| Suggested Uses for Gas Logs | | | | damper open, which dissipates the heat. Closing |
| Vented gas logs are designed to mimic a wood | | | | the damper and keeping all that continuous heat in |
| burning fire in an open fireplace, offering the same | | | | the box may cause excessive heat transfer to |
| realism in both looks and performance they're | | | | the walls behind your fireplace, so installing |
| best chosen simply for decoration and ambience. | | | | vent-free gas logs into prefab wood burning |
| Vented Gas Logs are not meant to heat your | | | | fireplaces is not generally allowed unless the |
| home - they are designed as a substitute for an | | | | fireplace has been safety listed for this use. |
| open burning wood fire. Vent-free appliances of | | | | My chimney sweep says my chimney is unsafe |
| any kind - including vent-free logs - are designed | | | | to burn a wood fire in. Can I install gas logs? |
| to be used for short periods of time as a | | | | No. Vented gas logs require an operational |
| supplemental source of heat. Since vent-free | | | | chimney and fireplace that are suitable for burning |
| appliances (also known as ventless or unvented) | | | | wood. Vented gas logs can produce tremendous |
| actually "vent" into your room, side effects of | | | | amounts of soot and fumes and with a faulty |
| long-term use can include excessive mold, mildew | | | | chimney they may not exit your home properly. |
| and poor indoor air quality. Again, not an appliance | | | | Soot is the least of your worries with a faulty |
| that's really designed for regular, day-to-day | | | | chimney soot makes a mess but fumes (including |
| heating use. | | | | carbon monoxide) can kill you. Don't take this |
| Just like you wouldn't try to heat your house with | | | | lightly! The chimney is very important in the |
| wood in your open fireplace, gas logs are not | | | | functionality and safety of your gas appliance. |
| meant for this job, either. Gas logs are intended | | | | The chimney in my old house was knocked down |
| as a means of having a beautiful fire at the touch | | | | and only the firebox remains. Can I install |
| of a button, and to save you the trouble of toting | | | | vent-free gas logs? |
| wood and cleaning up ashes. Vented gas logs use | | | | Technically, the answer is no. Even vent-free gas |
| a lot of gas to give you this pleasure at little to | | | | logs require a chimney to be present, except in |
| no efficiency. If you require or expect a | | | | specially made vent-free zero clearance boxes. |
| substantial amount of heat, then please consider | | | | Occasionally you may find a building inspector who |
| retrofitting your fireplace with a gas fireplace | | | | will specify construction of a masonry firebox and |
| insert. A gas fireplace insert can heat just like a | | | | allow this, but do so only with his careful |
| woodstove but with all the convenience of gas, | | | | supervision this installation won't be advised by the |
| and use FAR less fuel than gas logs to do the job. | | | | appliance manufacturer. |
| (We use a gas insert as a primary source of heat | | | | My new home was built with a gas fireplace in it, |
| in our own home.) | | | | but I like the looks of an open fire. Can I remove |
| If you have multiple fireplaces consider gas logs in | | | | the glass? |
| smaller rooms or rooms that are used less | | | | No. If your system has a fixed glass pane on it |
| frequently. On a really cold night a gas insert will | | | | then it will malfunction if you remove the glass. |
| keep you toasty warm, while gas logs may | | | | Can I change the logs that came with it my |
| actually remove heat from the house while the | | | | prefab fireplace? |
| fire burns with the damper open. A gas insert is | | | | No. A different set of logs may perform |
| also an excellent source of emergency backup | | | | differently and adversely affect the performance |
| heat as they can be used without electricity. | | | | of the fireplace and/or the way the burner is |
| Can I put gas logs in my wood stove? | | | | designed to operate. |
| No. | | | | Can I convert my prefabricated gas fireplace to |
| Wood stoves are meant to burn "airtight" or with | | | | wood? |
| controlled combustion. Gas appliances actually need | | | | No. The construction design of the firebox and |
| excessive amounts of air in order to burn the gas | | | | the heat rating of the chimney are quite different. |
| properly. Failure to provide adequate combustion | | | | The chimney requirements are much different! A |
| air can result in an explosion. | | | | house fire or explosion can occur if you attempt |
| Can I put gas logs in my prefabricated metal | | | | this conversion. |
| fireplace? | | | | Can I add a blower grate to my gas logs so that |
| Maybe. | | | | I get more heat? Not a good idea. Air movement |
| If there is a gas line knockout, commonly noted | | | | within the firebox chamber may adversely affect |
| as a dimpled depression in the refractory | | | | the operation of your logs, putting soot and |
| "firebrick" then you can install gas logs and | | | | fumes into your house, and most gas log |
| perhaps even a gas insert. Check manufacturer's | | | | manufacturers specifically state in the installation |
| instructions for both the fireplace and the gas logs | | | | manual NOT to do this. If you need more heat, |
| or insert before installation. Never drill holes | | | | consider installing a vented gas insert. These units |
| through the firebox in an unspecified area to run a | | | | are specially designed with a glass front to keep |
| gas line - use only the knockout access provided. | | | | heated air from escaping up your chimney |
| If there's no knockout then don't install gas logs | | | | convective chambers and blowers combined with |
| into a prefab fireplace! | | | | a smaller venting system means most of the gas |
| Prefabricated wood burning fireplaces were | | | | is used to provide usable heat back into the room. |
| designed to be used to burn wood and with the | | | | |