Gas Fireplace Won't Turn On After Summer or Smells Odd? What to Check First

If you smell gas, leave first

If you smell gas, don't troubleshoot. Follow the steps on our gas smell and CO alarm page: leave the home first, then call the gas company's emergency line or 911 from outside.

Fireplace manuals say the same in their warning boxes. The Valor and Mendota manuals both say not to light any appliance, not to touch electrical switches and not to use a phone inside the building, and to call your gas supplier from a neighbor's phone, or the fire department if you can't reach the supplier.

Don't open the fireplace, don't try to relight it, and don't go back inside until the gas company or fire department tells you it is safe.

Which smells are normal after summer?

A fireplace that has been off for months often smells for a while when it first runs. The Mendota FV33i manual says that after three months or more without use, you should expect a smell of burnt dust and lint the first time it is fired again, like a home heating system on its first run in the fall.

That smell should fade as the fireplace runs. If it doesn't fade, gets stronger, or smells sharp, chemical or like hot plastic, turn the fireplace off and call.

A brand-new fireplace is different. Both manuals describe a smell from curing paint and other compounds during the first hours of use. That is normal on a new unit, not on one that ran fine last winter.

Gas itself has a distinct smell because an odorant is added to it, which the Mendota manual mentions by name: mercaptan. If what you notice is that smell rather than burning dust, treat it as gas and follow the steps above.

What a summer off does to a gas fireplace

Months without use leave a gas fireplace with a predictable set of problems. Knowing them makes the checks below make sense.

• Batteries drain. The Valor manual says its batteries last one to two seasons depending on use, and that taking them out for the off-season makes them last longer.
• Pilots go out. The Valor manual describes a built-in shutoff that turns the pilot off after 7 days without a flame adjustment, after which you turn it back on from the remote or wall switch. Other owners turn the pilot off for summer on purpose.
• Insects move in. The Mendota manual requires yearly cleaning of burner ports and gas openings because insects may nest there, and notes that the odorant in natural gas attracts them.
• Dust and lint settle in the control area and around the burner, which both manuals say must be kept clean.
• Leaves and debris can block the vent cap outside. The Valor manual asks owners to check regularly that the outdoor vent terminal isn't blocked by snow, plants, leaves or other objects.

Why it won't start: causes in the order a technician checks them

A technician works from the simplest cause to the most involved. You can safely look at the first few yourself (see the next section); everything after that belongs to a licensed gas fitter.

• Power and switches: a wall switch or power switch left off, or no power to a model that needs it.
• Batteries: weak batteries in the remote, the wall switch kit or the receiver's battery holder. When a fireplace won't turn on, the Valor manual's first suggestion is low batteries.
• Remote and receiver: a remote that has lost its link to the receiver, or a thermostat or timer setting that is keeping the fireplace off.
• Gas supply: a shutoff valve closed for the summer, or a supply problem before the gas reaches the fireplace.
• Pilot and ignition: a pilot that was turned off or shut itself off, or an igniter that sparks without lighting. Some systems lock out after a failed try; the Mendota manual describes one that does.
• Flame sensing: a pilot that lights and then goes out points to the safety device that proves the flame is there. See pilot light won't stay lit.
• Burner: a pilot that stays on with no main flame can mean a blocked burner or gas opening, insect nests included. See pilot is on but the fireplace won't light.
• Venting: a blocked vent cap can keep a fireplace from running properly. If yours lights and then quits, see gas fireplace keeps turning off.

What you can check safely

These are the owner-level checks the manuals allow. Do them with the fireplace off and cool, one at a time, and stop at the first sign of a gas smell.

• Switches: make sure the wall switch is on. Some fireplaces also have a master or power switch; the Mendota manual notes that its remote won't communicate with the receiver unless that switch is on.
• Batteries: replace the batteries in the remote, the wall switch kit and the receiver's battery holder if your model has one, exactly as your manual shows. The Valor manual says to turn the fireplace off, pilot included, and let it cool first.
• Remote settings: if your remote can run the fireplace on a thermostat or a program, as the remote in the Valor manual can, check the mode on its display. A thermostat setting can keep the fireplace off in a room that is already warm.
• Gas valve position: see whether the fireplace's gas shutoff valve is open. If it is closed and you're not sure why, leave it closed and call. Don't force a valve or adjust anything on the gas line.
• Lighting instructions: if the pilot needs lighting by hand, follow the lighting instructions on the plate or in the manual, step by step, once. If it doesn't light, stop and call rather than trying again and again.
• Glass: check that the glass front is in place and not cracked. The Valor manual says not to run the fireplace with the glass removed, cracked or broken.
• The hearth: clear away anything stored on or near the fireplace over the summer. The Valor manual says clothing and other flammable material shouldn't be placed on or near it.

When to stop and call

Stop troubleshooting and call if any of these happen. None of them is something to keep trying at.

• You smell gas at any point. Leave first, then call from outside.
• A carbon monoxide alarm sounds. Get everyone out and call from outside.
• It clicks or sparks but won't light after one try by the instructions.
• The pilot lights and then goes out, or the pilot stays on but the burner won't light.
• It lights, then shuts itself off.
• The flames look dark or dirty, or soot builds up. The Valor manual says a dirty or black flame is not normal.
• The burnt-dust smell doesn't fade, or the smell is chemical or like hot plastic.
• You can see the outside vent cap is covered by leaves, snow or debris. Leave the fireplace off and call; don't remove the cap or reach into it.
• Any part of the fireplace was under water, for example after a leak or flood over the summer. The Valor manual says not to use it until a qualified technician has inspected it.

What's normal on the first run

Once the fireplace does start, a few things can look or sound odd on the first run and still be normal. The Valor manual's FAQ covers the common ones.

• Condensation on the inside of the glass when the fireplace first turns on. It clears as the fireplace heats up.
• Flames that start blue or almost clear, then turn more yellow and orange as the fireplace warms.
• Popping or snapping as metal parts expand and contract with the heat.
• A whirring sound as the valve motor adjusts the flame.
• A white film on the inside of the glass. The Valor manual says it is a by-product of burning the gas and should be cleaned off before it bakes on, so mention it at your next service.
• Not normal: dark or dirty flames, or soot that builds up on the logs, panels or glass. Those belong on the stop-and-call list above.

What to tell us when you call

A few details help the technician arrive prepared for your fireplace. Have these ready when you call or book.

• The model and serial number from the fireplace's label or plate, or a clear photo of it.
• What happens when you try to start it: nothing at all, clicking or sparking, a pilot that lights and goes out, or a pilot with no main flame.
• When it last worked normally, and whether it was shut down or left with the pilot on for the summer.
• What you have already checked: switches, batteries, the valve position and the glass.
• Any smell, sound or change in the flame you noticed, and when.

Starting up after summer in Greater Boston

A Greater Boston gas fireplace usually sits idle from late spring to the first cold nights of fall. Test it before you need it: on a mild day in early fall, turn it on as usual, let it run, and watch how it lights and burns. If something is off, there is time to fix it before the cold sets in.

Who fixes it matters here. In Massachusetts, gas fitting is a licensed trade: the state board licenses gas fitters, and its consumer fact sheet tells homeowners to hire a licensed professional and verify the license. Everything past the owner checks above, from the gas valve to the pilot and burner, is work for a licensed gas fitter, and a licensed Massachusetts gas fitter does all of ours.

We cover 68 towns across Greater Boston, with same- or next-day visits, Sunday through Friday. Some, like Melrose, have their own page with local permit and gas company details. For the bigger picture on timing, see how often a gas fireplace should be serviced.

Get it checked before the cold: the $99 inspection

If the fireplace starts but something seems off, or you'd rather not light it until someone has looked, book our $99 gas fireplace safety inspection. It covers a full inspection, a gas leak check, wiring and controls, a safety check and a maintenance check, and one price covers every gas fireplace in your home. Our inspection checklist guide explains each check.

It is an inspection only; cleaning is extra. If it turns up a repair, the $99 is credited toward it, and it is a limited-time offer.

Send a booking request online and our team will confirm it by phone or email, or call 617-915-2647. Visits run Sunday through Friday, 8am to 6pm, in 2-hour arrival windows. Before the visit, look over what the $99 inspection covers.