Leave pilot lit or turn all the way off for an occasionally used gas insert

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laxin213

Burning Hunk
Sep 18, 2014
154
Buffalo NY
Hello all,

I have a GDZIC-N Napoleon gas fireplace insert installed in the finished basement of the house I moved into about a year ago. The insert was installed just before we bought it by a good local stove shop. My question is in the title - if I occasionally use it , say once every 10 - 14 days, is it okay to leave the pilot light lit from like October to say February ? Or should I be completely turning it to off and re- lighting it between each use?

Thanks!
 
What kind of flue arrangement?
 
The insert is vented through a chimney it shares with another fireplace upstairs. It is in what I understabd to be like a seperate chamber of the chimney, at the top there is its own round metal cap and from. What I understand it stays open all the time
 
Your call. If you keep the pilot lit, it WILL burn fuel - 800 - 1000 BTU per hour.
It will keep the firebox somewhat warm & also keep a small amount of chimney draft moving, too.
If you turn it off, the box will get cold. Any warm air in the same room will enter the heat exchanger area,
cool & drop down & exit thru the blower cavity creating a cold draft.
There is no harm in leaving the pilot running.
 
I usually leave my pilot on from 1 November to 1 March. As DAKSY said it does cost a little bit but I think it's worth it.
 
I leave mine on 9 months a year Keeps the flu warm and stove warm. When you light the fire you wont have steamed up glass and moisture inside of stove rust etc. Furenace piolet stays on year around. Natural gas.
 
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