For your health, sit down when you see the spot price of propane in Knoxville TN now. Everyone that pays attention knew it was going up from last year. We didn’t think it would really go up 50%.
We won’t get into the why it is going up. Anyone paying attention to energy these days understands what is driving this unnecessary price increase. For the “official” measurement of propane, check out the government energy site here.
Most Americans will cut back other spending to heat their home with propane. In the back areas of Tennessee and other rural spaces, propane is the only alternative to all electric. Try heating the home with all electric for another surprise. Plus, propane keeps you off the grid if you are looking for a possible upside.
As you see in the above picture of our bill, the price of propane in Knoxville TN is $3.70 per gallon. This was filling up a 500 gallon tank. They will fill to 80% to allow for expansion. The maximum fill amount then is 400 gallons at 80% of the propane tank.
This tank was down to 23%. If it was completely empty, then the bill would be around $1,500 with taxes and fees. OUCH! So, when we have to make decisions on “leaders” make sure they understand your pain.
We often ask ourselves is my gas log ignitor working when we try to turn on the fireplace logs. There are several critical areas to check if the gas log ignitor is not working correctly.
There are 2 different ways gas ignitors work. The first way is a standing pilot. Gas is constantly burning a tiny flame that on the side of the burner. When you want to turn on the gas logs, this pilot light keeps the thermocouple (safety for the gas valve) energized. If the flame is working, the gas valve will open. The gas will go across the flame and ignite.
The second type of ignitor uses an ignition voltage spark that will light the gas and provide the safety when you call for heating in the logs. This is a more modern way and uses less gas as there is no standing pilot light burning 24/7.
Don't forget the simple cleaning part of gas logs
Another often overlooked issue with gas logs not working is sand, dirt or debris clogging up the orifice or smothering the flame area. We have said this many times, do not burn other materials in the gas log fireplace. They put off ashes and soot that will clog up the small hole for the pilot light.
This is the main reason gas log manufacturers design in oxygen sensors (O2) for the safety side. If the right amount of oxygen is not available for the blue combustion flame, the system will not operate. It might light for a few moments but the safety will trip it off shortly.
If you are not completely comfortable with working on gas lines and ignitors, stop and call a honest reliable chimney services company. They know exactly what to look for and will most likely have the parts in their vehicles. You can be back up to working gas logs within an hour or so.
When the gas fireplace is not working, it is due to several possible conditions. The most obvious is the fuel source. Is the natural gas or propane reaching the gas fireplace?
During the very cold winter periods, it is not uncommon for the natural gas pressure from the utility to drop. Large commercial users of natural gas may not cut back from their usage. This creates a lower overall pressure in the natural gas system. This results in low pressure and the ignitors for gas logs may keep the system off.
Also, if the gas fireplace not working is fed by propane, the tank levels could be low. Check the levels of the tank and if they are less than 10%, call the propane tank supplier immediately. The propane suppliers may be four to seven days backordered on delivery. Do not wait until the tank is completely gone. The supplier of propane may not be able to service your home quickly.
Another common cause of gas fireplaces not working is the ignitor. The ignitor verifies that the gas source is good before the power is applied to start the logs. Over time when a gas fireplace not working call comes in, we fine the corrosion or soot and dirt is preventing the igniter from doing its job.
Another cause of gas fireplace not working calls is the remote control. We have seen several folks with the batteries simply installed backwards. Check out the gas log remote control batteries if someone changed them recently.
Finally, the gas logs need air to work. Make sure no birds or debris have clogged the chimney piping. If you are not comfortable with this task, reach out our ClearChimney service page here.
