Why Won’t My Gas Fireplace Stay Lit? Solved

If your fireplace isn’t staying lit, the best place to start looking is the thermocouple. A thermocouple is a metal rod with a semiconductor disc at the end. It is used to sense how hot your gas fire has become, and it’s connected to a safety device such as an automatic shut-off valve or pilot lamp that will automatically turn off the gas supply if something goes wrong.

If your gas fireplace won’t stay lit, there are a few things you can try to do yourself before calling a professional fireplace service repair company. Since there are a number of major problems that can cause your gas fireplace to not stay lit, here are a few solutions that you may find useful throughout general maintenance.

Faulty Pilot Light

A faulty pilot light may be the culprit if your gas fireplace won’t stay lit and other steps don’t work. If this is what’s going on with your fireplace then all you need to do is replace the thermocouple or adjust its position in order to fix things up again! You can also remove your Thermocouple and clean the inner area using soap and water or rubbing alcohol to fix any issues you may be having.

To prevent a potentially hazardous situation, make sure your natural gas pressure is set at 10 psi when needed. Anything more than that will create too much oxygen and lead back to another issue: blocked burner ports caused by dirt or clogs made of dust particles left over from burning logs. The Propane Gas – Majestic 10002265 OEM Replacement 3 Way Pilot Assembly for Propane Gas Fireplaces won the most reviews on Amazon.

Dirty Thermocouple

It’s not unusual for the thermocouple to collect carbon deposit buildup after a season of use. After all, your thermocouple is sitting in direct flame its whole life. It’s important that this part works because it will prevent gas from flowing into your home if there’s an issue with the pilot light.

It’s time to clean the burner ports when your fireplace doesn’t put out a strong, even flame. Dirty port pipes will cause uneven flames and could possibly result in an extinguished fire! Remember that fire needs oxygen so a dirty chimney can cause the fireplace to dim right after being lit.

When you notice that it’s hard for your chimney fire to stay lit or isn’t producing as hot of a flame, as usual, these clogged fireplace burners are probably the culprit. By cleaning them from time to time with wire brushes we’ve found success at solving this problem: no more cold winter nights without nice warm fires blazing on our hearthstones! The Resideo CQ100A1013/U Not Available Honeywell CQ100A1013 24-Inch Replacement Thermocouple for Gas Furnaces, Boilers, and Water Heaters, quot, Copper won the most reviews on Amazon.

Tips for Cleaning the Thermocouple:

Keep an eye on your thermocouple and make sure that it stays clean. You can find instructions here for how to remove the connector from the fireplace, but you’ll need a pipe cleaner dipped in soap or rubbing alcohol if there’s any dust buildup around the connection.

Incorrect Gas Pressure

If your gas fireplace won’t stay lit then setting the gas pressure properly for your fireplace is crucial to keeping it lit. It can be tricky if you’re not an expert, that’s why we recommend getting a professional like those who use manometers to take care of this task instead.

Faulty Gas Valve

Gas valves are a functional component of gas fireplaces, and it’s possible for them to fail. This is the next most common failure we see in our fireplace service company! While they typically last until your hearth has reached its life expectancy, faulty gas valve replacements can create too many risks if someone without experience attempts this type of repair themselves. It’s best not to take any chances: call someone as soon as you notice that your fireplace is being unusual.

Clogged Burner Ports

Usually, clogged burner ports will cause your gas fireplace to have uneven flame distribution. More often than not the hearth will perform poorly, not fail to stay lit. However, in my thirty years as a fireplace technician, I have seen it happen.

The next steps to take vary depending on the issue.

Have you noticed your fireplace doesn’t seem to be heating up the same way it used to? Most likely, this is because of a dirty thermocouple. To fix the problem and make sure that all flames are lit evenly again, clean off any dirt on your pilot light area by using soap and water or rubbing alcohol if necessary. Do not use liquid near where the stove meets with its baseboard as this can cause an electrical hazard for yourself or anyone around you!

Faulty Thermopile

One of the most common problems that can cause your gas fireplace to not stay lit is a bad thermopile. A problem with this component might allow electricity from the pilot light area to flow back into other parts of your home, causing safety hazards and preventing vents in attic spaces or crawlspaces from letting air out when it needs to. The thermopile is the most vital part of the fireplace.

Conclusion

This blog post has covered the top 5 most common problems that can cause a fireplace to refuse to stay lit. If you’ve run into any of these issues, don’t give up! We recommend taking a look at our other guides for more advice on how to troubleshoot your fireplace and get it back in working order as quickly as possible. You may be able to fix the problem yourself or save money by contacting an expert who knows what they’re doing. Don’t let faulty equipment ruin your winter!