Turning Off Your Gas Fireplace A small amount of heat is generated when the pilot light is on. Turning it off during the summer can reduce the temperature inside your home. Though it's unlikely to make a significant difference, switching on the pilot light while running the air conditioning can be counterproductive.
As the weather gets warmer, many homeowners wonder if they should turn off their gas fireplace pilot light in the summer. Typically, extinguishing the pilot light in the summer is safe and often sound practice.
Although this is an area of concern for many people, the reality is that boilers are built so that the gas supply to the pilot light is shut off if the flame goes out. Whilst the cause of pilot light failure needs to be investigated, extinguished pilot lights aren't going to cause a gas leak.
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.
Is It Dangerous if The Pilot Light Goes Out? The worry here is that when a pilot goes out, the gas valve that supplies the fuel for the pilot flame could still be pumping gas. This can mean a buildup of gas, and when the pilot is relit or relights itself, it could result in a very serious explosion.
Even if the pilot light goes out and the gas is left running, it is usually not enough to cause danger. In this situation, the gas should be shut off and the area, whether it is an open room or a gas fireplace insert, should be allowed to air out.
Many contemporary gas fires have shifted towards electronic ignition systems. This method doesn't rely on a constantly burning pilot light. Instead, it sparks to life only when you switch the fire on. This approach can be more energy-efficient, as it doesn't consume gas when the fire is off.
So basically your pilot light is responsible for combusting your fuel source, which is how your furnace creates heat. If it goes out, the safety features of your furnace will not allow it to release gas into the burner, meaning that the furnace will not run at all.
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.
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.
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.
If the pilot light goes out, the gas will stop flowing and your unit will shut off. When heating is required, the gas control valve releases the gas into the main burner where the pilot light ignites the gas. Apart from lighting the main burner, the pilot light also provides warmth to the thermocouple.
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.
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.
However, it's important to understand the risks of turning off your pilot light. Gas leaks and explosions are just two of the dangers that can occur when your pilot light is turned off unexpectedly. Instead, it's always best to leave the pilot light on when you're not home.
Energy Inefficiency and Higher Utility Bills
Leaving a pilot light on in your gas fireplace may seem inconsequential, but it's important to consider the continuous gas consumption. Even when you're not enjoying the warmth of your fireplace, that small flame is constantly at work, burning fuel.
A pilot light may need to be re-lit from time to time after being extinguished on purpose or by accident. If it is accidentally extinguished, there exists a danger that the gas used to keep the flame lit will continue to vent, possibly into the living space.
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.
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. But, remember to schedule fall fireplace maintenance so that a professional technician can inspect your fireplace and keep it in mint condition.
If the pilot should go out, gas is immediately shut off to the main burner, however, there is still a small amount of gas that will continue to flow to the oven pilot. All free standing pilots are approved by the American Gas Association. There is not enough leakage to create a hazard.
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. Follow manufacturer's specific instructions for relighting the pilot after the gas has dispersed.
The answer to “is it safe to leave a gas fireplace on all night” is no. There is no gas-burning fireplace that would be guaranteed safe to run all night while you and your family are sleeping.
You would think that turning off the pilot light is as easy as turning the knob to the 'off' position. Sometimes it is, but most often you have to push the knob in and then turn it to 'off'. Other times you will need to push a little lever out of the way so that you can turn it to 'off'.