Gas Stove Pilot Light Gas Use?
 

This is a kind of silly question, but it can't hurt to ask : the pilot light in our gas stove (one of those living room supplemental heat / decorative units) is... to put it lightly, huge. We used the stove only a handful of times in the past month and yet somehow used 100 dollars worth of propane ( the stove is the only thing using the propane, right now ). I realize these things aren't at all efficient, but my question is :

- is the pilot light deceiving, or do some of them really use a larger-than-normal amount of gas
- is there any harm, aside from the hassle, in turning the pilot off and re-igniting by hand every time we use the thing (once a week if that, usually less)?

Here's a picture of the stove for reference (pic is from the summer, we don't put things on top / near it in the winter, obviously)

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i3...psf2b99cc2.jpg

Is this a converted wood stove? Im surprised at the flue on this thing. I have a vent free gas log, so even the pilot heats the house. I turn it off in the spring, on in the fall, cause it does put out heat. I am on NG though, which is cheaper than LPG, from what I understand.

Your heat is going up the flue, no?

Honestly? I have no idea. We bought the house over the summer, and this was all there when we moved in. There may have been a wood stove in the place of this gas one at some time and they just repurposed the flu. The stove itself is designed as a gas stove. Though I vaguely remember looking the thing up online (to see what it cost) and it had that kind of pipe straight from the factory. Might be mostly decorative....

On some the pilot can be adjusted down. No harm in turning it off. You may have a small leak outside somewhere.

What is the make of the stove? Looks like a Vermont Castings Knock Off.

No way should it have used that much gas. I'd be calling the gas company to come do a pressure test to check for leaks.
I know mine will do it for free.

They came and tested the whole system for leaks when we first moved in, and replaced the tank (it was old, not leaking). We used the stove much less since that first fill-up, so I'm curious to see what the next fill-up will cost before I fully blame the pilot or a leak.

I don't know that I'd call ti a "knock off", it's a nice unit. I remember looking up the brand when we first bought the house and it's perfectly reputable, but I don't remember it off the top of my head now.

EDIT : The brand on the back says "Aladdin." It's a Quadra-Fire Topaz. http://www.quadrafire.com/en/Product...Gas-Stove.aspx