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Gas fireplace to wood burning...

Started by ManjiSann, October 11, 2019, 09:57:44 AM

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ManjiSann

I know you guys won't necissarily think so but I'm kinda weird as I like splitting wood and I like wood fires. I have a gas fireplace in our living room... has anyone ever swapped a gas fireplace for a wood one?  I'm guessing it wouldn't be very easy but I'd use a wood burning fireplace but have yet to fire up the gas one as I hate paying the gas bill. 

Brandon 
Poulan Pro 5020AV, Husky 390XP

sawguy21

You are fortunate if you can do that. Here wood burning stoves and fireplaces are being forced out in favour of gas, due to irrepairable damage to the ozone layer and particulate causing respiratory problems for everyone within radio range. ::) Is your fireplace built in? A proper chimney would be a major expense.
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gspren

It depends on what it was originally, a lot of gas fire places were originally built to burn wood and if that's the case it shouldn't be hard to change back, if it was built for gas originally then it won't be so easy.
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Don P

Yes, do be aware that a gas flue isn't made for the temperatures wood can produce.

Al_Smith

Much ado over nothing  .I'd well imagine just the wild fires from California alone which  seems to be always a blaze produces more pollution than all the wood burners in the USA and Canada combined .They don't want to talk about that though .__I love to fire them up --- 8) If it's not the oil wars it will be something else . ;D

ManjiSann

I'll have to look and see if I can figure out what the chimney is like. If I do decide to do the conversion back I'll have a company that specializes in it come do it. There's many many things I am willing to DIY, some of which people think I'm insane (dropping trees with a grin on my face is the latest one  ;D ;D) but I think this one is one that someone who KNOWS what they are doing should be involved.  

Thanks for weighing in all  :) :)

Brandon 
Poulan Pro 5020AV, Husky 390XP

ManjiSann

Quote from: Al_Smith on October 11, 2019, 08:56:28 PM
Much ado over nothing  .I'd well imagine just the wild fires from California alone which  seems to be always a blaze produces more pollution than all the wood burners in the USA and Canada combined .They don't want to talk about that though .__I love to fire them up --- 8) If it's not the oil wars it will be something else . ;D
I don't want to start a "Climate Change" war/thread... but I agree with you. I agree that the weather is changing but I think humans have pretty big egos to think we are the only one's that have a hand in it. I could go on and on but I'll just leave it there.  :P
Brandon 
Poulan Pro 5020AV, Husky 390XP

Al_Smith

Back on the subject .When I bought this place it had a glass front Lopi fireplace insert installed circa mid 80's .It used the 9" square clay lined flue but it would creosote over time .I got tired of running a brush through it every month or so .So off for a single wall stainless pipe to insert inside the clay liner .
Rather than go to a so called "stove shop " and pay a kings ransom for it I bought the material  from a builders supply company for about 1/3 the price .
This BTW is 22 gauge heavy pipe not thin like a beer can .
A 7" ,which works great, was not that big of a deal to install .The worst part of the job was removing the insert which I guess is between 600 to 700 pounds .Heavy duty steel plate item,made to last a long long while ,made in America with American steel .
Now the brush gets used once a year as the only portion that gets any creosote is about the very top 5 or 7" above the chimney .Money and time well spent .

ManjiSann

Al, Thanks for the details they give me an idea of what to look for.

I'll have to look into whether a permit is required and also examine the chimney to see what is already installed. 

Brandon 
Poulan Pro 5020AV, Husky 390XP

Dakota

Ahhh..., have you forgotten about the terrible inversion we have every winter in the Salt Lake City valley?  When the inversion starts, the first they do is ban wood burning, unless that is your only form of heating your house.  I like a nice fire in the fireplace as well as the next  guy, but that just isn't something you can do in the valley anymore.
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doc henderson

a standard issue apartment style fireplace prob. looses more heat than it provides.  When I lived in NY in Albany, I fitted a box stove into my fireplace and mocked up a connection.  the apartment folks saw it and I got a bit of a scolding!  I was younger, like you.  check it out, but prob. better to put a air tight woodstove in a basement or great room that could actually save you money.  natural gas is about the same cost as firewood if you are paying 250 dollars a cord.  best regards.  p.s. be safe.  I know you do not want to endanger the family that you hold so dear!  you seem to be a good dad.
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Al_Smith

Had it not already been installed I might not have never installed one .I already have a geothermal .However I have a good insert stove ,a good installation and oddles of firewood within  500 feet of my house .A splitter ,40 -50 chainsaw that need exercised and it keeps me in shape if nothing else .
I stopped selling firewood over 30 years ago and only need 4 to 5 cords a year for my own  needs .I could get it done in three days or take 3 months to do it .I already have enough cut ,split and stacked to last 2-3  years . Retired now for about a year,I'm my own boss now .If I want to work until 11 am and drink beer the rest of the day nobody complains .BTW I never enjoy the brew any time I run power equipment ,never .

ManjiSann

Quote from: Dakota on October 13, 2019, 10:14:20 AM
Ahhh..., have you forgotten about the terrible inversion we have every winter in the Salt Lake City valley?  When the inversion starts, the first they do is ban wood burning, unless that is your only form of heating your house.  I like a nice fire in the fireplace as well as the next  guy, but that just isn't something you can do in the valley anymore.
Nope didn't forget it. I have a natural gas furnace that does the main heating. I was just thinking that I never run the gas fireplace because I don't want to pay for the extra gas use. I get firewood free so the cost of wood is less that gas. 
In all honest I probably won't convert over, it was just a thought I had and figured I'd ask the FF as I knew someone on here had done it. 
Brandon 
Poulan Pro 5020AV, Husky 390XP

ManjiSann

Quote from: doc henderson on October 13, 2019, 11:03:16 AM
a standard issue apartment style fireplace prob. looses more heat than it provides.  When I lived in NY in Albany, I fitted a box stove into my fireplace and mocked up a connection.  the apartment folks saw it and I got a bit of a scolding!  I was younger, like you.  check it out, but prob. better to put a air tight woodstove in a basement or great room that could actually save you money.  natural gas is about the same cost as firewood if you are paying 250 dollars a cord.  best regards.  p.s. be safe.  I know you do not want to endanger the family that you hold so dear!  you seem to be a good dad.
Safety is priority #1 for sure!  I'm just exploring the idea to see if it would make any sense. 
As Dakota pointed out, in the Wasatch Valley here in Utah during the winter we get a nasty inversion and during that time wood burning is prohibited. I didn't forget this when I posted the question  :P :P just exploring options.
Brandon 
Poulan Pro 5020AV, Husky 390XP

ManjiSann

Talked to a building inspector yesterday and he said he was pretty sure there's an ordinance/law/code/whatever that doesn't allow converting back to solid fuel burning or the new installation of solid fuel burning fireplaces/stoves/etc.

He was saying he's actually seen older houses being priced $10k higher because they still have the wood burning stuff in it. If it's already in you can maintain it, just can't go back. 

Oh well, makes sense as was already pointed out the air quality in winter is horrible here.

Brandon 
Poulan Pro 5020AV, Husky 390XP

Southside

I can see a requirement of new EPA equipment to address inversion air quality, but a ban on any new installations is favoring one industry over another.  
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