Do I need to relight the pilot after my propane tank runs empty or the gas is shut off for service, and is there air in the line to work through?
Yes on both, and in Brevard — propane country for most of the cabins — the empty-tank version is the one you're most likely to hit. When a tank runs dry or the gas is shut off for service, the pilot goes out and must be relit once supply is back, and there's air in the line that has to purge before the burner will settle.
Propane, and the Test That Comes First
Out around Connestee Falls, Sherwood Forest, and the cabins toward Pisgah Forest, most gas hearths run on propane, and a tank that ran completely empty changes the order of operations. Before you relight anything, code and every reputable supplier require a leak and pressure test on the system, because a dry tank can draw air and moisture back into the lines. Your propane company runs that test; relighting is the last step, not the first. Skipping it to get warm faster is exactly the wrong move.
Brevard's Damp Is Hard on Pilots
Transylvania County catches 80-plus inches of rain a year, and that moisture rusts dampers, spalls brick, and — the part that matters here — corrodes pilot assemblies and thermocouples in crawl-space and chimney-chase installs. So if your pilot won't hold after a proper refill and test, the culprit is often a weakened thermocouple, not lingering air. Give it a reasonable number of tries as the line clears; if it still won't stay lit, don't keep flooding the firebox.
We'll Handle It Right
We're a licensed gas contractor 40 minutes southwest of Brevard, and we pull the permit with Transylvania County on any line work. If you'd rather not sort the relight yourself — or the unit fails after the supplier's test — call (828) 545-0525 and we'll check the pilot, the thermocouple, and the burner in one visit.
Fireplace help in Brevard
We install and service fireplaces throughout Brevard and the rest of Transylvania County — just 40 minutes southwest from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- How do I light the pilot light on my gas fireplace?
- How long do I hold the pilot knob down when lighting it, and why won't it stay lit if I let go too soon?
- How long should I wait before trying again if the pilot doesn't catch on the first try?
- Is it safe to relight the pilot myself, or should a professional do it?
- How do I turn the pilot light off completely?