Gas Logs

Almost everyone has one. Most people don’t burn wood anymore due to the mess so it comes down to either vented or unvented gas logs or a direct vent fireplace.

Older homes were built with a wood burning brick fireplace. It is fairly easy to install either vented or unvented gas logs. You run a gas line from the natural gas meter or LP tank into the fire box and hook your logs up.

Maybe this will help in your decision to have vented or unvented gas logs:

Vented gas logs look nice but they burn very dirty. They give off soot and carbon monoxide. Because of this the damper has to remain open 100% of the time. With the damper open the logs will create a draft up the chimney and when this happens, your old heat pump that is 15+ years old cannot keep up, causing your electric meter to spin even faster. When next month’s electric bill comes and its $150-$200 higher than last month, you start to think maybe I made a mistake buying vented logs. Now this is a typical scenario in older homes, with original windows and insulation in the attic, and crawl space.

If you don’t service the burner and clean the soot off the logs, a downdraft can blow the soot into your home and before you know it you have $2000¬$3000 worth of soot damage, and believe me, no one wants to go through that! It seems these kinds of problems always occur at the worst possible time! So if you are going to buy a set of vented logs, having a fall service done is key! Keep the burner and the logs clean, and make sure the logs are stacked per the manufacturer recommendations.

Unvented gas logs look great, are safe, with no soot, and no carbon monoxide to worry about. Because of this, you have the option to open your damper or keep it closed. Unvented logs give off a clean moist heat. People will buy unvented logs for no other reason than to have a source of back up heat in their home. Some of our customers will heat their whole house with the logs.

The logs we install can come with an on/off remote, variable flame control, or a thermostatic remote, depending on your preference. So remember, no draft, no soot. Just clean moist heat, and a great looking fireplace. When the power goes out, you will have both light and heat.

**Remember! These need to be serviced in the Fall before you light them!

If you have a direct vent fireplace, the vent will terminate about 61″ off the ground and your inside front glass will not open. These units are problematic when not serviced on a regular basis. The logs will fall and soot and creosol will build up on the inside of the glass to the point where you won’t be able to see the logs. Some direct vent fireplaces have fan motors, and some don’t. Some are wired for fans but were never installed. There are no universal parts for direct vent fireplaces. Each manufacturer has their own parts and are not usually interchangeable with other manufacturers. Some of the older manufacturers have gone out of business, creating a problem with getting parts.

When a direct vent gets dirty, it will give off CO2. Your eyes will burn; soot will build up on your mantle. When this happens, people will cut the gas off to them and just let them sit, sometimes for years. All they ever needed was to be serviced, and put back into operation. It’s a small fee to pay to enjoy your fireplace!

Gas logs and direct vent fireplaces can be set up to burn either natural gas or LP gas. LP gas is a little more expensive to operate than natural gas. There are restrictions where the tank can sit on the outside of your home. Usually a 100 gallon tank is used for gas logs or direct vent fireplaces.

Guirkin Plumbing and Heating does a turnkey job. We will sell you the logs, do all of the gas piping and line up the LP tank if one is needed. This method gives the homeowner a 100% warranty on the logs, parts and labor for one full year, and usually a free service after the first year!