Picture this: You’re buying a home in New Hampshire. It’s cozy. It’s charming. There’s a gas fireplace just begging to be lit while you sip something warm and pretend you enjoy winter.

You turn to your home inspector and say, “Hey, can you fire that up?”

And your inspector—calm, professional, probably holding a flashlight like it’s an extension of their arm—says:
“Sorry, I can’t light the pilot.”

Cue the record scratch… Let’s talk about why.

🔥 First Things First: We Like Our Eyebrows

Lighting a pilot isn’t usually dangerous… until it is.

If there’s a gas leak, improper venting, or a malfunctioning component, flipping that switch from “off” to “boom” can go sideways quickly. Home inspectors are trained to observe and report—not to play gas appliance roulette.

We’re big fans of:

• Not causing explosions
• Not making the evening news
• Keeping our faces intact

⚖️ It’s Not Just a Choice—It’s the Law in New Hampshire

This isn’t your inspector being overly cautious or mysteriously anti-fireplace.

Under the New Hampshire Standards of Practice for Home Inspectors, inspectors are specifically prohibited from doing certain things during an inspection.

And one of those is crystal clear (Chapter 600, Part 603, at (12) to be exact):

Home inspectors shall not: Ignite or turn off any solid or liquid or gas fuel-burning device.

Translation: If it’s off when we get there, it stays off.

This rule exists to protect:

• You (the buyer)
• The home
• And yes… even the inspector

Because the moment an inspector lights a pilot, they’re no longer just observing—they’re actively operating the system, which opens the door to risk, damage, and liability.

🛠️ It’s Not Just a Switch—It’s a Liability

Even without the regulation, lighting a pilot changes the game.

The second we turn something on:

• We’ve altered the condition of the system
• We’ve taken responsibility for how it behaves
• We may activate a problem that wasn’t visible before

And no one wants to hear:
“Everything was fine until the inspector fired it up…”

That’s not a plot twist anyone enjoys.

🧯 Hidden Problems Stay Hidden… Until They Don’t

A pilot light being off can actually be a clue—not an inconvenience.

Maybe:

• The seller turned it off for a reason
• The system has a known issue
• There’s a venting or drafting problem
• It hasn’t been maintained

Lighting it could mask an issue… or introduce a new one in real time.

Think of it like seeing a warning light on your car dashboard. You don’t ignore it—you investigate it.

🧑‍🔧 We Leave That to the Pros (and the Right Tools)

If a gas appliance isn’t already running, the safest move is to have it evaluated by someone equipped to handle it, like:

• A licensed HVAC technician
• A qualified plumber with gas certification
• Or the utility company, depending on the situation

They can properly light, test, and troubleshoot the system.

Home inspectors? We’re there to give you the story, not to perform the service call.

😂 The Real Reason (According to Buyers)

Let’s be honest—buyers have theories:

• “They don’t want to do extra work.”
• “They’re afraid of fireplaces.”
• “They just don’t like cozy vibes.”

I assure you, none of those are true.

(Although we do appreciate cozy vibes… from a safe distance.)

🏡 What Should You Do Instead?

If you want that fireplace or gas appliance checked:

• Ask the seller to have it lit and operational before the inspection
• Request maintenance or service records
• Hire a licensed professional to evaluate it if needed

That way, you get real answers—without anyone taking unnecessary risks.

Final Thought

Home inspectors aren’t there to turn everything on.
We’re there to make sure nothing turns you off from the house for the wrong reasons.

And if that means leaving the pilot light alone?

We’ll happily follow the law… and keep our eyebrows.