News from the Network
Getting the Most from Your Gas Equipment
Setting the Mood with
Gas-Fired Ambiance
by Tom Stroozas - CFE, RCGC, CFSP
Manager – Commercial Marketing
Piedmont Natural Gas
Once a necessity for lighting most homes and
businesses, gas lights and fireplaces today are rapidly
gaining popularity within the restaurant scene as a
means to create a “romantic and warmer”
environment for customers. With literally hundreds of
designs and styles to choose from, have you ever
considered what the addition of such gas appliances
might do for the atmosphere of your restaurant and
your customers’ comfort? This month we’ll focus on
what you can do to help increase your bottom line by
incorporating gas fireplaces and lights as you begin
“setting the mood with gas-fired ambiance”.
Shedding light on history...
Gas lantern lighting began over 150 years ago and
was a longtime source of illumination for ancient
lighthouses guiding ships and sailors away from the
perils of rocky coastlines. In the early 1800’s, many
cities began installing gas streetlights, marking the
beginning of the Gas Light Era. The charm and
ambiance of that historic 19th-century can be yours
today from a number of different manufacturers.
Gas lights come in dozens of shapes and sizes and
can either incorporate an open flame burner or fabric
mantle technology. The fabric mantle systems
typically are used for actually lighting a room or area,
and generate lumens with the approximate
equivalence of a 75 watt electric light bulb. Those
using the open flame technology, although giving off
less illumination, require less maintenance and can be
turned on and off with the flip of a switch. With a
typical gas input of 2,000 BTUs per hour (double gas
mantles) to 3,000 BTUs per hour (open flame), gas
lights will cost three to five cents per hour to operate,
and that’s at today’s higher gas prices, too!
modern gas lights can incorporate an electronic
ignition system which allows open-flame lanterns to
be turned on with a typical light switch. With
electronic ignition, should the flame blow out, the
lantern will automatically reignite. Customers now
have the convenience of turning the gas lantern on
and off with the flip of a switch rather than with
lighters and ladders.
The electronic ignition system can be used for
situations where gas lanterns are installed over doors,
or where ladders are needed to turn lights on and off.
It can also be useful in conserving energy, in
applications where you don’t want the lanterns to
burn continuously.
During power failures, the flame self-extinguishes
and stays off until the power is restored at which time
the flame will automatically reignite. At no time is the
unignited gas flow allowed to continue more than the
few seconds it takes for the igniter to start the flame.
And to keep things simple, more than one lamp can be
operated from a single wall switch; however, each
lamp does require its own electronic ignition
component.
(continued on page 24)
Typical Electronic Ignition System
Steel Mounting Box
8" x 8" x 3" Deep
(Box may be larger on other models)
Ignition Control Box
24 Volt AC
Positive
24 Volt AC
Negative
Call Service
From Wall
Automatic
Gas Valve
Ignitor
Gas lighting with the flip of a switch…
Thanks to technological breakthroughs, today’s
COOKING FOR PROFIT comes to you compliments of your gas energy provider/November 15, 2005 23
Dining area of a casual theme restaurant in North Carolina that features 10
interior open flame gas lights with electronic ignition.
Today’s modern gas log sets offer the look and feel
of a real wood fire without the mess of loading and
cleanup. And, you get a “perfect fire” every time.
(continued from page 23)
Fireplaces offer more than warmth…
The convenience of gas logs and fireplace inserts
provide yet another way to add to your customers’
dining comfort and your restaurant’s ambiance. The
romance of a dining experience with the soft glow of
an open flame can keep your customers coming back
for one experience after another. Gas fireplaces also
reduce the labor costs associated with stoking a fire
with real wood and the additional labor associated
with cleanup and ash removal. This can improve your
bottom line profits by increasing business without
added labor costs.
As with gas lights, there are dozens of
manufacturers who can provide gas logs for existing
masonry wood burning fireplaces or complete
unvented gas fireplace units for new construction or
retrofit applications. And, just like modern gas lights,
these logs and fireplaces can operate by remote
control making them simple and convenient, just like
your television remote.
Gas logs come in various sizes, typically 12 - 42
inches in length and BTU inputs ranging from 25,000
BTUH – 150,000 BTUH, and can even be customized
as a “one of a kind”, depending on the application.
And that pretty much goes for unvented “fireplaces”,
too. The economy of gas logs and fireplaces will vary,
depending on size and BTU input, but typically, with
today’s gas prices, you can figure around $1.50/hour
to operate a 30-inch, 90,000 BTUH unit.
The warmth and romance of dining next to an open fireplace
can create a welcoming and calming ambiance giving
customers more value for their dollar.
Check out the manufacturers featured in this issue
and I’m sure you will find a unit that will pay you big
dividends by increasing your business and posting
additional bottom line profits.
If you are interested in learning more about
today’s modern gas lights and fireplace systems or
how GFEN can assist you in the evaluation process,
log on to www.gfen.info and look for the directory of
participating natural gas companies. You may also
email [email protected] or phone me
at (704) 731-4357.
Reprinted with permission from Cooking For Profit © November 2005/ November 15, 2005