How do I write guest-proof fireplace instructions for my Airbnb?
Keep it to one laminated card by the fireplace: what type it is, the single way to turn it on and off, a short do-not list, and a "call the host" number. For gas, that's "flip this switch or press this remote button — that's it," with a photo of the actual control. The shorter and clearer it is, the fewer 2 a.m. calls you'll get.
The one-card template
Line one: "This is a gas (or electric) fireplace." Then ON — the exact control, with a photo of your real switch or remote — and OFF, the same. Note the auto-off timer if you have one. Add a short do-not list: don't burn anything in it, don't hang stockings or garland over it, don't block the glass, keep children back because the glass gets hot. Finish with where the CO detector is, your number, and our 24/7 line for a true emergency. One card, big type, laminated.
Match the card to the appliance
A direct-vent gas unit makes the card almost too easy — one switch or remote button. Ventless logs force you to add caveats (don't run it in the bedroom, crack a window, cap the runtime), which is one more reason rentals are cleaner with direct-vent. Wood is where instructions balloon into a page of fire-building, damper, and ash-disposal steps that a guest will still get wrong — most hosts find switching to gas erases the whole risky section of the card.
What we can hand you
After we install, we walk you through operating your specific unit and can help you nail the exact wording — Napoleon, Heat & Glo, Majestic app control, whatever you've got — so the steps on the card match the buttons on the wall. Print it, laminate it, mount it by the hearth, done. Questions on your model? Call (828) 545-0525.
Related questions
- Can I put a timer or automatic shutoff on a fireplace so guests can't leave it running?
- Is gas or wood safer for short-term rental guests to operate on their own?
- What's the best type of fireplace for an Airbnb or vacation rental cabin?
- Are carbon monoxide detectors required by law in North Carolina rentals with fireplaces?
- Are ventless gas logs a bad idea in a rental cabin?
- Do I need a permit to install a gas fireplace or gas insert in Western North Carolina?
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