health. Recent research found links between fireplace-produced air pollution and bronchitis, worsening of heart conditions or cardiovascular issues, and asthmatic attacks experienced by predisposed individuals.

What is the most common problem with a gas fireplace?

One of the most common problems faced by homeowners with gas fireplaces is the pilot light going out or not staying lit. The pilot light is a small flame that ignites the gas burner, which produces the heat for your fireplace — if the pilot light goes out, your fireplace won't work.

Do gas fireplaces cause breathing problems?

“If you're thinking about switching to a gas fireplace to avoid the health hazards of a wood-burning fireplace, gas fireplaces also may affect indoor air quality,” she says. “They emit nitrogen dioxide, which is a respiratory irritant.”

Is it OK to smell a little gas from fireplace?

Although a gas smell from your fireplace may be caused by something minor such as new logs, it can also be a sign of a major problem. The fireplace could have a gas leak, which can increase your risk of a fire, an explosion, or carbon monoxide poisoning.

How to tell if a gas fireplace is venting properly?

The most obvious signs that things are not as they should be is smoke blowing back into the living space. In this situation, it is safe to assume that that the fireplace is not properly vented and do something about it (call a gas fireplace Denver professional or deal with the problem yourself, if you know what to do).

Why do I smell fumes from my gas fireplace?

Like other devices made in a factory, gas fireplaces often have lubricants, paints, and other manufacturing processes that leave debris in the passageway, which will produce a stink sometimes described as burning plastic. When starting your new system, try opening a window to allow fresh air to come into the home.

Are indoor gas fireplaces safe?

Indoor Air Quality Concerns: Vent-free fireplaces release combustion byproducts such as carbon dioxide and trace amounts of carbon monoxide directly into the room. This can affect indoor air quality, especially in poorly ventilated areas.

Do gas fireplaces need to be cleaned?

Answer: Yes, gas fireplaces should be cleaned regularly to maintain efficiency and safety, Which involves wiping down the glass, removing dust and debris from the burner, and inspecting the logs for damage.

Can a gas leak make you feel sick?

The symptoms will vary depending on the level of exposure and the length of time you are exposed. Symptoms from a natural gas leak may include: headaches, sometimes severe. dizziness.

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