Skip to content
24/7 emergency
778-938-5311
Paradigm Services
← All articles

Gas Fireplace Smells: What's Normal and What Isn't

Gas Fireplace Smells: What’s Normal and What Isn’t

Gas fireplace burning in a lived-in home

If your fireplace smells like rotten eggs or sulphur, treat it as a gas leak. Don’t switch anything on or off. Get everyone and the pets outside, then call the gas utility or 911 from a safe distance. If the smell is dusty, like warm paint or faint burning, and it fades within a short time, it is usually dust or new-appliance curing. This guide helps you sort one from the other, and it tells you what to do in each case.

Paradigm Services and Installations
Need Help With a Gas Line?
Paradigm Services and Installations provides gas fitting and 24/7 emergency calls across Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody.

TL;DR

  • Rotten eggs or sulphur means leave first. Go outside, then call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 or dial 911. Don’t hunt for the leak yourself.
  • A dusty or “hot plastic” smell on the first fire of the season is common. It should fade within a short time. If it lingers, stop using the fireplace and have it checked.
  • Carbon monoxide has no smell. A fireplace that smells fine can still be a hazard, so working CO alarms matter.
  • Soot, a pilot that keeps going out, or a smell that continues after you shut the unit off all need a professional. Don’t keep relighting it.
  • We handle the gas line side. Jon and our team do gas fitting and 24/7 emergency calls in Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody.

Table of Contents

If you smell gas right now

Read this part first. The rest of the article can wait.

Natural gas has no smell of its own. Before it is piped to your home, a compound called mercaptan is added so that it smells like sulphur or rotten eggs, as Enbridge Gas explains. That smell is the warning system doing its job.

What to do:

  1. Stop what you’re doing. Don’t light anything, flip switches, or use a phone or garage door opener inside.
  2. Get everyone out, including pets. Leave the door open behind you if you can do so without delay.
  3. Call from outside or from a neighbour’s home. In the Tri-Cities, the FortisBC emergency line is 1-800-663-9911, staffed 24 hours. You can also dial 911.
  4. Stay outside until you’re told it’s safe. The BC Office of the Fire Commissioner gives the same advice: go outdoors without operating electrical devices or creating any ignition, call 911 or the gas provider, and remain outside until officials say it is safe.

The Canadian Gas Association adds that homeowners shouldn’t try to find or fix a leak themselves. That includes tightening fittings, spraying the valve, or poking at the pilot assembly. Leaving first and investigating later is the rule, even when you feel sure it’s “just the fireplace.”

Once the gas utility has made the area safe, you’ll want a gas fitter to find the cause and repair it before anyone relights the unit. That is the point where a call to us makes sense, and we answer 24/7.

Why a gas fireplace can smell, and which smells matter

Not every odour is a leak. Most fireplace smells fall into a few groups. The trick is matching the smell to the likely cause and noting how long it lasts.

What you smell Likely cause What to do
Rotten eggs, sulphur, a sharp gas odour Possible gas leak Leave, call FortisBC or 911
Dusty, “burning hair” or warm-dust smell on first use of the season Dust and debris burning off Ventilate, watch that it fades
Paint, glue or oily smell on a new unit Finishing materials curing Follow the manufacturer’s burn-in steps
Damp, musty smell Moisture in the vent or behind the glass Have the venting checked
Burning plastic that doesn’t fade Something melted near the unit, or a failing part Shut off the unit, get it inspected
Soot smell, black marks on logs or glass Incomplete combustion Stop using it, call a professional

The table is a starting point, not a diagnosis. When you can’t tell which row you’re in, treat the smell as the more serious one.

The smell of gas itself

A raw gas smell near a fireplace has a few common sources. A pilot that blows out lets gas escape before the safety valve fully shuts it. A loose or worn connection on the supply line, a faulty valve or an aged pilot assembly can leak slowly. A strong smell with the pilot on often points to a faulty gas valve or a leak at the pilot assembly, but we can’t tell you which from a distance, and neither can anyone else. Only an inspection finds it.

A brief whiff at the moment of ignition on some units can be normal, since a little unburned gas may reach you as the burner lights. But “brief” means seconds. If you can still smell gas minutes later, or each time you light it, something is wrong.

The dusty, hot smell

This is the most common complaint in fall. A unit that sat idle all summer collects dust on the burner, the logs and the top of the firebox. When it heats, the dust burns off and gives you that stale, singed smell.

It is usually harmless, and it should fade as the unit warms and the dust is gone. A few things help:

  • Open a window or two for the first burn so that the smell has somewhere to go. Health Canada notes that fireplaces, if improperly installed, maintained or used, may emit carbon monoxide and particles, and that opening windows may increase ventilation.
  • Let the fire run for a while rather than switching it on and off, so the dust burns off in one go.
  • Check the unit’s manual for cleaning steps, and don’t spray cleaners inside the firebox unless the manufacturer says you can.

If the smell is still there after a few hours of running, or comes back every time, don’t write it off as dust.

A new or newly installed fireplace

New units smell too. Kingsman’s installation manual says odour may come from paint, adhesives, silicones, manufacturing oil and finishing materials as they cure, and recommends ventilation and following its burn-in instructions. Other brands give similar guidance, so read your own manual and follow its first-run procedure.

This smell is chemical rather than eggy. It should settle over the first hours of burn time. If you’re getting the sulphur smell on a brand-new installation, that points to a connection problem, and the gas fitter who made the connection should come back and check it.

Renovation dust

Drywall dust gets everywhere, including your fireplace. Natural Resources Canada advises owners to avoid running fireplaces during renovations or construction, since drywall dust and contaminants can damage internal parts like burners and fans. If your fireplace smells after a renovation, have it cleaned and checked before regular use.

Moisture and venting

A musty or damp smell often points to moisture sitting in the vent or behind the glass, particularly after a wet stretch or a long idle spell. This is common on the coast. Water getting into a vent can also be a sign that the vent cap, flashing or termination needs work.

Exterior gas fireplace vent on damp siding

If your home also has stuffy air, condensation on windows, or other signs of poor airflow, look at the rest of the building’s ventilation too. A guide on checking whether soffit vents are blocked walks through how to spot and clear restricted airflow around the roofline, which can matter for how a house breathes.

The smell you can’t smell: carbon monoxide

This is the part many people miss. Natural gas smells because of the added mercaptan. Carbon monoxide (CO) does not. HRAI describes CO as odourless, colourless and tasteless, which is why working detectors are a critical safety measure.

HRAI lists signs that should raise a red flag: stuffy air, a sharp gas odour when fuel-burning appliances turn on, pilot lights going out, soot around the chimney or exhaust vents, and excess moisture on windows and walls. A fireplace that smells off and also shows any of these needs attention the same day.

The BC Office of the Fire Commissioner recommends CO alarms on every level of the home and in sleeping areas where there is a fuel-burning appliance or fireplace. It also recommends licensed installation, inspection and servicing of fuel-burning appliances.

Natural Resources Canada says to consider a CO detector if you don’t have a sealed direct-vent fireplace. Since the burning is sealed off from your room air in a direct-vent unit, it carries less risk, but a detector is still cheap protection.

If a CO alarm goes off, treat it as an emergency. Get everyone outside and call 911.

What to do if the smell continues after you turn the fireplace off

This one matters because it changes the diagnosis. If the smell fades when the fire is off, the cause is probably in combustion or venting: dust, curing materials, moisture, or a draft problem. If the smell stays after the unit is off, gas may be escaping when it shouldn’t.

Then:

  • If it smells like rotten eggs, leave and call FortisBC or 911. Follow the steps at the top of this page. Don’t wait to see whether it clears.
  • If it’s a stale or burnt smell that stays, open windows, keep the unit off, and have it inspected before relighting. Lingering odours can be soot, a damaged component or something stuck in the firebox.
  • Don’t keep relighting to test it. The unit’s manual will tell you how many attempts are allowed. One manufacturer’s owner’s manual says that if the appliance does not light after three tries, you should call your service technician or gas supplier.

A smell that lingers with the fire off is the pattern we most want people to take seriously. It’s often a small fix, such as a worn fitting or valve, but it’s one nobody should guess at.

What you can safely do yourself

You aren’t helpless between the first sniff and the technician’s arrival. These steps are safe, and they help the technician too:

  1. Note when it happens. On ignition only, or the whole time the fire runs? After shutdown? Only in cold weather? The pattern narrows the cause fast.
  2. Look, don’t touch. Check the glass and logs for black soot. Look at the pilot flame. A weak, lazy or yellow flame suggests a combustion problem.
  3. Check your CO alarms. Press the test button. Replace dead batteries and expired units.
  4. Ventilate. Open windows if the smell isn’t gas-like. If it is gas-like, don’t spend time on this. Leave.
  5. Read the manual. Find the model number and the manufacturer’s service advice. It saves time on the phone.

What you shouldn’t do: take apart the burner, tighten gas fittings, use a flame to look for leaks, or douse the firebox with cleaners. Natural Resources Canada says unusual odours or flames are often a sign that the fireplace isn’t operating properly, and it points owners to their dealer for servicing and to the gas company if they smell gas.

Cleaning up after soot

If the fireplace has put soot onto carpet or upholstery, don’t rub it in. Light marks can sometimes be blotted from the carpet, while greasy stains are better left to a cleaner. But clean up only after the source is fixed. Soot means something is burning wrong, and cleaning it away won’t stop it coming back.

Why a smell can also mean a problem with the gas line

A gas fireplace is only as safe as the gas line behind it. We see three patterns often in older Tri-Cities homes and in homes where a fireplace was added or moved.

  • A worn or poorly made connection at the shut-off valve or flexible connector.
  • A line that was added to, extended or rerouted during a renovation, such as when a BBQ line or range is added.
  • A valve or regulator that has aged and no longer seals fully.

These are plumbing and gas fitting issues, not chimney issues, and they’re the ones where the appliance itself may be fine. A technician who works on the appliance’s internals and a gas fitter who works on the line are sometimes two different calls. We do the gas fitting side: leak checks on the supply, valves, connections and new gas line hookups. For the inner workings of a particular fireplace, the manufacturer or its dealer is the right contact, as Natural Resources Canada advises.

Prevention: keeping a gas fireplace from smelling in the first place

Most fireplace smells are avoidable. The checklist is short.

  • Have the fireplace inspected before its first use and serviced regularly. Natural Resources Canada recommends both, along with keeping air-circulating passageways and fans clean.
  • Book the check before the cold weather, not during the first freeze when everyone calls at once.
  • Run the fireplace briefly early in the season so that any dust burns off while you can still open windows.
  • Keep CO alarms current on each level and near bedrooms.
  • Keep storage and clutter away from the unit and the vent.
  • Use a qualified person for installation and gas work. HRAI says routine inspection and maintenance by a qualified heating contractor or gas fitter is the primary way to keep gas fireplaces operating safely.

A fireplace you’ve ignored for years is the likeliest to give trouble. Dust, a stuck valve, a failed pilot or a loose connection all get worse with time.

Our view: why we’d rather you call early

We’ve been asked more than once whether a call-out for a smell is overkill. Here is what we tell people.

If you smell gas, you call the utility and get out. That isn’t up for debate, and it’s what the official guidance says. If you’re not sure what you’re smelling, you call us, and nobody will make you feel silly for it.

The jobs that worry us aren’t the ones where somebody called in a panic and found a pile of dust. They’re the ones where someone put up with a faint smell for a month because they didn’t want to bother anyone. A small leak at a fitting is a quick, inexpensive job when it’s caught early. It’s a worse day when it’s left.

Our view: why we'd rather you call early — overview diagram

When you call us, the person who owns the company is the one who shows up. Our quotes are on site, and our call-out fee is $60, waived if the work goes ahead. We’ll tell you straight whether the issue is on the gas line, in the appliance, or in the venting, and if it’s the appliance, we’ll say so and point you to the right service.

One more thing: if the smell is gas, don’t call us first. Call the utility or 911 from outside. Then call us, and we’ll take it from there.

— Jon

When we can help

If your fireplace smell turned out to be a gas line issue, a new hookup, or a fitting that needs replacing, our gas fitting service covers it across Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody. If it’s after hours or you’ve already had the utility out and need the line made safe, our 24/7 emergency plumbing and gas line team is on the phone day and night.

Paradigm Services and Installations

We also do hot water tank replacement and other plumbing work, so if the appliance that’s giving you trouble is a water heater or a boiler rather than a fireplace, you don’t need a separate contractor. Our main site lists everything we cover.

FAQ

Is it normal for a gas fireplace to smell the first time I use it after months?

Yes, a dusty or slightly singed smell is common. Dust that settled on the burner and firebox burns off when the unit heats. It should fade within a short time, and opening a window helps. If it persists, comes back every time, or smells like rotten eggs, stop using the fireplace and have it checked.

Do I need to open a window when using a gas fireplace?

Opening a window can help, especially for the first burn of the season or with a new unit. Health Canada says opening windows may increase ventilation, and that fireplaces which are improperly installed, maintained or used can emit carbon monoxide. Ventilation is not a substitute for servicing or a CO alarm.

Can a gas fireplace leak carbon monoxide without any smell?

Yes. Carbon monoxide is odourless, so you can’t rely on your nose. That is why CO alarms on each level and near sleeping areas are recommended where you have a fuel-burning appliance or fireplace. If an alarm sounds, get outside and call 911.

What should I do if the fireplace is off and I still smell gas?

If the smell is rotten eggs or sulphur, leave the house and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 or 911 from outside. Don’t turn anything on or off on your way out. Once the utility says it is safe, have a gas fitter find and repair the cause before the fireplace is used again.

Who should I call to fix a smelly gas fireplace?

Call the gas utility first for a gas smell. After that, a gas fitter handles leaks and problems on the supply line and connections. For faults inside the appliance, such as the burner, pilot assembly or fans, contact the manufacturer’s dealer, as Natural Resources Canada advises.

Sources