Heat & Glo Fireplace Troubleshooting: Won't Light, Clicks or Shuts Off
When a Heat & Glo gas fireplace won't light, clicks without lighting, or lights and then shuts off, the cause depends on which ignition system it has. This guide shows you how to identify yours (standing pilot, IPI or DSI), works through each symptom from the free checks to the part that fixes it, and covers sister brands Heatilator and Quadra-Fire, which use many of the same parts. Every part we link ships with No Sales Tax in any state. Own a different brand? Our gas fireplace won't light guide covers the checks that apply to every make.
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Safety first. If you smell gas, don't try to light anything or touch any electrical switch. Leave the house and call your gas utility from outside. Turn the fireplace off and let the glass cool before opening it. Work on gas valves, gas pressure and control modules belongs to a qualified gas technician, and many areas require a licensed gas fitter for it. Your fireplace's owner's manual overrides anything in a general guide, including this one.
Quick answer: symptom → likely cause
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| Symptom | Likely cause | Part, if it comes to that |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing happens: no click, no spark (IPI) | No power, wall switch overriding the remote, dead remote batteries, or the module | 2166-347 IPI control module |
| Clicks or sparks but the pilot won't light (IPI) | Gas supply, a blocked or dirty pilot, or a bad igniter gap | 4021-736 pilot assembly (NG) or 4021-737 (LP) |
| Pilot lights, keeps sparking, burner never lights, then it locks out (IPI) | Dirty or shorted flame sensor rod | Clean the sensor rod first; then the pilot assembly |
| Sparks but won't light, or lights then shuts off (DSI) | Dirty or damaged electrode, or low gas supply | 501-591 DSI electrode |
| Pilot lights but goes out when you let go of the knob (standing pilot) | Weak or carboned thermocouple | Thermocouple or pilot assembly for your model |
| Pilot stays lit but the burner won't come on (standing pilot) | Weak thermopile, wall switch or its wiring | Thermopile, or the valve if the thermopile tests good |
| Remote does nothing | Batteries, the wall switch left on, or a remote not paired to the receiver | 2166-330 RC300 remote |
First: which ignition does your Heat & Glo have?
Find the rating plate. It's usually on a chain or tag behind the lower louver or control door, and it lists the model and serial number. Heat & Glo has used three ignition systems, and many model numbers end with the system's initials:
- Standing pilot (millivolt). A small pilot flame burns all the time. You light it with a knob and a push-button piezo igniter. A thermocouple keeps the pilot gas on, and a thermopile powers the valve, so it works in a power outage with no outlet.
- IPI (intermittent pilot ignition). No constant pilot. When you call for heat, a control module sparks the pilot, proves the flame through a sensor rod, then opens the main burner. Model numbers often end in -IPI. Heat & Glo also calls later versions IntelliFire.
- DSI (direct spark ignition). An electrode sparks and senses the flame at start-up. Model numbers often end in -DSI.
Every part below is matched to specific model numbers, so have the rating plate handy before you order.
IPI fireplace won't light
Hearth & Home's own IPI troubleshooting guide groups the faults by what you see and hear, so work through them in that order.
Nothing happens: no clicking, no spark
- Check the power. IPI fireplaces run on household power through a junction box and a 6-volt transformer. Check the breaker and the outlet. Some models take a battery pack for power outages.
- Check the wall switch. A wired wall switch left ON overrides the remote, and a miswired switch stops the fireplace from responding at all.
- Check the remote. Fit fresh batteries in the hand-held remote and in the receiver if yours has one. If the remote is lost or cracked, the RC300 remote (2166-330) replaces the transmitter on fireplaces with the RC300 receiver, including the Mezzo, Primo, True and Escape.
- Check the fuel selector. The module has an NG/LP selector. If it isn't fully engaged, or it spins freely, the fireplace won't light, and a selector that spins means the module itself is damaged.
- Then suspect the module. With good power, a correctly set switch and a working remote, a module that does nothing has usually failed. The 2166-347 IPI control module replaces Hearth & Home 2166-307 and fits IPI models including the 6000C-IPI and 8000C-IPI series, Mezzo, True, Escape-I30 and I35, Cosmo, Grand and Supreme inserts, Lux, Revo, Heatilator Caro, Novus and Heir, and Quadra-Fire QFI30 and QFI35. It works on IPI systems only, not DSI or standing pilot.
It clicks or sparks, but the pilot won't light
- Gas supply. Make sure the manual shutoff valve is open. On propane, check the tank isn't empty. After a tank swap or a long off season, air in the line can take a few tries to clear.
- Clicking with no visible spark. The igniter may be loose, disconnected, shorted to the fireplace, or gapped wrong from the pilot hood. A shorted igniter can damage the module, so get it looked at rather than cycling the fireplace over and over.
- A dirty or blocked pilot. Spiders and dust block pilot orifices, especially after summer. A pilot that's corroded, burned or has a cracked igniter is replaced as an assembly.
The pilot lights and keeps sparking, but the burner doesn't
The module only opens the main burner once the sensor rod proves the pilot flame. If the rod is carboned up, shorted or disconnected, the pilot burns, the spark keeps going, and the module locks out after about 60 seconds. Hearth & Home's fix is to clean carbon off the sensor rod with emery cloth. If the rod is damaged, or cleaning doesn't hold, replace the pilot assembly.
The 4021-736 pilot assembly (natural gas) and 4021-737 pilot assembly (propane) fit a long list of Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire fireplaces, including the 6000 and 8000 series, SL-350 through SL-950, Bay, Pier and ST models, Heatilator NB and ND series and Quadra-Fire QV. Several fit only before a given serial number, so check the fit list on the product page against your rating plate.
The pilot stays lit but the burner won't come on
If the pilot lights, the sparking stops and the pilot holds, but the main burner never opens, the fault is in the burner side of the module or the valve. That's a job for a gas technician with a manometer and meter.
IPI flash codes and lockout
Hearth & Home's troubleshooting guide for IntelliFire Plus modules lists three flash codes on the module's diagnostic light:
| Flashes | What it means (IntelliFire Plus) |
|---|---|
| 1 | The fuel selector (NG/LP) is in the wrong position or damaged |
| 2 | Not enough voltage from the ignition coil to the igniter; if it persists after a reset, the module is replaced |
| 3 | The pilot sparks or lights for up to 60 seconds but the main valve never opens: low gas supply, a false flame, or a shorted, dirty or disconnected sensor or igniter lead |
Older IPI modules signal faults differently, so check your manual before reading a code. To clear a lockout, turn the fireplace OFF and back on. Fireplaces with a FireBrick module, such as the Escape-I30FB and I35FB, have a reset switch instead: set it to RESET, wait five minutes for any gas to clear, set it back to ON, and press it only once. If it locks out again, call a technician rather than resetting it repeatedly.
DSI fireplace sparks but won't light, or shuts off
On a DSI fireplace the electrode does two jobs: it sparks to light the burner and then senses the flame. If the electrode is carboned up, cracked or out of position, the fireplace sparks without lighting, or lights for a few seconds and shuts off because the board never sees the flame.
- Confirm the gas is on and, on propane, that the tank has gas.
- With the fireplace off and cold, check the electrode wire is firmly connected and not chafed.
- If the electrode porcelain is cracked or the tip is burned, replace it. The 501-591 DSI electrode (with a 5-minute delay igniter) fits DSI models including the SL-350 to SL-950, the 6000 and 8000 series, the Bay, Pier and ST models, and the CFX range. It doesn't work with Fenwal systems, and some models are RAM units only, so match it to your parts list.
Standing pilot won't stay lit
On a standing-pilot (millivolt) fireplace, two small sensors do the work. The thermocouple holds the pilot gas on while the pilot burns, and the thermopile generates the current that opens the main burner when the switch or thermostat calls for heat.
- Pilot lights, then goes out when you release the knob: the thermocouple isn't making enough current. Carbon on its tip is a common cause; with the gas off, clean it with extra-fine steel wool. A thermocouple reading under about 25 millivolts when heated needs replacing.
- Pilot won't light at all: no spark points to the piezo igniter or its wire; a spark with no flame points to a blocked pilot orifice or no gas.
- Pilot stays lit but the burner won't come on: check the wall switch or thermostat and its wires at the valve. A thermopile reading under about 300 millivolts with the pilot running needs replacing, and if the thermopile tests good the valve is next.
If your fireplace uses a SIT 820 Nova valve (the model is on the valve body), we stock the SIT 820 Nova gas valve (14-2632) and its NG conversion kit and pilot brackets. Valve replacement is a job for a gas technician.
Cleaning that prevents most of this
Once a year, before the season, have the fireplace cleaned and checked: the pilot assembly, burner, logs, glass and venting. Pilots and sensor rods foul with dust, pet hair and spider webs over summer, which is why so many "won't light" calls come in the first cold week. Our guide to converting a gas fireplace between natural gas and propane covers why pilots and orifices are fuel-specific, which matters when you order a pilot.
Repair or replace?
A pilot assembly, electrode or module is well worth replacing on a sound fireplace. Replacement starts to make sense when the firebox or heat exchanger is damaged, parts for your model are no longer made, or you want real heat from it rather than looks. If you're weighing a stove instead, our ventless gas stove guide and ventless gas vs pellet stove comparison cover the options.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Heat & Glo fireplace click but not light?
On an IPI fireplace, clicking with no flame usually means no gas reaching the pilot, a blocked pilot, or an igniter that is loose, shorted or gapped wrong. If the pilot lights but the burner doesn't and it stops after about a minute, the flame sensor rod needs cleaning or the pilot assembly needs replacing.
How do I reset a Heat & Glo fireplace?
Turn it OFF at the switch or remote, wait, and turn it back on. On FireBrick models, set the module reset switch to RESET, wait five minutes, then set it back to ON, and only press it once. If it locks out again, have a technician find the cause.
Why does my Heat & Glo pilot keep going out?
On a standing-pilot fireplace, it's usually a weak or carboned thermocouple. On an IPI fireplace, there's no constant pilot: it lights only when you call for heat, so a pilot that isn't burning between uses is normal.
Why won't my Heat & Glo remote work?
Replace the batteries in the remote and receiver, make sure the wall switch isn't left ON (it overrides the remote), and re-pair the remote to the receiver following your manual. If the remote itself is broken, the RC300 remote fits fireplaces with the RC300 receiver.
Do Heatilator and Quadra-Fire use the same parts?
Many do. Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire are all Hearth & Home Technologies brands, and the IPI module and pilot assemblies above fit models from all three. Always match the part number to your model's parts list.
Related guides
- Gas fireplace parts
- Converting a gas fireplace to propane or natural gas
- Are ventless gas fireplaces safe?
- Ventless vs vented gas logs
Not sure which part fits? Email info@stovesource.com or text 1-888-866-8206 with the model and serial number from your rating plate and we'll confirm it. Every part ships with No Sales Tax in any state.