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 to both in Sylva, and how smoothly the relight goes often tracks how well the unit's been maintained. When the gas is shut off or a propane tank empties, the pilot goes out and has to be relit once supply's restored, with air in the line to purge first — but around here, poorly kept rentals and river-damp flues add their own reasons a pilot won't catch.
Rentals That Haven't Been Kept Up
A lot of Sylva's housing near Western Carolina is student and rental stock — heavily used, inconsistently maintained. After a gas interruption, those units are the most likely to fight you, and usually not because of air. A pilot orifice that hasn't been cleaned in seasons, a thermocouple that's been slowly failing, dust and spiders in the burner — any of these will keep a pilot from holding no matter how long you hold the knob. Air clears within a dozen tries; neglect doesn't. If it won't stay lit, that's a service call, not more attempts.
Dillsboro's Older Chimneys and Damp
The historic homes down in Dillsboro carry older masonry chimneys, and the Tuckasegee valley's cold-air drainage and river moisture rust dampers and degrade flue liners faster than you'd expect. Corrosion reaches pilot assemblies too, so a weak or intermittent pilot after an interruption often points to a corroded thermocouple rather than lingering air. Relight through the unit's printed steps, but know when the problem has moved past purging.
A Longer Drive, So Get It Right Once
Sylva is about 50 minutes west of our Asheville showroom, so it's worth sorting the whole system in one visit rather than chasing it twice. For propane places, an empty tank needs your supplier's leak and pressure test before relighting. We're a licensed gas contractor and pull the permit with Jackson County on line work — call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Sylva
We install and service fireplaces throughout Sylva and the rest of Jackson County — just 50 minutes west 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?