If the pilot light is extinguished, allow at least 5 minutes for accumulated gas to disperse after turning off the gas valve before attempting to relight the pilot.
Re-lighting pilot lights is straightforward on today's modern gas fireplaces. If you have an electronic ignition unit, using your remote control simply press the 'on' button and the pilot will re-ignite within a few seconds, followed by the fireplace a few seconds after that.
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 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 fireplaces with a pilot light have a safety control that shut the gas off to the pilot and main burner if the pilot light goes out. This is very reliable and safe.
In many systems, a broken pilot light will prevent the appliance from working at all. This is a safety precaution to prevent a buildup of excess gas in the unit, which can be dangerous for you and your family, potentially leading to a gas leak.
LP gas is measured in terms of gallons. There are 92,000 BTU's per gallon. The price of one gallon of LP is $1.10, which means that you will have to pay roughly $5.20 every month to keep your pilot light on.
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.
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.
There Is Dust and Debris Burning
If your gas fireplace smells like gas or burning plastic, it may just be dust, pet dander, and other debris from the air being burned up by the fire.
Protect Your Fireplace
If your fireplace has glass panels, leaving your pilot light on for long periods of time (such as, say, over the summer) can cause sulfur buildup and permanently damage the glass. Additionally, an active pilot light can create moisture, which may collect inside the pipes and cause corrosion.
Appliances that have continuous pilot lights are generally safe providing all the required parts are in place and sealed properly. Many of the appliances have built in safety features to turn the gas off should the pilot light go out.
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.
A: Yes, it's generally safe to leave the pilot light on in your gas fireplace. This small flame is designed to stay lit all the time. Q: What are the benefits of leaving the pilot light on? A: Keeping the pilot light on can prevent the build-up of moisture in the fireplace, which can lead to corrosion over time.
While pressing and holding in the black knob, press the RED igniter button repeatedly; the pilot will generally light with two or three pushes on the igniter. 4. Once the pilot is lit, continue to hold the valve knob in for 30 seconds, then release the knob and it will pop back out. The pilot should remain 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.
Leaving the pilot light on consumes more gas, and it doesn't make sense to pay for it when you're not using it. Depending on gas prices in your area, the monthly savings may seem insignificant, but they add up. The last thing you want in your home during summer is more heat.
Englund suggests starting by opening windows in the room where the fireplace is located, and perhaps opening some other windows on the same floor to create cross-ventilation. Turn on overhead ceiling fans or other ventilation if possible.
Gas fires provide an affordable and effective solution for most homes. With moderate use plus attentive care and maintenance, they typically offer 10–15 years of reliable warmth before replacements become necessary.
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.
Leaving the pilot light on increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, a silent but deadly threat that can result from incomplete combustion in gas appliances.
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.
Absolutely! We can send a gas service technician to light your pilot, and conduct a gas safety check of your gas fireplace or any other gas appliance to ensure your safety.
Additionally, a pilot light can blow out over time. A plumber can help reignite the pilot light. They will charge you an hourly fee of $40 to $150. This is usually a fairly brief project, and may just take an hour.
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.