In Arden's Royal Pines and Skyland neighborhoods, a lot of 1980s-90s homes still have drafty open masonry fireplaces that pull heat out of the room. Convert one to a sealed gas insert and you pick the ignition — a millivolt standing pilot burns a small continuous flame, electronic ignition burns none. On the gas main here, either way the pilot's cost is minor.
From heat-loser to real heater
An open masonry fireplace in an Arden home can actually run a net heat loss — it pulls warm room air up the chimney. Sealing a gas insert into it turns that firebox into a real heater, and the insert brings the pilot choice with it. Choose a millivolt standing pilot and a small flame stays lit around the clock; choose electronic or battery-backup ignition and there's no standing pilot to feed. Arden sits on the natural-gas main, so if you keep a pilot, its continuous cost is minor — a small price against the heat you gain.
The pilot's quiet extra jobs
Beyond instant readiness, a lit standing pilot keeps your new insert's firebox dry and its burner clear, and — on a millivolt unit — it lets the fireplace keep heating with the power out, since the pilot itself generates the voltage that opens the gas valve. For a home that just upgraded to a real heat source, that grid-independence can be worth the small continuous draw. It's a fair tradeoff, and we'll lay it out honestly rather than push the priciest option at you.
One accountable company
We handle the insert, the venting, the gas line, and the Buncombe County permit — one licensed company, not a showroom plus a mason plus someone hunting for a gas license to make it burn. If the pilot cost ever nags you, shut it off in summer or go electronic. We're 15 minutes south of our Emma Road showroom. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Arden
We install and service fireplaces throughout Arden and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- Should I leave my gas fireplace pilot light on all summer or turn it off?
- Does the pilot light give off enough heat to warm up the room in summer?
- Are there benefits to leaving the pilot lit year-round, like keeping moisture and spiders out?
- How do I shut the pilot light off for the summer?
- Does turning the flame down make my gas fireplace use less gas?