Why does my fireplace smell like rotten eggs even when it's off?
In Brevard — propane country for many homes, with damp crawl spaces and chimney chases our 80-inch rains are hard on — a rotten-egg smell from a fireplace that's off means gas is escaping. Don't touch a switch or strike a match. Get everyone outside, then call your propane supplier or gas utility and us at (828) 545-0525.
Moisture and corroded connections
Transylvania County catches 80-plus inches of rain a year, and that wet gets into crawl spaces and chimney chases, rusting dampers and slowly corroding the metal fittings that carry gas to a fireplace. A connection that was tight when installed can weep years later. Add propane's habit of settling into low spaces — a crawl space, a basement — and a leak from an off fireplace can pool where you don't immediately smell it upstairs. The mercaptan odorant is your early warning; take it seriously.
Out of the house, then call
Don't hunt for the source. Leave switches, the thermostat, and the garage door alone, skip the match and the phone flashlight indoors, and get the family and pets out. From a neighbor's or the driveway, call the supplier whose name is on your propane tank — or the gas utility if you're on the main — then 911 and us. We come, find the leak, and pressure-test the line before anything gets relit.
This is licensed gas work
Running, repairing, or testing a gas line is licensed work in North Carolina for good reason. Steady Flame is a licensed gas contractor; we pull the Transylvania County permit, pressure-test every line we touch, and back the repair with our workmanship guarantee. A brief whiff for a second at ignition can be normal — a rotten-egg smell that lingers, especially with the fireplace off, is never something to wait on. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Brevard
We install and service fireplaces throughout Brevard and the rest of Transylvania County — just 40 minutes southwest from our Asheville-area showroom.
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