Candler is split on fuel — parts of the area reach natural gas while many of the rural properties around it run on propane. That split drives the standing-pilot cost: on gas, the round-the-clock flame is a minor line on your bill; on a propane tank, that same small flame is a more noticeable trickle between fills. Many newer subdivision units skip the pilot entirely.
Which fuel you're on sets the cost
Where a Candler home reaches natural gas, a standing pilot is cheap to run — the flame is tiny, and it's the nonstop runtime, not the size, that adds up over an idle season. Out on the rural side, where propane does the work, that same pilot draws down a tank you pay to fill, and propane runs pricier per unit — so it's a bit more noticeable there. Propane households here are the most likely to shut the pilot off over a warm stretch, or to choose electronic ignition that carries no standing pilot at all.
New subdivisions, no pilot; and clean air in the bowl
Candler is one of the fastest-growing suburban communities out here, and the new subdivisions going up are full of basic builder-grade fireboxes — but modern gas units in them typically use electronic ignition, so there's no standing pilot burning around the clock. That's a plus in Hominy Valley's natural bowl, where clean-burning sealed appliances are the smart pick for air quality; a well-maintained sealed unit, pilot or not, burns clean. Owners who want real heat out of those decorative fireboxes often upgrade within a few years.
We'll sort out what you've got
Not sure whether you're on gas or propane, or whether your fireplace even has a standing pilot? That's a quick thing for us to check and explain. Converting a decorative box to a real heat-producing insert, or switching ignition types, is licensed gas work we permit through Buncombe County and pressure-test. We're 15 minutes west. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Candler
We install and service fireplaces throughout Candler and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes west 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?