I just purchased a Desa propane fireplace and it did not come with the wall switch as it was supposed too. The directions suck. I simply want to know if I can just use a regular wall switch from a hardware store, or should I wait for the company to send me one from California? I called the manufacture and they seemed puzzled at the question. Our local gas fireplace dealer said that using a typical light switch was fine. I have the GL36ST millivolt model. I can wait for the switch to come from the west coast, but it is really holding up my renovation.

I'm not certain which switch you are talking about or what it is for. If it is for millivolt levels you have to be VERY careful about the length and size of the cable to to the remote switch. Some won't work more than relatively short runs even with #12 cable.

Other than that, a switch is pretty much a switch for a low current load. Standard household light switches are pretty cheap and wouldn't work as well as something more expensive. And also do you know, is it a SPST, DPST, some other configuration?