We have propane fireplace logs. They have been working well for several years. They still appear to be working well. However, in the last few days, my wife and I have noticed that there is a propane smell when the logs are running. The flame looks normal, and the flame height and color appear normal. What's going on?
You should not smell any gas. You may have a leak some place in the unit. If you only smell it when the logs are on, it is most likely after the gas valve, but not any place that the leak is easily lit. Unless you know what you are doing, call your propane company and have a service tech check it out. Meantime, don't use them.
Maybe a leak around the shutoff valve (DON'T USE A MATCH TO LOOK FOR THE LEAK)
Ditto that. Call the gas company ASAP. They have tekkies to diagnose just such situations, and they do it gladly.
Steve
mcp6453 wrote in news:3eadncEB8OY2O8rWnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:
Propane does not have a smell. For obvious safety reasons a stinky odorant is added to the propane. If you smell "propane" you have a leak. Leaking propane gas plus a fire is likely to go BOOM sometime. Get someone to check ASAP!!!
Its much more helpful if you suggest something that works, safely.
Even though the flame looks normal, the unit may need a simple cleaning. I had the same thing happen with a NG fireplace. After I pulled out the logs and brackets to get down to the good stuff I simply vacuumed the gas pipe and air intake. It was back to normal in less than a half hour. While you are at it put a wrench on every connection after the valve and see if any are at all loose. Also look for any signs of rust. I once had a stainless steel gas line develop a pinhole rust through.
I get a smell sometimes if the tank gets down to about 10% full or so. But your first instinct should be that there is a leak and you should call your gas company immediately. They would rather come out to find that it is a false alarm than have to deal with your next-of-kin's lawyers.
Has your CO/explosive gas alarm been going off? You do have one in that room, right?
Jim
If you smell gas with the fire on it could go BOOM!
Try cleaning the jet openings. If you can smell propane gas, there is potential for an explosion so leave it turned off and troubleshoot the problem.
Vented or not vented? Maybe running very low on propane? The odor they add to propane tends to settle at the bottom.
Propane tank is running low. If not that, you have a leak somewhere.
chimney is blocked.
He didn't say it was vented. Mine isn't and doesn't smell.
Thanks for all the suggestions. It is a non-vented unit, but we have the damper cracked, so it is vented. My guess is that the tank is low. I'll check to see when it was last filled. I was not aware that there was a "scent" that settles to the bottom, but I remember smelling that with my 20LB cylinder.
How does it burn propane without putting CO in the air?
:
With the propane turned off, dab a little soapy water around the shut- off valve and check for bubbling. This is will show if any leaks.
It's CO2., not CO, carbon dioxide. How do we breathe without putting CO2 in the air? How many natural gas and propane ranges without vents put CO2 in the air?
-snip-
Whoa, Bill. It puts out CO. In a space too small for the heater it can be deadly. That's why most codes don't allow them in bedrooms.
Ranges put out CO, too. That's why they don't recommend heating your house with your range. My range is in the room adjacent to my ventless heater. The CO detector is 6 feet from the heater *away* from the range. But the only time it has gone off is when I was cooking on 4 burners and using the oven. the heater was not on. So mine is apparently less dangerous than my range.
But they do put out CO.
Jim
"rlz" wrote
With the propane turned off, dab a little soapy water around the shut- off valve and check for bubbling. This is will show if any leaks.
A spray of Windex works, too.
Steve
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