Do you love your fireplace but are tired of the hassle of stacking firewood, shoveling ashes, and waiting for fires to ignite or extinguish? If so, converting your masonry fireplace to a gas log set may help you get more use out of your fireplace this winter! Converting your fireplace to gas gives you all the benefits of having a fireplace – without much of the maintenance and cleaning.
Benefits of gas
Gas fireplaces have come a long way from the days of fake blue flames. Modern gas appliances are available in a wide variety of realistic sizes and styles, allowing homeowners to choose a fireplace that reflects their home and style. Likewise, gas is extremely efficient; gas log sets can burn with as much as 90% efficiency, reducing heating costs as well as the amount of smoke and air particulate emissions produced.
In addition to being more efficient, gas fireplaces are extremely used friendly. The fireplace can be turned on and off with the press of a button, allowing you to enjoy your fireplace anytime you choose. Likewise, with no ashes to shovel or wood to stack, less time and effort is spent on maintenance while more time is spent enjoying sitting in front of the fire.
Gas log conversions
If you already have a masonry fireplace, your existing system can be converted to a gas log set. At Lords Chimney, we recommend Peterson Real Fyre gas logs. These high quality heating appliances are available in a variety of sizes, styles, and venting options. In addition, each log set is hand painted by artisans to realistically resemble a real wood burning fire; this lets homeowners enjoy a combination of the ease of gas with the beauty of wood.
Vented vs vent free gas logs
When it comes to choosing your gas log set, one major decision is how you want it to be vented. The two venting choices for gas log sets are vented vs vent free. If you are installing a gas log set into an existing masonry fireplace, a vented set can be used; however, vent free gas logs offer the flexibility of being installed and used anywhere in your home.
- Vented: Vented gas logs use an existing chimney to vent to the outside. Vented gas logs are typically used in homes when an existing fireplace is being converted from wood to gas. However, this limits you to where in your home the fireplace can be installed.
- Vent free: Vent free gas log fireplaces are unique in that they do not need to be connected to an outside air source to burn or vent. This gives homeowners unprecedented flexibility in choosing a location for their gas log fireplace. In addition, vent free gas logs may be able to move from room to room as needed for additional heating. Manufacturers guidelines may instruct homeowners to open a window nearby when using the fireplace or not allow it to run for more than one hour to avoid affecting a home’s air quality.
If you no longer love your masonry fireplace, converting it to a gas log can help you get more use and enjoyment out of your fireplace. For more information on gas log conversions, contact Lords Chimney today.