Week of Nov 2, 2026
Top 5 Gas Fireplace Questions, week of Nov 2, 2026
First cold snap, first fire of the season, and a lot of gas fireplaces aren't cooperating. These are the five problems homeowners asked about most this week, with the safe checks you can do yourself and the point where it's time to call a pro.
1. My pilot won't light after sitting all summer (or after I cleaned it). What should I check?
Smell gas? Get out, then call your gas utility or 911 from outside. If there's no smell, start simple. Make sure the gas shutoff behind the lower grille is open (handle in line with the pipe) and the knob is on Pilot, not Off. Press the igniter and watch: no spark usually means a loose igniter wire or a cracked electrode, and a fresh battery helps on units with a battery pack. Spark but no flame often means dust or spider webs in the tiny pilot opening after a summer off. If you just cleaned it, the pilot hood or thermocouple may have been nudged out of place. Once it lights, keep holding the knob in for 30 to 60 seconds. Cleaning gas parts and replacing them is a job for a gas tech.
Full guide: Pilot won't light
2. The burner lights late with a loud bang, or won't light at all once the logs go back in. Why?
A delayed "whoomp" means gas is building up before the flame reaches it. Stop using the fireplace until it lights cleanly, because that can crack the glass or push the front open. Smell gas? Get out, then call your gas utility or 911 from outside. If it lights fine with the logs out and fails with them in, the logs are almost always the cause. Log positions are exact, not close enough, and a log or extra ember material sitting over the ports near the pilot keeps the flame from carrying over. With the gas off and the unit cold, set the logs exactly to the diagram in your manual, one at a time. If it still lags, have a gas tech check the gas pressure. That isn't a DIY job.
Full guide: Pilot is lit, burner won't come on
3. My remote does nothing (or there's no spark). Is the receiver dead?
Usually not. Most remote systems have a receiver or battery pack behind the lower grille with its own batteries, and weak batteries there can still let some functions work while killing the spark. Put fresh name-brand alkaline batteries in both the remote and the receiver (not rechargeables). Check for a slide switch marked On, Remote and Off, and set it to Remote. You may need to re-pair the remote; the steps are in the remote's manual. With the unit off and cool, you can also look for a cracked white spark electrode near the pilot. If fresh batteries and pairing don't fix it, a tech can test the receiver before you buy parts. Smell gas at any point? Get out, then call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
Full guide: Remote not working
4. My new gas fireplace still smells like burning paint after hours of use. Is that normal?
Some smell during the first fires is normal, because the paint and parts are curing. If it's still strong after many hours on high, look around the unit, not just inside it. Fresh paint, caulk or adhesive on the surround or mantel is a common source on a new install. So is packing tape or labels left behind the louvers or on the blower. With the unit off and cool, vacuum the louvers and around the fan, and crack a window while it runs. A rotten-egg smell is different: that's gas. Get out, then call your gas utility or 911 from outside. If a CO alarm sounds, shut it off and get everyone outside. Otherwise, call your installer, since a new install should be checked by them.
5. Will my gas fireplace work during a power outage?
It depends on how it lights. A standing pilot (a small flame that stays on all the time, usually with a knob you push in to light) runs on a tiny bit of electricity the pilot flame makes itself, so it often keeps working, even with a wall switch or thermostat. Electronic-ignition units need house power or batteries, so check whether yours has a battery backup and keep fresh batteries in it. Power-vented units (with a fan that pushes exhaust outside) need house power and won't run safely in an outage. The blower usually plugs into an outlet, so it stops when the power does, and the fireplace just heats more slowly. Test it before a storm, keep a battery CO alarm nearby, and never run a generator indoors or in a garage. Smell gas? Get out, then call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
Full guide: Thermocouple vs. thermopile