Need to add/replace wood burning fireplace with gas logs

[LSU]

I have a wood burning fireplace that came with my 45-50 year old home.

There is an existing gas pipe plumbed into the fireplace where a "gas starter log" exists. There is access to 110v if needed.

With the problem of getting decent firewood, etc.

I'm thinking of getting gas logs.

Does anyone has suggestions for this?

Brands?

Installers?

Is this something I can do myself?

Thanks.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I have done this.

My suggestion is you visit a hearth store or fireplace shop to see what your choices are.

What I ended up doing for my situation was installing a set of ventless gas logs and blocking off the flue. My other choice would be to install a vented gas log set and leave the flue operable.

There are plusses and minuses to each, which the hearth store can explain to you.

But in a nutshell, the vented products look more like a wood fire (more realistic) have less restrictions on use, do not typically cause unusual odors in the house, and are more trouble free.

The ventless products can come with odor issues (which can be mitigated, but not done away with completely), are not designed to run more than a couple of hours here and a couple of hours there (NOT FULL TIME), can cause sooting issues on walls or the ceiling, can cause high humidity and fog windows, typically are said to require a window to be cracked to supply adequate combustion air, require regular cleaning....and did I mention the first time you start them in the fall the smell will about run you out of the house?

So why did I go with the ventless? The put out one hell of a lot of heat and are almost 100% efficient. Since I only use them very occasionally (maybe 2 hours a week) or for backup during a power outage, they work for my needs.

 

[75gmck25]

We installed ventless gas logs from Hansen Wholesale (now out of business?) and were very happy with them. I would have to search through some old emails to find the exact model, but I think they were from Peterson Fire Logs.

Using ventless with an old fireplace flue meant we did not have to pay to have the 1940 flue relined or repaired. We never had any issues with odors from the gas, and the CO detector we installed never went off when they were running. They also generated quite a bit of heat, and it all goes into the room.

 

[The Metric System]

We also run ventless logs, in our case fed by propane rather than natural gas.

We have no issues with odor or moisture buildup and our nearby CO/O2 alarms have never gone off.

Our house is relatively well-sealed (built ~1992) and we do not find it necessary to crack a window.

In my experience propane logs are great. Nice ambiance, good heat output that is all directed to the house, no need to deal with venting or flues, and it works even if the power goes out. I would absolutely install them again.

 

[LSU]

My house has natural gas.

Built probably in the mid 1970's.

Pretty well sealed or at least I think it is until my utility bill comes.

I have sheet metal chimney.

I live in the South where we run the fireplace a couple of times a year.

Buying firewood has become a pain and storing a cord of firewood or even a 1/2 cord is difficult at times.

Thanks for the tips and please keep them coming.