Why does my fireplace smell like rotten eggs even when it's off?
In Arden, the 1980s-90s homes in Royal Pines and Skyland often have gas logs or inserts retrofitted into open masonry fireplaces — added fittings that age. On the natural-gas main here, a rotten-egg smell with the fireplace off means one is leaking. Don't light anything. Get outside, then call your gas utility and us at (828) 545-0525.
Older fireboxes, added gas, aging joints
Arden's established Royal Pines and Skyland neighborhoods were built with open masonry fireplaces, and many have since had a gas log set or a sealed insert added — a real improvement, since a tired open firebox pulls heat out of the room and a sealed insert turns it into an actual heater. But every conversion adds a supply line, a shutoff, and connectors, and decades of heating cycles can loosen a joint. A rotten-egg smell with the unit off is the mercaptan odorant flagging that leak.
The moment you smell it
Don't investigate or relight. Leave switches, the thermostat, and the garage door alone, don't strike a match or unplug anything, and get the household and pets outside. From the driveway or a neighbor's, call your gas provider or 911, then us — Arden's about fifteen minutes south of the showroom. We find the leak, pressure-test the line, and repair it once the home is clear.
One licensed company, start to finish
In North Carolina, gas-line work is licensed — a mason or a showroom can sell the box but legally can't connect or fix the fuel. Steady Flame is a licensed gas contractor; we pull the Buncombe County permit, pressure-test the line, and back the repair. A brief whiff at startup can be normal; a lingering rotten-egg smell with the fireplace off always gets a technician. 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.
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