Converting to gas logs

[Tim M]

Going to convert to vented gas logs....who wants to help? Need help connecting the gas line or recommendation for a plumber to make final connections. Looking at these:
http://www.rhpeterson.com/realfyre/vented-series/designer-series/split-oak

Only issue I am seeing is access to the fire place to run the gas line. My thought is to find the spot under it, and cut a hole in the floor from the basement. Thoughts? The reason I'm going vented is a few reasons. A) Just want this as a decorative appliance 2) Using vented as I'm pretty sensitive to fumes 3) Moisture - I hear that ventless systems can create moisture issues inside the home. Due to the location of my fireplace, having it as a heat source isn't a good idea as I wouldn't be able to heat the bedrooms properly anyway. Think I can do it?

 

[TOM KEISER]

We had the fireplaces here and at the last house converted to gas. I don't mind doing water lines but I don't screw around with gas lines. Both houses had the fireplace cantilevered over the foundation wall like most houses do so it was just a matter of running through the band board from the basement to outside under the fire box. Many prefab fire boxes have knockouts on the "floor" just for gas lines. Once in the box they used steel pipe to the gas valve on the new flame unit. The fireplace company that did this house ran 1/2" coiled copper supply line to about 36" from going through the band board where it was reduced /coupled using compression fittings to 3/8" copper that was nicely crafted to go from the basement to the fire box as one piece and connected to the control valve. I called St Louis County about the copper lines before letting them do it and they said it was OK. I later talked to an old freind who's master plumbers licence was used to pull permits for Whittaker homes for years (Gary knows Ray) and he said NO way! It's been working fine since 2001 but I see Ray's point. It took the "Pro's" a couple of hours to do a real nice clean install so I would allow 2 hours and 10 minutes. We used the same unit at both houses but I don't have a clue who the manufacturer was and I don't see the "logs" on internet sites. The kits come with everything you need to go in the fire box but from there to your gas source is up to you. Good luck!

 

[PaulProe]

Me Too

Tim
I converted our fireplace from logs to gas. Got the logs at Saint Louis Fire & Hearth. They are on Manchester Rd. just east of Elco Chevrolet, in front of the Target Store.

I went with Golden Blount logs since they looked the most realistic. Be aware, vented logs don't put out much heat, they are strictly for looks. If you want heat, you need the ventless type but they have the issues you listed. Higher end models (Refractory logs, not ceramic fiber) get away from the odor issues but they still produce higher humidity. The hydrogen product of combustion has to go somewhere - it combines with oxygen and makes water.

There is another store, Fireplace and Grill Center, just east of 141 on Manchester that also sells similar logs. Shop the two of them for pricing. They opened after I bought mine but a recent investigation into ventless units, they were $75 cheaper for the exact same thing

Paul

 

[Tim M]

Thanks for the suggestions Paul. Also got your PM, will wait until next week to make that call. The problem I have now is deciding whether or not to change out my firebox. It was installed completely wrong which has bugged me since I've lived here. When they built the brick hearth, they installed the steel sill plate, which should have been installed on the bottom in front of the box, on top to support bricks, which, blocks the air vents where the fan would vent, IF it had a vent. That being said, I'm no brick layer, so I'm reluctant to tear that out. As for vented or not, yeah, I know it won't put out much heat, but that's not the purpose of this fireplace.