Never, ever try to force things. If you smell rotten eggs (that’s the odor added to natural gas), stop everything, open a window, and leave the house. Call your gas company from outside.
Otherwise, enjoy the detective work. It’s a tiny puzzle that lives in your living room. You’re basically a home hero in a fleece blanket.
So grab a flashlight, open the manual you probably threw away, and give it a look. Your fireplace will light again, and when it does, you’ll feel like the coolest person in the neighborhood. Who knew a flame could teach so much?
