Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Home built in the 70s. Brick fireplace with a key operated gas valve to a single straight pipe. Has a flue to exhaust out the chimney. The top of the fireplace is blackened and the mortar doesn’t look in good condition. Can’t afford to rip out the fireplace (we’re in south Louisiana so would rarely ever need fireplace heat). We wrote to a local specialty business for tips and advice. We want to have the fireplace inspected to see if it’s even safe to have a natural gas fire and if the fixtures are still safe to use. If not safe, how much would it cost to make it in safe condition? If not possible or the cost is beyond our budget, what options are available for an electric fireplace insert? Our nearest electrical outlet is about five feet away from the fireplace. If the cord isn’t long enough we would need a special extension cord that can handle the power draw when the unit is generating heat.
Does a natural gas fireplace require an open flue? Does a natural gas fireplace radiate heat through the room even with the flue open? I’ve never had a natural gas fireplace. We rarely ever lose power in the winter and never for longer than a few hours. Another option in place of an electric insert is electric fireplace logs with infrared heat. No mounting brackets to fasten the insert to the fireplace opening. We currently have a portable electric fireplace stove from Duraflame. We’re using it when it gets cooler to help prevent the natural gas central heat from kicking on too much. Natural gas here is pretty expensive. Actually it hasn’t gotten cold enough for the central heat to turn on yet since we’ve been here.
OP, you do need to have your fireplace inspected by a person specializing in that, generally called a chimney sweep - just google it and have someone come out. It will be well worth the cost of the inspection. We really can't tell you about the safety of your fireplace/chimney, or lack thereof.
But I want to encourage you about something - you will love having a gas fireplace. Get the gas logs insert if you don't already have them (didn't see any mention of anything like that in your post). Otherwise you will have to build a fire with logs and you just have a gas STARTER. Then you will have to also clean out your fireplace regularly, buy wood, store it, etc. Gas logs are a lot easier!
And yes, a gas log fireplace will generate some heat - not a lot but some. I live in NE Texas and generally after a few hours in the dead of winter I have to turn mine off because the room gets too hot. But it's a slow build if that makes sense. I doubt it would heat up more than just that one room.
It's always been my experience that electricity is more expensive than natural gas by the way.
Quote:
Natural gas is almost always cheaper than electricity.
OP, you do need to have your fireplace inspected by a person specializing in that, generally called a chimney sweep - just google it and have someone come out. It will be well worth the cost of the inspection. We really can't tell you about the safety of your fireplace/chimney, or lack thereof.
But I want to encourage you about something - you will love having a gas fireplace. Get the gas logs insert if you don't already have them (didn't see any mention of anything like that in your post). Otherwise you will have to build a fire with logs and you just have a gas STARTER. Then you will have to also clean out your fireplace regularly, buy wood, store it, etc. Gas logs are a lot easier!
And yes, a gas log fireplace will generate some heat - not a lot but some. I live in NE Texas and generally after a few hours in the dead of winter I have to turn mine off because the room gets too hot. But it's a slow build if that makes sense. I doubt it would heat up more than just that one room.
It's always been my experience that electricity is more expensive than natural gas by the way.
Considering we have a chimney and I saw signs of soot it probably was used as a natural gas starter. Not something I knew existed. This is our first natural gas home as bill paying adults so we’re relearning. Previous homes have been all electric.
Considering we have a chimney and I saw signs of soot it probably was used as a natural gas starter. Not something I knew existed. This is our first natural gas home as bill paying adults so we’re relearning. Previous homes have been all electric.
I agree with Kathryn that if you can, you want to convert to gas logs. They're much cleaner and more efficient. With basically a flick of a remote you have a nice gas fire, plus you can set a temperature on the remote so they won't go on until the temperature falls to a certain point. I miss the one at my old house, but since I already have gas baseboard heat here it would just be overkill to add more heat (except for aesthetics).
Almost all of the newer gas fireplaces are ventless, convenient and highly efficient, as mentioned above, so you need to identify exactly what you have and then you have the information to consider replacement or to leave in place your existing unit.
Get a chimney sweep - one NOT in any way associated with a company out to sell upgrades and stuff you probably don't need. Just a reputable sweep - no such business attachments.
A gas fireplace requires a functioning flue because burning natural gas produces carbon monoxide which, of course must be vented out. It does not require the size and functionality of a flue one would need in a wood burning fireplace, however. Gas fireplaces are sometimes vented by a 3" plastic pipe, for example.
Fireplaces without a heat recirculating device suck heat out of the house almost as fast as they create heat (but affecting the whole house heat in the process - not just the local area where you feel the heat from the fireplace). In Louisiana I presume that most of the time that wouldn't be an issue. On that note, a vented fireplace (gas or log) is great for exhausting things like cigarette smoke and cooking odors. That's what I use mine for.
Depending on what lines that fireplace, one can often clean the firebrick but it isn't a simple process and needs to be done right to avoid an unsightly outcome. Sometimes you can simply re-line the fireplace with thin slabs of new firebrick. That's the easy fix.
Last edited by TwinbrookNine; 10-14-2019 at 10:34 AM..
In some states all fireplaces must have a flue. In other states, such as SC where I live, a flue is not required for a natural gas fireplace. That said, I would never leave mine running when I am sleeping which is not an issue as I rarely use mine and when I do it is for appearance, not for heat.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
