Gas fireplaces are an incredible addition to any household, adding add warmth, ambience, character. They're also safer and more convenient than wood fireplaces, and better at removing hazardous byproducts (like carbon monoxide, moisture and nitrogen dioxide) from your home.

And, with the right fireplace surrounds they become a huge design asset for any room in your home. Plus, a gas fireplace arrives all in one piece (no tricky assembly required), so all you have to do is have them professionally installed, and then fit your gorgeous new fireplace surrounds.

Now that you understand just some of the benefits of gas fireplaces, it's time to discover exactly how they operate.

Always Check the Manual

The beauty of gas heaters is that they create heat instantly-just press 'go', and you've got a beautifully heated home. But, before you hit that 'go' button for the first time, you do need to read the instruction manual. Make sure you know how everything from the fan to the thermostat works.

If you've inherited an existing fireplace (perhaps you've just moved into a new house), it may be hard to find the manual. If you can't locate it, you can usually spot important information on the rating plate. The rating plate will usually be found behind a removable panel, and it will contain the model and serial number. You can then use this information to search for an online copy of the manual, as well as find any local dealers and service technicians.

New Batteries are Essential

The biggest mistake new gas fireplace owners make is failing to put new batteries in the remote, as well as in any battery backups. Time and time, people call out a service technician only to find out the problem could have been solved with just a couple of double AAs. If you're dealing with an older unit, it's also a good idea to carefully inspect the battery backups, just to make sure that battery acid hasn't leaked.

Understand the Pilot Light

Nothing is more important than the pilot light when it comes to gas fireplaces. There are two types of pilot lights:

Standing Pilot: This type of pilot light will stay lit as long as the gas supply is on.

Electronic Ignition: This type requires a backup battery, and the pilot light is only lit when the fireplace is turned on.

An electronic ignition fireplace just needs to be turned on at the switch, or via the remote or thermostat. If there are any issues, check that the gas is switched on. If it is, turn it off and back on again before you call a technician.

A standing pilot unit needs the pilot light to be on before you use the valve control to start the process. Once the valve control is switched to on, use the thermostat or switch to turn the heat on. If the pilot isn't lit, you'll need to consult a manual because the lighting process is different for every unit.