Why won't my gas fireplace light when it's very cold outside?
Around Mars Hill the cold most often exposes propane or wood systems, since the rural Spring Creek and Gabriels Creek valleys lean on tanks and wood rather than a gas main. It's one of the colder spots we serve, so a low propane tank or a marginal ignition part gets found fast on a single-digit Madison County morning.
Propane and wood in the valleys
Out in Spring Creek, Gabriels Creek, and toward Forks of Ivy, many homes run propane gas fireplaces or wood heat. On a frigid morning, liquid propane vaporizes slowly and a low tank can't keep the burner fed — the fireplace won't light or dies back. Keeping the tank ahead of the cold is the simplest fix; if the tank's undersized for the demand, your supplier can size it up.
University rentals want easy heat
Closer to Mars Hill University, the rental housing tends toward simple, easy-use gas fireplaces, and those get neglected between tenants until a cold night reveals a fouled pilot or a tired sensor. The academic-year cold snaps are when these calls cluster. A quick service clears the off-season spiders and dust before they clog the pilot assembly and leave a tenant in the cold.
Colder than most, so plan the check
Mars Hill holds cold harder than the lower valley towns, which makes a pre-season inspection worth more here. Any gas work is licensed and permitted through Madison County, and we're 30 minutes north with the common parts on the truck. Call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Mars Hill
We install and service fireplaces throughout Mars Hill and the rest of Madison County — just 30 minutes north from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
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