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Does anybody have experience converting a WOOD BURNING fireplace to a GAS fireplace?
I know I need to get the gas company out to the property and see about putting in a line, but I am unsure of what this may cost.
Also, does anybody have recommendations on companies that could install the fireplace?
In addition, do we go through the town (Cary) to get permitted for this? I'm assuming we may need permits from the HOA and Town of Cary. We are early in discussions for this project and would appreciate advice.
if you have a masonry wood fireplace, you shouldn't need to install a different fireplace. You'll need gas logs of course. But they'll vent it using that original chimney.
First question - you do have gas at the house already, right? If so, the gas company does NOT need to extend a line for you. Many good licensed plumbers can do this. In fact, here's an area where the gas company charges much higher than others, because of the "unknowing captive audience" factor.
I don't know why you'd need HOA approval since this is an interior change. A simple call to Town of Cary will answer their permit requirements.
Our fireplace was originally wood-burning. The previous owners converted it to unvented gas logs. This past winter we had Flue & Flame put in a gas fireplace insert, which we love.
F&F might not be the around, but they will take care of getting the gas line run, permits pulled, etc.
We got a quote from Progress Energy on having a gas line run out to our house. What they told us was a) there needs to be a gas line near your house in the first place. Lucky for us, there was one. b) If you will have just one appliance running on gas, it was $30 to run out the line. If multiple appliances would be converted to gas, it was free.
I don't know if they count gas firelogs as an appliance though. We were looking into it for our HVAC and water heater.
The cost will vary greatly, and most of the uncertainty comes from the labor costs of running the piping. It will vary both on the actual distance, but mostly on the complexity of how and where the piping can be run.
NEAREST NG: CLOSE: If you have NG appliances already in your kitchen and your fireplace backs up to the kitchen, then the plumbers could do it easily and cheaply (the new piping required would be short distances and through non-disruptive routing).
NEAREST NG: FAR: If you have NG kitchen appliance or HVAC or water heating, but the nearest is on the other side of the house from the fireplace, then running the piping will be over a long di$tance and a ha$$le.
NEAREST NG: STEET: If you don't have any NG anywhere, and you have to run all new piping in the house, coming from the nearest NG available, the street piping, then in addition tot he above, you also have to run buried piping across your lot, and will also probably have to have a gas meter installed, since you probably don't have one already. This will be very expensive! I don't imagine anyone would want to pay for all this.
ELECTRIC TO NG CONVERSION:
In addition to all the above about running the gas piping, if you are also considering converting a non-NG appliance to NG, then you have to also worry about "venting" (providing for the exhaust).
Stoves and ovens and some heaters don't need this. Of course, a wood burning fireplace already have the chimney so this isn't a concern.
If you are considering converting the HVAC or water heating appliances, you will need to add a flue that electric units don't already have. There are building codes for these flues that would have to be met. Adding flues in an existing house will start at complex and expensive and go up from there, and these costs will very greatly, depending on just how complex these changes are.
NEAREST NG: STEET: If you don't have any NG anywhere, and you have to run all new piping in the house, coming from the nearest NG available, the street piping, then in addition tot he above, you also have to run buried piping across your lot, and will also probably have to have a gas meter installed, since you probably don't have one already. This will be very expensive! I don't imagine anyone would want to pay for all this.
Progress Energy quoted us $30 to run the line from the street to our property. Not sure if they'll still do it for that with Duke Energy.
Anyone else think about $4,000 for a direct vent gas logs kit? This would include all the piping to get up and out of the chimney. I am getting a few quotes and all are around $4,000-$5,000. Seems pricey.
Progress Energy quoted us $30 to run the line from the street to our property. Not sure if they'll still do it for that with Duke Energy.
I'd be hesitant about a $30 quote. Common sense says it would cost them that much in gas alone just to get a work crew to your address.
A new gas meter install has to be more than that.
When I asked the water company how much it would cost me to add a second meter to the street so I could run a separate line for yard irrigation (except from sewer fees), they told me about $700, just for the meter and a few feet of pipe connecting back to the street line.
I can see the gas company providing a big discount for a new gas service if they can expect a lot of new and steady sales, IE: for a new house that has furnaces, water heater, stoves, etc. But if you are connecting just for a fireplace, (or just a grille), the consumption is nearly negligible (from their point of view).
Anyone else think about $4,000 for a direct vent gas logs kit? This would include all the piping to get up and out of the chimney. I am getting a few quotes and all are around $4,000-$5,000. Seems pricey.
A quick jump over to Lowes Home shows a full gas fireplace insert is only about $400-$550. So they are saying the piping and labor (outside and inside) is about $3,500.
When you say you are getting quotes. Are they personalized? Did they come over and walk your house and yard? Or is it just over the phone.
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