Getting Your Patio Heater Ready for Spring — Startup Checklist | Wano Co

Getting Your Patio Heater Ready for Spring — Do This Before You Light It

Your patio heater has been sitting in storage for months. Before you hook up the tank and try to fire it up, spend five minutes going through this checklist. It's the difference between lighting on the first try and spending an hour troubleshooting something that was preventable.

Step 1: Inspect the Hose and Regulator

Before anything else, look at the hose. Storage conditions — temperature swings, rodents, things stacked on top of it — can crack or damage a hose without it being obvious at a glance. Run your hand along the full length and look for cracks, brittleness, kinks, or any spots that look chewed or pinched.

If the hose has any visible damage, replace the regulator and hose assembly before connecting to a tank. A cracked hose is a gas leak waiting to happen.

Step 2: Clean the Pilot Orifice and Burner Area (Older and Pyramid Heaters)

If you have an older tall heater or a pyramid heater, this is the most important step and the one most people skip. Newer heaters without a pilot tube can skip ahead to Step 3.

Over months of storage, spiders and insects nest inside pilot tubes and orifices — even a covered heater isn't immune. A blocked pilot orifice is the number one reason older heaters and pyramid models that worked fine last season won't light again.

With the tank disconnected:

  1. Remove the access panel near the burner head.
  2. Give the pilot orifice and burner opening a short, firm blast of compressed air.
  3. For pyramid heaters, also blow out the pilot tube — the small metal tube running from the valve up to the burner.
  4. Wipe out any visible dust or debris with a dry cloth.

Two minutes of work here prevents the majority of startup failures on these heater types.

Step 3: Swap the Igniter Battery

The battery inside your igniter housing drains slowly even when the heater isn't being used. If you didn't replace it before storage, do it now — it costs a dollar and saves you the frustration of a heater that won't spark on the first warm evening you want to use it.

Find the igniter housing near the control knob, unscrew it, and replace a new battery. 

Step 4: Inspect the Emitter Screen

Take a close look at the mesh screen surrounding the burner. Look for holes, burn-through spots, or areas where the mesh has collapsed or warped. Small surface rust is normal. Actual holes or significant warping mean it won't heat evenly and should be replaced before the season starts rather than mid-summer when you're using it regularly.

Step 5: Check the Tilt Switch and Thermocouple Connectors

Open the access panel and look at the wire connectors on the tilt switch and thermocouple. Temperature swings over winter can accelerate corrosion on connectors that were already borderline. Look for green or white buildup on the metal contacts. If you see significant corrosion, clean the contacts or replace the parts — a corroded tilt switch connector is one of the most common causes of a heater that lights but won't stay lit.

Step 6: Check the Reflector

Look at the reflector dome above the burner. If it took any dents or warping last season, now's the time to replace it before you start using the heater again. A damaged reflector scatters heat instead of directing it downward — your heater will run but won't feel as warm as it should.

Step 7: Refill the Base Bladder If You Drained It

If you drained the weight bladder before storage, refill it now. Sand is the best fill — it won't slosh, won't freeze, and adds more stable ballast than water. A properly ballasted base is especially important if you're using the heater in a spot with any wind exposure.

Step 8: Connect the Tank and Light It

Once you've worked through the checklist:

  1. Connect the regulator to a full propane tank.
  2. Open the tank valve slowly — a quarter turn at a time. Opening it fast can trip the regulator's safety bypass.
  3. Try the igniter. If it sparks but doesn't catch, wait 30 seconds and try again — it may take a moment for gas to reach the burner after sitting empty.
  4. If the igniter doesn't spark, try lighting manually with a long lighter to confirm the heater itself is working before troubleshooting the igniter.

A heater that was stored correctly and checked before startup should light on the first or second try.

If It Still Won't Light

If you've worked through everything above and the heater still won't cooperate, our troubleshooting guides cover every common failure in detail:

Or email us with your model number and we'll point you to the right fix.

Which Heaters Does This Apply To?

This startup checklist applies to all Hampton Bay, Master Forge, and Gardensun propane patio heaters — tall mushroom style, pyramid, and tabletop. Most steps apply to natural gas heaters as well, with the exception of the tank and regulator checks.

Wano Co sells genuine OEM replacement parts for Hampton Bay, Master Forge, and Gardensun patio heaters — sourced directly from Gardensun, the original manufacturer. Free shipping on all orders.

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