Can You Hook Up a Switch Inside a Propane Fireplace?

Propane Fireplace

• Propane fireplaces, or low-pressure gas fireplaces, can either be inserted into an existing wood-burning fireplace or can be freestanding. Vented propane fireplaces produce combustion waste gases that must be vented either up an existing chimney or out a specially run vent line to the exterior of your home. Ventless fireplaces don’t produce waste gas, so they do not require a vent line.

Ignition

• Starting a propane fireplace can be as easy as flipping a switch on the wall. The pilot light thermoelectrically generates the power to turn on the gas when you turn on the switch, then cuts the circuit when you turn it off. The switch is usually located on the wall near the fireplace, much like a light switch. You cannot place a switch inside a propane fireplace that's been inserted into a standard wood-burning firebox. Electric codes do not allow for having a switch inside the firebox, even if the propane insert does not fill the whole box.

Other Options

• In modern propane fireplaces, especially the freestanding models, you don’t have to use a switch to start a fire. Instead, you can turn on the gas using a remote control, and turn it off the same way. In some areas, continuously lit pilot lights are not allowed for use on fireplaces. If you live in California or an area with the same energy-saving rules, you will need to install a gas fireplace with an intermittent-pilot ignition system that only runs when the fireplace is in use. With this system, you can install a wall switch, but not one within the fireplace itself.

Considerations

• A propane fireplace must only be installed by a licensed plumber or HVAC technician, who can put the supply tank in place outside your home and run the supply line to your fireplace. She can recommend an aesthetically pleasing location to put the switch on a nearby wall, so you can control the fireplace. For a more traditional look, she can suggest gas logs and embers for the fireplace, which help simulate the appearance of a wood-burning fire.