If you’re new to the world of fireplaces, it’s likely yours will be a gas-burning model. And for that, you’re lucky. A rustic, wood-burning fireplace can be a delight in a remote cabin; but in your home, gas-burning is the safer (and easier) option.

Don’t let the convenience make you complacent about gas fireplace safety, however. After all, there’s propane or natural gas entering your house and feeding a fire in your living space. But, there’s no reason to be intimidated by a gas fireplace.

Read on for some background and indoor fireplace safety tips that will help you enjoy your gas fireplace for years to come.

Three Reasons for a Gas Fireplace

Wood-burning fireplaces can be beautiful, but for most people, they aren’t practical. Here’s why.

Local laws

“One reason people go with gas-burning fireplaces is they are mandated by local communities,” says Rosie Romero, a Phoenix-based remodeling contractor and owner and president of Rosie On The House, a popular weekend radio show in Arizona.

“In Phoenix, we are in a valley, and in winter, there is a temperature inversion that puts an ‘umbrella’ over the valley,” Romero says. “So any emission coming out of a fireplace, automobile or industry is trapped and becomes a huge black cloud over the city.” Romero recounts her own experience, explaining, “About 20 years ago, Phoenix mandated no-burn days when you could not burn a real wood fire to reduce emissions. Well, people here got innovative in developing real-looking gas logs, and they just took off.”

Convenience

All it takes is walking over to the fireplace and flipping a switch. That’s it. “Few people in an urban setting use fire for natural heat,” Romero says. “They use fire for the ambiance of the flame. Gas logs accomplish what most people are looking for with one one-hundredth the effort of a wood-burning fireplace — and with zero maintenance. You never have to scoop ashes, and you don’t have a backdraft of ashes blowing through the house. In the urban setting, gas logs are now the predominant choice.”

Cost

Romero says a cord of hardwood delivered and stacked in Phoenix costs about $400, while a nice gas-log set installed costs from $1,500 to $2,000. “Do I want to go with a $400 cord of wood time and time again that needs to be split and started and fed into the fire constantly?” Romero says. “Or do I want the one-time cost and the convenience of turning a switch and the flame is on?”

Gas Fireplace Safety Tips

Just because you’re burning gas and not logs doesn’t mean there is no fire risk involved. There’s still a flame. You run the risk excess carbon monoxide will poison your family, or an untended gas flame will cause a fire.

Here are Romero’s tips for indoor gas-burning fireplace safety:

  • If you’re converting a wood-burning fireplace to gas, hire a licensed contractor. Working with a gas line or a propane tank is a job for an experienced professional, not a DIYer. Not all contractors are licensed, so confirm the company you hire has the proper license for the work. “It varies by region,” says Romero. “In Arizona, we must be licensed. But there are states, like Texas, that have no licensing requirements at all.”
  • Check your county and city building codes beforehand to determine any restrictions on where you can place a gas fireplace. Ask your contractor to pull a building permit before installing the gas line or propane tank to fuel your fireplace.
  • Study your gas fireplace manufacturer’s safety instructions. Some people consider a manual a bother, and their safety suffers. Read the manual.
  • Install carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your house, and change batteries twice a year.
  • Be sure your damper (the device that regulates the draft of air) is always open. “With a carbon monoxide detector in the fireplace room and with the damper open, there is very little that can go wrong with a gas-log set,” says Romero. “By code, you have to fix the damper so that it can never be closed. Even in the closed position, it is open at least one-quarter inch. Should there be some small leak, gas will go up the flue. Propane is heavier than air, and it will sink into the room. But with the damper open, at least it will create a draft to prevent propane from building up in the firebox.”
  • Make sure your contractor installs an oxygen-depletion sensor in the fireplace. This device, sometimes called a “safety pilot,” automatically shuts off the gas if the fireplace temperature gets too cold or if there’s too little oxygen in the air.
  • Hire a professional chimney sweep to clean your chimney before firing up your gas logs for the first time.
  • Keep children away from the gas fireplace. If your model has glass doors, they’ll get hot enough to burn any little hand that touches it.
  • Leave three feet between the fireplace and flammable objects like furniture and curtains.
  • Contact the licensed contractor who installed your gas log set if you smell an unusual odor or if the flame’s appearance changes. If the gas fireplace came with your home, search for highly rated, licensed installation and repair pros in your area and contact one. If you smell gas, call 911 and leave the house.

FAQs

Are gas fireplaces safer than woodburning fireplaces?

Yes, a gas fireplace is considered a safer option than a wood-burning fireplace. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Smoke from wood-burning stoves and fireplaces contains a mixture of harmful gases and particle matter. Breathing these small particles can cause asthma attacks and severe bronchitis, aggravate heart and lung disease, and may increase the likelihood of respiratory illness.”

Are gas fireplaces as hot as woodburning fireplaces?

Yes, gas fireplaces are just as hot as wood-burning fireplaces, and in fact, gas fireplaces are usually hotter. Gas fireplaces produce more heat than wood-burning fireplaces because they are more efficient, lose less heat through the chimney, and flame size is easier to control.

About the Expert

Rosie Romero is a Phoenix-based remodeling contractor and owner and president of Rosie On The House, a popular weekend radio show in Arizona. He began working in the remodeling industry in 1972. In 2001, he received the International Furnishings and Design Association’s Visionary Award of Excellence. With 28 years on the air, Rosie on the House has become Arizona’s #1 resource for contractor service referrals and DIY guidance for home improvement needs.