Automatic Ignition Fire Feature: How to Choose the Right Design
Oct 06, 2026
Automatic Ignition Fire Features: What to Know Before You Choose
What should an automatic ignition fire feature make easier: lighting the flame, or fitting fire into your space? The right choice does both. "Automatic ignition" describes how the flame starts. The controls, from a push-button to a smart switch or phone, depend on the product and the option you choose.
Convenience is only one part of the decision. Fuel configuration, placement, and installation matter just as much. This guide explains how electronic ignition works, compares control options, and shows how HaloFire builds electronic ignition into every one of its gas torches.
Key Takeaways
- "Automatic ignition" describes how the flame starts. It doesn't describe the fuel, the flame, or the installation.
- Every HaloFire gas torch has electronic ignition. There's no reaching in with a lighter.
- Most HaloFire gas torches are available with push-button ignition or electronic ignition controlled by a smart switch or phone. The Torrent™ Stand-Alone uses push-button ignition, with custom electronic ignition available for projects.
- Remote control is a convenience, not a substitute for supervision. Someone should always be present while the flame is lit.
- Permanent gas connections should be completed by a licensed gas professional following the product instructions and local requirements.
What Is an Automatic Ignition Fire Feature?
An automatic ignition fire feature uses an electronic system to start its flame instead of a match or lighter. The term describes ignition only. Burner design, fuel delivery, and flame character are separate parts of the appliance.
What the ignition label tells you
Check the product specifications for the ignition type, the control method, and the power requirements, and read the operating instructions. The ignition label doesn't establish clearances, certifications, or installation requirements. It also doesn't establish safety features like flame sensing or automatic shutoff. Those details come from the product's documentation.
How Electronic Ignition Fits Into a Gas Fire Feature
Ignition starts the flame. The burner and gas delivery determine how the flame looks and performs. You might choose a torch for a wall, column, or entrance because its form suits the architecture. Its fuel configuration and ignition option then shape how the gas connection and daily operation are planned.
The National Fuel Gas Code (NFPA 54) is the reference for fuel-gas systems and appliances in the United States. The requirements that apply to your project depend on the product and your jurisdiction.
Fuel configuration and ignition go together
Natural gas and propane are separate product configurations, not settings you can switch between. Choose the configuration that matches your property's gas supply. Don't assume a unit can be converted unless its documentation says so.
Push-Button, Smart Switch, or Phone: Comparing Control Options
Electronic ignition removes the lighter from the routine. The control option decides how you start the flame each evening.
| Control | How it works | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Push-button | Press a button at the torch to ignite | Single torches, simple routines, freestanding features |
| Smart switch | Ignite from a wall switch or smart switch | Entrances and outdoor living areas lit every evening |
| Phone control | Ignite from your phone | Multiple torches, hospitality settings, integrated outdoor systems |
When smart control makes sense
Smart switch and phone control suit spaces where fire is part of the daily routine: an entrance lit every evening, a pool deck lined with torches, or a restaurant terrace where staff light several fixtures at once. Push-button ignition keeps things simple when you light the torch right where you're standing.
Remote control still means supervised fire
Lighting a torch from your phone is a convenience, not permission to leave it. Real flame produces real heat. Someone should always be present while the flame is lit, and the gas should be shut off when you're done for the evening.
How to Choose an Automatic Ignition Fire Feature
Start with the setting, then match the feature and its controls to the project.
- Define the visual role. Decide whether the flame should mark an entrance, integrate with a wall or column, define a perimeter, or anchor an open gathering area.
- Decide whether a permanent gas feature fits. A permanent feature requires gas piping and final connections. Where that isn't practical, a self-contained propane torch like the Torrent™ Stand-Alone is an alternative.
- Match the product to its placement. Choose a torch designed for the location you have in mind: wall, post, ground, or freestanding.
- Choose the control option. Decide between push-button, smart switch, and phone control based on how often the torches will be lit, how many there are, and who will light them.
- Plan installation from the product documentation. Confirm the power requirements for your ignition option. Have a licensed gas professional complete the piping and final connections.
HaloFire designs and builds architectural gas fire features but does not provide on-site gas-line installation.
Electronic Ignition Across the HaloFire Gas Collection
Every HaloFire gas torch has electronic ignition, so lighting a vortex flame is as simple as the press of a button or a tap on your phone.
| Torch | Form | Ignition options |
|---|---|---|
| Torrent™ Wall Mounted Torch | Wall-mounted vortex torch, 24, 32, and 48-inch glass heights | Push-button, or smart switch / phone control |
| Torrent Tower™ | Permanent vertical vortex feature, approx. 56 in | Push-button, or smart switch / phone control |
| Tempo™ Tall Torch | Tall in-ground torch, approx. 75 in | Push-button, or smart switch / phone control |
| Hollywood™ Tall Torch | Tall architectural torch for new construction | Push-button, or smart switch / phone control |
| Vortek™ NG/LP Gas Torch | Compact post-mounted vortex torch, approx. 23 in | Push-button, or smart switch / phone control |
| Torrent™ Stand-Alone | Freestanding torch, approx. 78 in, concealed propane cylinder | Push-button; custom electronic ignition available for projects |
The Torrent™ Wall Mounted Torch
The Torrent™ Wall Mounted Torch is a permanent architectural vortex gas feature for walls, columns, entrances, hospitality spaces, and outdoor living areas. It's built from heavy-duty aluminum and tempered glass, offered in natural gas or propane, and has a built-in hood that covers the flame from rain. With smart switch or phone control, a pair of Torrents flanking an entrance can light up together as evening falls.
The Torrent™ Stand-Alone
HaloFire's most popular gas torch lights with a push-button switch and runs on a concealed 20-pound propane cylinder, with no gas line or power connection required. For hospitality and design projects that need integrated control, HaloFire has built custom electronic ignition for the Stand-Alone.
Choose Ignition That Fits the Design
The right automatic ignition fire feature brings together a considered location, an architectural form, and controls that fit how you live or operate. Every HaloFire gas torch has electronic ignition, and most can be lit by push-button, smart switch, or phone.
Explore HaloFire architectural gas torches to find the form and control option that fits your residential or hospitality project.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does electronic ignition work on an outdoor gas fire feature?
An electronic igniter creates the spark that lights the gas when you press the button, flip the switch, or tap your phone. The exact sequence varies by product and control option, so follow the instructions for your model.
Do all HaloFire gas torches have electronic ignition?
Yes. Every HaloFire gas torch has electronic ignition. Most are available with push-button ignition or with smart switch and phone control. The Torrent™ Stand-Alone uses a push-button switch, with custom electronic ignition available for projects.
Can I light my fire feature from my phone?
Yes, with the smart control option on compatible HaloFire gas torches. Remote lighting is a convenience, though, not a reason to leave the flame unattended. Someone should be present whenever it's lit.
Is automatic ignition safer than manual lighting?
Not on its own. Safety depends on the complete appliance, its installation, and how it's operated. Don't assume electronic ignition includes features like flame sensing or automatic shutoff unless the product documentation says so.
Does an automatic ignition fire feature need electricity?
It depends on the ignition option. The Torrent™ Stand-Alone's push-button ignition needs no power connection. For smart switch or phone control, confirm the power requirements with HaloFire during project planning.
Can I install an automatic ignition gas fire feature myself?
No. Gas piping and final connections should be completed by a licensed gas professional following the product instructions and local requirements. HaloFire does not provide on-site gas-line installation.
