What do I need to do to get my gas fire pit running again after it sat unused all winter?
In Waynesville, at nearly 2,650 feet your fire-pit season runs colder and longer than down in Asheville, and propane draws hard in that cold. After a winter idle, gauge a tank that's been worked all season, inspect the regulator for cracking or icing damage, then clear the burner and venturi of spider nests before the first cool-evening burn.
Cold, elevation, and propane pressure
Waynesville averages 10 to 15 degrees colder than the lower WNC towns, and the heating season runs about three weeks longer than Asheville's, so a propane pit here has been fighting the cold most of the year. Propane volume drops and regulators can ice and crack in sustained cold, so gauge the tank first and look the regulator over for splits or corrosion. Haywood County is a mix of natural gas and propane, but out in Hazelwood and the coves the tank is the reality, and a low tank that sat cold all winter is the most common reason a pit sputters in spring.
A long off-season invites pests
The longer a pit sits idle, the more time spiders have to pack the venturi tube and mice have to gnaw the flexible hose looking for a dry nest. Blocked ports give you a weak, patchy yellow flame; a chewed line is a fuel leak waiting to happen. Brush the burner ports, blow out the venturi, run your eye down every inch of the hose, and re-spread the lava rock evenly so it isn't choking the flame.
35 minutes west, and licensed
Any hard-piped or buried gas line to an outdoor pit is licensed work in North Carolina, and we permit it with Haywood County and meet the inspector. If the flame won't hold, or you found a damaged hose or regulator, don't force it. Call (828) 545-0525 and we'll service the gas side.
Fireplace help in Waynesville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Waynesville and the rest of Haywood County — just 35 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
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