Does the Pilot Light need to be turned Off in Summer?

Have you ever wondered, “Should I turn off the pilot light on my gas fireplace in the summertime?” That’s a good question because safety should always be a top consideration with fireplaces and gas appliances. The answer depends on what an individual wants to accomplish by turning the pilot light off or leaving it on. The functionality of a fireplace can potentially be affected by turning off the gas. Proper maintenance of a gas fireplace can help to ensure the safety and greater durability of your appliance.

Why Should I Turn Off My Gas Fireplace in Summer?

Here are good reasons to turn off your gas fireplace pilot in the summer:

When your pilot light remains on, a small amount of heat is generated. The glass doors on your gas fireplace remain warm to the touch. When the weather is hot outside, it makes sense to eliminate any additional heat sources inside the home, especially if you are running air conditioning inside the house.
When your pilot light is off, you save money and help to conserve energy. The constant use of gas to keep the pilot on is estimated to cost somewhere between $7 and $10 per month if you are using natural gas and possibly as much as $24 monthly if you are using propane.
If a pilot light on a gas fireplace is left on for long periods of time without also turning on the fireplace’s main burner, a white sulfur-based film tends to develop on the inside of the glass. If it is not cleaned properly, it could become etched into the glass. A by-product of the burning pilot light, the sulfur can continue to build upon the glass. If you discover that this has occurred, be sure to look at the appliance manual, which may be available online, for instructions on properly cleaning the glass. If the cleaning isn’t done, a white haze on the glass could become permanent.

Why Should I Keep My Gas Fireplace On in Summer?

Despite the costs and other disadvantages, keeping the pilot light on also has some benefits:

When nights are cool, you can still enjoy the convenience of your gas fireplace and quickly get the chill out of the air.
When you turn the pilot light off, the pilot tubes of your fireplace still contain trace amounts of gas molecules. Mercaptan is a chemical gas companies add to the gas which gives it a pleasant odor. Spiders also like the smell, and they tend to build webs in the burner tubes and the pilot when the gas is turned off. It can be expensive to have the unit serviced, and the spider webs usually create the need to call a professional to get your fireplace operating again. What will happen is that when you go to use your fireplace, it won’t work if spider webs have clogged the system. The cost of repairs would probably be greater than the cost to keep your pilot light running.

With both pros and cons, keeping your gas fireplace pilot light on or off in summer is really up to you. Do not forget, however, that safety should always be a top consideration with fireplaces and gas appliances.

Below is a list of fireplace and grill stores that service Ontario (ON)

Ajax, ON Topfire Fireplace and Barbecue Inc. 487 Westney Rd. S Ajax, ON L1S 6W8		Visit Store Page
Aurora, ON Topfire Fireplace and Barbecue Inc. 15483 Yonge St., Unit 1C Aurora, ON L4G 1P3		Visit Store Page
Belleville, ON Friendly Fires 69, Dundas East Belleville, ON K8N 1B9		Visit Store Page
Burlington, ON Barbecues Galore 3100 Harvester Road Burlington, ON L7N 3W8		Visit Store Page
Cambridge, ON Bast Home Comfort Inc. 471 Hespeler Rd. Cambridge, ON N1R 6J2		Visit Store Page
Carleton Place, ON Friendly Fires 11384 Highway 7 Carleton Place, ON K7C 3P1		Visit Store Page
Cobourg, ON Friendly Fires 70 King Street East Cobourg, ON K9A 1K9		Visit Store Page
Collingwood, ON Chantico Fireplace Gallery Inc 209784 Hwy 26 Blue Mountains, ON L9Y 0L8		Visit Store Page
Concord, ON The Fireplace Specialist 19-391 Edgeley Blvd. Concord, ON L4K 4A7
Etobicoke, ON Barbecues Galore 1470 The Queensway Etobicoke, ON M8Z 1T5		Visit Store Page
Goderich, ON Huron Fireplaces 308 Huron Rd Goderich, ON N7A 3A2
Hamilton, ON Chadwicks & Hacks 682 Fennell Avenue East Hamilton, ON L8V 1V4		Visit Store Page
Huntsville, ON The Fireplace King inc. 14 Howland Drive, Unit 1 Huntsville, ON P1H1M3
Kincardine, ON Chantico Fireplace Gallery Inc 6 Ashfield-Huron Kincardine, ON N2Z 2X3		Visit Store Page
Kingston, ON Friendly Fires 271 Dalton Ave. Kingston, ON K7K 6Z1		Visit Store Page
London, ON Porky's BBQ & Leisure 1075 Sarnia Road London, ON N6H 5J9		Visit Store Page
Markham, ON Kastle Fireplace LTD 8294 York Durham Line Markham, ON L0H 1J0		Visit Store Page
Meaford, ON Chantico Fireplace Gallery Inc 158185 7th Line Meaford, ON N4L 1W5		Visit Store Page
Mississauga, ON Ontario Hearth Fireplaces 3425 Laird Road Unit #2 Mississauga, ON L5L 5R8		Visit Store Page
Niagara Falls, ON The One Stop Fireplace Shop LTD 4332 Drummond Road Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6C3		Visit Store Page
North York, ON The Fireplace Company 2854 Dufferin St. North York, ON M6B 3S3
Oakville, ON Barbecues Galore 490 Speers Road Oakville, ON L6K 2G3		Visit Store Page
Orangeville, ON Its in the Shed 7 Little York Street Orangeville, ON L9W 1L8
Ottawa, ON Capital BBQ 12 Grenfell Crescent Ottawa, ON K2G 0G2		Visit Store Page
Pembroke, ON Performance Woodburning & Gas 204 Boundary Road East Pembroke, ON K8A 6W4
Penetanguishene, ON Home & Cottage Centre 4 Centennial Drive Penetanguishene, ON L9M 1G8		Visit Store Page
Peterborough, ON Friendly Fires 971 Highway 7 Peterborough, ON K9J 6X7		Visit Store Page
Sarnia, ON A Village Fireplace Shop Ltd. 623 Broadway St Wyoming, ON N0N1T0		Visit Store Page
Stratford, ON Tri-County Brick 320 Home st. Stratford, ON N5A 7C9		Visit Store Page
Sudbury, ON Nordic Energy Systems LTD 2324 Long Lake Road Sudbury, ON P3E 5H4		Visit Store Page
Thunder Bay, ON Bob's Woodburners & Fireplaces 803 Memorial Avenue Thunder Bay, ON P7E 3Z7		Visit Store Page
Toronto, ON Marsh's Stoves & Fireplaces 3322 Dundas Street W Toronto, ON M6P 2A4		Visit Store Page
Waterloo, ON Bast Home Comfort Inc. 12-620 Davenport Road Waterloo, ON N2V 2C2		Visit Store Page
Windsor, ON Scott's Fireplace Select, Inc. 2 North Talbot Road Maidstone, ON N0R 1K0		Visit Store Page

For more information, contact your local fireplace and grill store.

Fireplaces

June 4, 2018

Dominique Page

8 comments

8 Responses

modusfireplaces

Thanks for the information, sounds so great and helpful. Kodus!


September 25, 2019
- Flavio Costa
  
  Hi! Please, I have some questions: It's better to turn off my gas fireplace pilot light when I'm not useing it ? Should I turn off the pilot light on my gas fireplace if I used to sleeping on the couch overnight in the living room where is my fireplace ? Is there some risk ? Because I need to use fireplace only in Winter Please Thanks Flavio Costa (562)4802498 Long Beach,CA
  
  
  November 13, 2019
  - Dominique Page
    
    Good day! Thanks for reaching out! There is no risk leaving the pilot flame on while not using the fireplace. If you are not to use your fireplace for a long time, like during summer months, then it would make sense to turn it off. Otherwise, if you plan on using it regularly, leaving the pilot flame on makes it easier to turn on the main burner. As per safety, it safe!
    
    
    November 15, 2019
Renee

I bought my home 6 yrs ago and maybe used the fireplace once. The pilot light seems to always be on but the glass is never hot and the switch is always off. This AM my house is being painted and we noticed the glass is hot as if the on switch was turned on. But it wasn't. Why would the glass be hot and now a film has developed on the glass. Is this dangerous? Should we turn the pilot off? How do we get it to cool off, the glass that is.


June 13, 2021
- Dominique Page
  
  Hello Renee Thanks for reaching out. Turn off the switch indeed. Your fireplace would need to be serviced by a technician. Maybe our most local partner store will be able to help.
  
  
  June 29, 2021
Sue

Yes I see this question frequently and I’m still beside myself on what I should really do, As far as leaving the pilot light on? I see so many things going back-and-forth with this, and I’ve had mine on and it’s still on, and I guess I am still wondering turn it off turn it on? Ugh


June 3, 2022
Angelo

If I turn off my pilot light using my remote, will gas still fill the air? And if I keep the pilot off for the summer, can I turn the pilot back on using the remote? Will it turn back on? Thanks


March 17, 2025
- Dominique Page
  
  If your fireplace is equipped with an Electronic Ignition system, the pilot can be ignited using the remote. If not equipped with an electronic ignition system, the pilot need to be lit manually. You may need to validate with your local fireplace show, where the fireplace was purchased, to see if it is Electronic Ignition or not. On every gas fireplace, when the pilot is off, there is no gas flowing through.
  
  
  March 18, 2025

Does the Pilot Light need to be turned Off in Summer?

Why Should I Turn Off My Gas Fireplace in Summer?

Here are good reasons to turn off your gas fireplace pilot in the summer:

Why Should I Keep My Gas Fireplace On in Summer?

US States

.

Canadian Provinces

Below is a list of fireplace and grill stores that service Ontario (ON)

Ajax, ON

Aurora, ON

Belleville, ON

Burlington, ON

Cambridge, ON

Carleton Place, ON

Cobourg, ON

Collingwood, ON

Concord, ON

Etobicoke, ON

Goderich, ON

Hamilton, ON

Huntsville, ON

Kincardine, ON

Kingston, ON

London, ON

Markham, ON

Meaford, ON

Mississauga, ON

Niagara Falls, ON

North York, ON

Oakville, ON

Orangeville, ON

Ottawa, ON

Pembroke, ON

Penetanguishene, ON

Peterborough, ON

Sarnia, ON

Stratford, ON

Sudbury, ON

Thunder Bay, ON

Toronto, ON

Waterloo, ON

Windsor, ON

Written by Dominique Page

8 Responses

Leave a comment