Is it safe to relight the pilot myself, or should a professional do it?
In Marshall, the terrain itself can make a pilot temperamental — steep hillside lots and the narrow buildings stacked against the mountainside downtown leave chimneys with tight, quirky routing and finicky draft. A marginal draft can nuisance-trip a standing pilot. Relighting it yourself is still normal, safe operation. If poor draft keeps knocking it out, that's a diagnosis for us. Call (828) 545-0525.
Draft is the local variable
Marshall's homes cling to steep sites, and the revitalized downtown packs multi-story buildings right against the hillside — both of which complicate how a chimney routes and how it drafts. When draft is marginal, a puff of downdraft off the French Broad gorge can knock out a pilot that's otherwise fine, especially on damp, cool evenings. A relight or two on a blustery night is ordinary. A pilot that won't hold in calm conditions is a different animal — a weak thermocouple or a dirty orifice — and that's service work, not a draft quirk.
Lighting versus licensed work
You can relight a standing pilot by the label on the unit. You cannot, and by North Carolina law should not, open the gas valve or replace the sensor — that's licensed gas contractor work, which is what we are. If a draft problem is chronic, the fix might be a proper cap or a sealed direct-vent unit that ignores the chimney's moods entirely, and that's a conversation worth having. Smell gas, get out and call. We're 25 minutes north in Madison County.
When draft is the real problem
If a Marshall pilot keeps blowing out on gusty nights, the answer often isn't the pilot at all — it's the chimney. A wind-directional cap can tame the gorge downdrafts, or a sealed direct-vent unit can sidestep the finicky routing your steep lot forced on the original build. We diagnose which it is before recommending anything, so you're not paying to chase the wrong culprit. Call (828) 545-0525 to have us take a look.
Fireplace help in Marshall
We install and service fireplaces throughout Marshall and the rest of Madison County — just 25 minutes north from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- How do I light the pilot light on my gas fireplace?
- How long should I wait before trying again if the pilot doesn't catch on the first try?
- How do I completely shut off the gas to my fireplace, and where is the shutoff valve?
- I rent my home — is it OK for me to light the pilot and use the gas fireplace myself, or should I go through my landlord?
- 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?