Using Your Fireplace
Lighting, remotes, seasonal startup, and day-to-day operation.
lighting the pilot
- How do I light the pilot light on my gas fireplace?
- How long do I hold the pilot knob down when lighting it, and why won't it stay lit if I let go too soon?
- What do the OFF, PILOT, and ON positions on my gas fireplace control knob mean?
- Do I have to take the glass off my gas fireplace to get to the pilot light?
- How long should I wait before trying again if the pilot doesn't catch on the first try?
- Does a gas fireplace with electronic ignition have a pilot light I need to light myself?
- How do I light a match-lit gas log set?
- How do I light the pilot on my gas fire pit?
- Is it safe to relight the pilot myself, or should a professional do it?
- How do I turn the pilot light off completely?
turning on and off
- How do I turn on my gas fireplace?
- How do I turn on a gas fireplace with a key valve, and which way do I turn the key?
- How do I turn on my gas fireplace if I lost the remote or the remote battery is dead?
- Where are the controls hidden on my gas fireplace?
- Is it bad for a gas fireplace to be turned on and off a lot?
- How do I completely shut off the gas to my fireplace, and where is the shutoff valve?
- How soon can I use my new fireplace after it's installed?
- Does my gas fireplace shut itself off automatically after a certain amount of time?
remotes and smart control
- How do I use the remote control that came with my gas fireplace?
- How do I pair or sync a new remote to my gas fireplace?
- Where are the batteries in my gas fireplace remote and receiver, and when should I change them?
- How do I lock the fireplace controls so my kids can't turn it on?
- Can I control my gas fireplace from my phone or with Alexa or Google Home?
- Can I connect my gas fireplace to my home thermostat, like a Nest?
- Can I add a remote control to a gas fireplace that only has a wall switch?
- What does the CPI/IPI switch on my fireplace remote do, and which setting should I use in winter?
thermostat and timer
flame adjustment
- How do I adjust the flame height on my gas fireplace?
- Can I adjust the flame height on my gas logs?
- Does turning the flame down make my gas fireplace use less gas?
- Can the flames on my gas logs be adjusted to look more yellow and realistic instead of blue?
- How do I change the flame color and effects on my electric fireplace?
- How do I turn on the ember-bed accent lights on my linear gas fireplace?
- Can I run the flame effect on my electric fireplace without the heat?
- Can I keep the flames going on my gas fireplace but turn the heat output down?
- How do I adjust the flame height on my gas fire pit?
blower and fan
- How do I turn the blower on and off on my gas fireplace?
- Why doesn't the blower come on right away when I start my gas fireplace?
- Can I run my gas fireplace without the blower on?
- How do I adjust the blower speed on my fireplace or insert?
- Should I run my ceiling fan to help spread the heat from my fireplace?
first fire of season
- What should I check before lighting my gas fireplace for the first time each fall?
- What should I do before the first fire of the season in my wood-burning fireplace or wood stove?
- Why does my fireplace smell like burning dust the first time I use it each year, and is that normal?
- What do I need to do to get my gas fire pit running again after it sat unused all winter?
new unit break-in
- Why does my brand-new gas fireplace smell when I run it, and is that normal?
- How long does the new-fireplace smell last, and how can I get rid of it faster?
- Should I open windows during the first few burns of a new fireplace?
- Is there a break-in procedure I should follow for a new gas fireplace or insert?
- Do I need to do small break-in fires to cure the paint on a new wood stove?
- Will the first burn of my new fireplace set off my smoke detectors?
- Why does my new electric fireplace have a smell when the heater runs?
ambiance and entertaining
- Is it OK to run my gas fireplace during a party with a house full of people?
- How hot does the glass on a gas fireplace get, and how do I keep guests and kids away from it?
- Can I run my gas fireplace in warm weather just for the ambiance?
- Can I roast marshmallows or make s'mores over my gas fireplace or gas logs?
- Can I cook food over my gas fire pit?
pilot in summer
- Should I leave my gas fireplace pilot light on all summer or turn it off?
- How much gas does a standing pilot light use?
- 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?
power outage use
- Will my gas fireplace work when the power is out?
- How do I start a gas fireplace with electronic ignition during a power outage?
- Will my fireplace blower run during a power outage?
- Can my gas fireplace keep my house warm through a long power outage?
- Do ventless gas logs work without electricity?
- Does an electric fireplace work during a power outage?
- Can I heat my home with my wood stove or wood insert when the power is out?
- Can I power my gas fireplace's ignition or blower with a portable generator or battery backup during an extended outage?
run time and overnight
- How long can I run my gas fireplace at one time?
- Can I leave my gas fireplace on all night while I sleep?
- Can I run my gas fireplace all day?
- Is it OK to leave my gas fireplace running when I'm not home?
- How long can I safely run a ventless gas fireplace or ventless gas logs at a time?
- Can I run a ventless fireplace in a bedroom overnight?
- Do I need to crack a window when running ventless gas logs?
- Can I leave my electric fireplace on overnight?
- Is it OK to run a gas fireplace around the clock during a cold snap?
- How long does the glass stay hot after I turn the fireplace off?
primary and zone heating
- Can a gas fireplace be my main heat source?
- Can a ventless fireplace heat my whole house?
- Can a wood stove heat my entire house?
- How big of a room can an electric fireplace actually heat?
- Should I heat with my gas fireplace instead of the furnace to save money on the room I'm in?
- Can I run my fireplace and my furnace at the same time?
- Should I run my gas fireplace once in a while even when I don't need the heat?
fire pit operation
- How do I light a match-lit gas fire pit?
- How do I use the push-button or electronic ignition on a gas fire pit?
- Can I use my gas fire pit in the winter?
- Is it OK to run my gas fire pit in light rain?
- How windy is too windy to use a gas fire pit?
- What's the proper way to shut down a gas fire pit after using it?
- Can I leave my gas fire pit running unattended?
- Should I leave the propane tank hooked up to my fire pit between uses?
- Should I cover my gas fire pit when I'm not using it?
- How do I winterize my gas fire pit at the end of the season?
- Can I burn wood in my gas fire pit or outdoor gas fireplace?
- Can I run my gas fire pit under a covered porch or pergola?
- Can I put my gas fire pit on a timer?
- How do I safely put out a wood fire in an outdoor fire pit or outdoor fireplace?
wood burning operation
- What's the best way to build and light a fire in my wood-burning fireplace?
- When do I open and close the damper on my wood-burning fireplace?
- How soon after the fire dies down can I close the damper?
- Should I burn my fireplace with the glass doors open or closed?
- How do I use the gas log lighter pipe to start a wood fire?
- How do I use the air controls on my wood stove?
- How full should I load my wood stove?
- How do I get my wood stove to burn all night?
- How do I reload my wood stove or insert without smoke spilling into the room?
- What temperature should my wood stove run at, and how do I use a stove thermometer?
- How do I use the catalytic combustor and bypass lever on my catalytic wood stove?
- How do I put out a fire in the fireplace before going to bed?
- Is it safe to go to sleep with embers still glowing in the fireplace?
- How often should I scoop the ashes out, and should I leave a bed of ash?
- What's the safe way to dispose of fireplace or wood stove ashes?
- Can I burn manufactured fire logs like Duraflame in my wood fireplace or insert?
- Is it OK to burn scrap lumber, pallets, or cardboard in my fireplace or wood stove?
gas log operation
- Does the damper have to stay open when I run vented gas logs?
- Should the damper be open or closed when running ventless gas logs?
- Can I close the glass doors while my gas logs are burning?
- Does it matter exactly how the logs and embers are arranged on my gas log set?
- Can I put a real wood log on top of my gas logs?