Yes! American Gas Lamp Works gas and electric lamps employ well-proven designs and technologies. Gas lighting actually pre-dates electric lighting by several decades, and the Welsbach mantle lighting system has been used the world over for more than a century. You should keep in mind that gas lamps do get hot and should not be placed where they can be touched by children or animals.

Our open flickering flame gas lamps can be equipped for use with natural gas (NG) ONLY. Our Welsbach mantle gas lamps can be equipped for use with natural gas (NG) or liquid propane (LP). Our electric lamps require 120V electric.

Our open flame gas lamps are only available when fueled by natural gas; they are not compatible with liquid propane. The only option for LP gas is our gas mantle burner, which is similar to what you see in a Coleman camping lantern. It uses mesh mantles to provide a solid, white light, like a light bulb. Mantle burners are intended to burn 24/7 and do not flicker like a flame.

The amount of gas your lamps will use depends on the type of gas and burner you’re using. Please refer to our BTUs and Gas Facts page below for gas usage along various configurations.

All AGLW gas lamps include a manual ignition valve, located in the collar of the fixture, just below the burner. To light the lamp, simply turn the valve a 1/4 turn with a flathead tool (like a screwdriver) and ignite the burner inside the lamp with a long lighter.

We recommend leaving gas lamps burning 24 hours a day to reduce wear-and-tear of the components and to keep the gas line warm, preventing any buildup of debris or insects that may effect proper gas flow.

When using an open flame burner with Natural Gas, you may add an electronic ignition system for an upcharge. This requires both Natural Gas and 110/120V electric be run to each fixture and will allow you to control the flame with a light switch or a timer.

The electronic ignition system can only be purchased from AGLW in a new lamp.

First, please keep in mind that open flame lamps are designed to produce a gentle, flickering light that is intended principally for ambiance rather than illumination. They are perfect for accent lighting and for creating a unique environment, but open flame lamps should not be counted on as a primary light source.

Gas mantle lamps, GasGlow® LED and electric candelabra base lamps produce bright light and can be a primary illumination source. As a rule of thumb, each gas mantle and GasGlow® LED mantle produces the equivalent light output of a 50-watt incandescent electric bulb. As a result, a quad-mantle gas lamp or GasGlow® LED would produce light equivalent to about two 100-watt incandescent bulbs.

American Gas Lamp Works gas fixtures are designed to perform in normal wind conditions, but both gas mantle and open flame gas lamps can blow out in strong winds. Several factors play into the susceptibility of specific lamps to wind, including the location of the lamp on a site or building and the wind patterns in your area.

Our lamps are custom made from commercial grade sand-cast aluminum and heavy-gauge copper. Our lamps are built to last for generations. Please visit one of our dealers to experience first-hand the difference between our foundry craftsmanship and mass-produced fixtures.

All AGLW products are custom-made specific to your order. Due to the customized nature of our products, returns are accepted for product defects only.

Gas mantle lamps utilize incandescent gas mantles as their source of illumination. Traditionally known as Welsbach mantles for their inventor, Carl Auer von Welsbach, gas mantles generate a bright, steady white light when heated by a flame. Gas mantle fixtures can be configured as dual-, triple-, or quad-mantle lamps, depending on your lamp size and lighting requirements. Alternatively, open flame gas lamps emit a softer, flickering glow similar to that of a candle. Open flame gas fixtures are preferable where you’d like the ambiance of old-fashioned gas light but do not need significant light output.

Yes! All AGLW lamps are certified to the most rigorous ANSI standards and carry either an ETL or UL Listing.

The American Gas Lamp Works and its predecessor, Gas-Lite Manufacturing, have been designing and manufacturing natural gas and faux gas lighting for over fifty years. Our manufacturing operations are located near Pittsburgh, PA, in the town of New Kensington, PA. Our lamps are manufactured by skilled foundrymen and craftsmen, as they have been for generations.

Most gas lamps, whether gas mantle or open flame, are used to accent the exterior of a home or building. Our lamps and torches add drama and excitement to entrances, outdoor entertainment areas, walkways and drives. AGLW gas lamps can be mounted next to doorways, on walls, on posts, or on decorative piers. AGLW’s GasGlow® LED and electric candelabra lamps, which use electric energy, can be mounted almost anywhere, including the interior of homes and businesses.

Depending on the type of fuel you choose, gas or electric, we recommend that you coordinate installation with trained professional personnel. For AGLW gas lamps, please use a professional gas lighting specialist or an experienced local plumber. Our GasGlow® LED and electric candelabra fixtures can be installed by an electrician for dependable service. We recommend that you order your lamp early in the construction process so both the plumber and electrician are familiar with your lamp and its requirements at rough in. Most of our lamps are equipped with tempered glass to protect against thermal and physical shock.

All of our lamps can be post-, pier-, or wall-mounted, and all of our mounts can be powder coated to match the finish you select for your lamp fixtures.

The minimum top clearance, from the lamp roof, should be no less than twelve (12) inches from any combustible surface. The clearance from any side should be no less than six (6) inches from any combustible surface.

For installations less than 200 feet in length, you will need to run a standard 3/8th inch copper line from your gas main to the base of the lamp fixture or lamp post. This feed line will then reduce to a ¼ inch copper flared line and flared fitting at the base of the post or mount.

Dig a hole in the ground that is approximately eight (8) inches wide and twenty-four (24) inches deep. Set the bottom of the post in the center of the hole. Pour concrete around the post to just below the level of the gas line access hole. Proper fitting for underground gas line will be a ¼ inch gas line through the post.

All of our gas lamps and torches are equipped with manual ignition, which is controlled via the gas valve, located in the collar of the fixture. A 1/4 turn of the valve will allow the user to open the valve and for gas to pass through. Applying direct flame to the burner inside the lamp will then ignite the flame or mantles. A 1/4 turn of the valve in the opposite direction will close the valve, causing the flame or mantles to go out.

All of our fixtures equipped with gas mantle burners can be configured for use with Natural Gas or Liquid Propane. Our open flame burners are compatible with Natural Gas ONLY. Please specify the type of gas you’ll be using when ordering. Operating a lamp equipped with a natural gas burner on propane can cause excessive heat and smoking and should be avoided.

For Gas Lamps:

We recommend coordinating installation or service of gas lamps and lines with trained professional personnel. Please contact your local plumber, professional gas lighting specialist, or HVAC provider to schedule an installation or service appointment.

Professional gas specialists can often be found at retail stores that offer gas products. For example, a hearth & grill, fireplace, or pool & patio shop that sells gas grills, gas fireplaces, gas logs, gas torches, etc. Often times, these locations will have a service department with certified or experienced gas specialists who you may schedule an installation or service appointment with for your gas lamp.

To locate a specialist, please refer to a local directory.

- Gas Mantle Lamps:

Gas mantle lamps are rugged, durable fixtures that can last for generations. However, they require minor maintenance that is best performed by a professional service person. In general, we recommend the following:

• Replace your gas mantles at least once per year, and at any time they are no longer fully intact.
• Clean glass and remove debris twice per year. Removing debris will enhance the air flow around your mantles and improve their performance.
• Use only authentic, hard, preformed mantles in your lamp. Hard mantles will produce more light, last longer, and retain their shape much longer than “soft” mantles at a very small additional cost.
• Blow out the gas lines annually to ensure proper natural gas supply to your lamp.

- Open Flame Gas Lamps:

Open Flame illumination is for the discerning homeowner looking to infuse an outdoor setting with the warm, flickering light of an open gas flame. American Gas Lamp Works’ open flame gas lamps provide a dramatic ambiance to outdoor settings, entrances, and walkways. We recommend the following routine maintenance for your open flame lamp, best performed by a professional service person:

• Clean glass and remove debris at least twice per year. Removing debris will enhance the air flow around the burner and improve its performance.
• Clean the open flame burner tip at least twice per year. Run a piece of fine dental floss or use a wire brush to remove any debris or soot that’s settled in the burner tip.
• Position the gas valve between 50-75% open, to where the bottom of the flame is touching the tip of the burner. Opening the valve too far can create an air pocket between the burner tip and the bottom of the flame, which can cause frequent blowouts.
• Adjust the flame by inserting a flat head tool or screwdriver through the valve access hole in the collar of the lamp. Turn the valve slowly to adjust the height and shape of the flame.

Please note: Turning the valve too fast or too far can cause the flame to extinguish. If the flame extinguishes, turn the valve to the OFF position and following the re-lighting instructions.