Leaving the pilot light on provides instant warmth and convenience but increases gas consumption and utility costs.
A fireplace pilot light might consume about 24,000 BTU per day, adding up to about 720,000 BTU a month, or 7.2 therms. If you're paying $1 per therm, then leaving the pilot light on all the time throughout a month might cost you around $7 per month and $84 per year. This may or may not be a concern for you.
No. You should not leave the pilot on given the risks which are CO poisoning and, more likely, fire. It is a simple task to relight the pilot light especially after you've got it primed after using before. Not to mention you'll be wasting gas on a heat output equivalent to a Bic lighter.
Then look at your gas bill and find out what you pay per Therm. Usually, it is $1 and change. So your pilot can be costing you $7 to $10 per month.
turning off the pilot not only saves gas but prolongs the life of your furnace. during the summer that pilot flame will condense the moisture in the air and rust out the heat exchanger. turning off the gas supply will do the trick.
Energy Conservation
The best reason to turn the pilot light off during summer is to conserve energy, especially now that prices are rising. Leaving the pilot light on consumes more gas, and it doesn't make sense to pay for it when you're not using it.
Your boiler pilot light is a very important part of your boiler. The pilot light or flame needs to be lit all the time to make sure that your boiler can produce hot water for your taps and central heating as and when it is needed.
In the end, keeping the gas fireplace pilot light on or off is a personal preference. The decision boils down to residual heat, gas usage, and the possibility of nesting spiders. Generally, we recommend turning off the gas pilot light during the summer months.
Energy Efficiency: IPI systems are more energy-efficient than standing pilot ignition. The pilot light only ignites when the fireplace is in use, reducing gas consumption and energy costs.
Pilot lights can be a source of carbon monoxide because the by-products of combustion are released inside the home rather than vented to the outside. Gas ovens and ranges should be monitored closely and kept in good working order.
All furnaces made within the last 20 years or so are typically equipped with a failsafe electrical shut-off valve. This valve operates automatically and shuts off gas flow as soon as the pilot goes out, preventing any risks of excessive gas buildup.
There are two basic rules for leaving a fireplace operating during the night. DON'T leave the unit on overnight. DO leave the flue open so that excess carbon monoxide is vented. The main concern with a gas-burning appliance is the exhaust of carbon monoxide and leaving the unit on overnight is simply risky.
The purpose of a standing pilot light (where the flame stays lit at all times) is to serve as a small ignition flame for the gas burner. One common reason that an older furnace fails to operate is a result of the pilot light going out.
Generally, leaving the pilot light on is safe, and you may decide to do this for a few reasons. For example, you want to use your outdoor fireplace on those cooler summer evenings. The pilot flame can also help prevent spiders from building webs in your fireplace, insert, or stove.
Pilot lights are not needed for the majority of the time that they're lit, which is how they waste a large amount of fuel. The exact amount of energy wasted depends on the unit, but various studies report that a pilot light burns $7.50 to $18 per month of natural gas, and even more for propane-fueled appliances.
A modern furnace is more efficient in turning gas into heat than a gas fireplace. This means that although a furnace costs more to run per hour than a gas fireplace, it turns more of that energy into heat and can warm a whole house rather than a single room.
Most pilot lights consume around 600 BTUs of gas/hour. That's roughly 14,400/BTUs daily or approximately 432,000 BTUs monthly. Natural gas (NG) customers are billed in “therms” by their gas supplier. A therm of gas is equal to 100,000 BTUs of heat.
Yes, many traditional gas fireplaces can be converted to electronic ignition with a conversion kit. Consult with a professional to see if your fireplace is compatible and to perform the conversion safely.
If you spend $. 90 per therm, you will pay around $3.90 per month to keep your pilot light on. At $1.20 per therm, your monthly cost will land approximately $4.95. The same calculation can be done to find out the cost for your LP gas.
The pilot light, however, is an actual old-fashioned flame inside your furnace. This flame is supplied by your gas line and should always be lit.
After lighting the pilot, continue to hold the control knob pushed in for 30 seconds. *Pilot lights utilize a safety feature called a thermo coupler. This device needs to be heated up for around thirty seconds, so it can expand and allow gas to flow through safely.
Some of the possible serious reasons for pilot lights to go out include loose or broken gas valves, thermocouples or heat exchangers, faulty venting, low gas pressure, or high winds. If you believe there is a serious problem, don't hesitate to contact a professional.
Save Energy and Money – Don't Leave Your Pilot Light Always On. As the weather gets warmer, you will be using your gas fireplace less and less. Turning off your gas fireplace seasonally can save you a substantial amount of energy and money.
On average, gas fireplaces consume between 20,000 and 60,000 BTUs per hour. But this broad range highlights how much variables like sizing and efficiency influence real-world usage. To give you a better idea, a 30,000 BTU unit with 70% efficiency factor will consume around 43,000 BTUs per hour (30,000 / 0.7 = 42,857).
Turning off your pilot light is a simple process that will save you both energy and money. All you have to do is open the front of your fireplace, turn the Pilot knob to “off,” and then turn your gas shutoff valve to the “off” position as well.