Why won't my gas fireplace light after a power outage?
In Arden, plenty of the 1980s-and-90s homes around Royal Pines and Skyland have open masonry fireplaces, and if yours has a gas log set in it, that set most likely runs a standing pilot — which means an outage shouldn't have stopped it at all. A no-light usually traces to the pilot or thermocouple, not the power.
Open fireboxes and constant pilots
A gas log set in one of these suburban open hearths keeps a small flame burning continuously, so the grid going down is rarely the real reason it won't relight. Look instead at a pilot clogged with dust, or a thermocouple that's lost the ability to prove the flame is lit. If it's an electronic-ignition unit instead, swap the batteries at the receiver and remote and let the control board reset before assuming damage.
The draft is the bigger problem
Here's the thing about those open Arden fireboxes: even working, they pull heat out of the room instead of adding it, and an open masonry fireplace can run a net heat loss. If you're tired of that, a sealed insert sized to the opening turns a drafty decorative hearth into a genuine heater — inserts commonly run 70 percent efficient or better — and a battery-backup or millivolt model keeps producing heat when the power's out. That's the upgrade most Arden homeowners are really after.
Licensed, quoted, 15 minutes away
Servicing or converting a gas fireplace is licensed work we permit through Buncombe County and quote upfront — one company for the appliance, the gas line, and the inspection. Arden is only 15 minutes south of our Asheville showroom. 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.
Related questions
- Do gas fireplaces have batteries, and can dead batteries stop the fireplace from working?
- How do I tell whether my gas fireplace has a standing pilot or electronic ignition?
- Why won't my gas fireplace turn on at all?
- How do I reset my gas fireplace's ignition control module?
- Why won't my fireplace light even after I changed the batteries in the remote and receiver?