How do I relight the pilot light on my gas fireplace?
On a standing-pilot fireplace, the relight sequence is printed on a label behind the lower louver or in the owner's manual — the exact steps and the required safety wait vary by brand, so follow your unit's own label rather than a generic version. If it won't stay lit or you smell gas, stop and call us. Electronic-ignition units relight themselves.
Use your fireplace's own instructions
Every standing-pilot unit carries a relight label — usually behind the lower louver or grille, and in the owner's manual — with the exact sequence for that brand, whether it's a Napoleon, Heat & Glo, Valor, or another. The steps and the required wait time vary between manufacturers, so follow the label on your fireplace rather than a generic version. If you can't find it, we can identify your unit and walk you through the right procedure over the phone.
Two safety points the label won't let you skip
The label spells out the exact sequence, but two parts are universal and worth stressing. First, there's a wait: after the control is set to OFF you let several minutes pass so any lingering gas clears before a flame is ever introduced — that pause is a safety step, not a formality, and it's the part people rush. Second, the pilot sensor has to heat up before the flame will stay proved, which is why the label has you hold the knob briefly before releasing. If your label is missing or unclear, don't improvise — call us. And the rule that overrides everything: if you smell gas at any point, don't light anything — leave and call us.
When relighting doesn't work, it's a repair
Relighting only works if the pilot components are healthy. If it won't catch, or catches and dies the moment you release the knob, you're almost certainly looking at a clogged pilot orifice or a failing thermocouple — not something more lighting attempts will fix. Electronic-ignition units, for what it's worth, have no pilot to relight by hand; they spark on demand and a failure there is a module repair. All valve and gas-line work is licensed in North Carolina, so leave the repair to us. Call (828) 545-0525.
Related questions
- Why does my gas fireplace pilot light keep going out?
- Can I light my gas fireplace manually if the ignition system fails?
- How do I tell whether my gas fireplace has a standing pilot or electronic ignition?
- Why does the pilot go out as soon as I release the control knob?
- What is a thermocouple and how do I know if mine is failing?
- Why won't my gas fireplace turn on at all?
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