Your two main conversion paths
Gas logs vs. gas insert — the core decision:
- Gas logs drop a burner and log set into your existing open firebox. Simpler and less costly, keeps the open-fireplace look, but (vented) sends heat up the chimney like the wood fire did. Best for pure ambiance.
- Gas insert installs a sealed gas unit into the fireplace with a proper liner. More efficient, real heat control, seals the flue when off (no more conditioned-air loss), but a bigger install. Best if you want performance and efficiency, not just looks.
There’s also the question of natural gas vs. propane depending on what’s available at your home. We’ll walk through which path fits your fireplace, your goals and your budget — there’s no single right answer, just the one that fits you.
What the conversion involves
- Running or connecting a gas supply to the fireplace — the licensed part.
- Installing the chosen system — a correctly sized and placed log set, or a sealed insert with the proper liner.
- Addressing the flue and damper: vented logs need the damper open (or a clamp), while an insert seals and vents through its own liner — different implications for draft and air loss.
- Confirming safe operation and setting up the controls (switch, remote, or thermostat).
Why it’s a change-of-fuel — and a Level 2 situation
Changing a fireplace from wood to gas is a change of fuel and appliance, which under the standard the trade follows is exactly when a Level 2 inspection is called for. That’s not bureaucracy — before you put a gas appliance into a flue that was carrying wood smoke, you want to know the flue is sound and correctly sized for the new use. So a proper conversation starts by evaluating the chimney, then choosing the conversion. And like all gas work, it carries licensing and permit considerations we confirm before proceeding.
What you gain
No wood to buy or store, no ash to clean, no creosote and no annual sweeping, instant and controllable fire, and — with an insert — a fireplace that actually heats and seals tight when it’s off. For the way most people here use a fireplace, that convenience is the whole appeal. We’ll help you get there with the right system and an honest look at the flue first.
Questions people ask us
What’s the difference between converting with gas logs vs. a gas insert?
Gas logs sit in your existing open firebox — simpler, cheaper, keeps the open look, but vents heat up the chimney like the wood fire did. A gas insert is a sealed unit with its own liner — more efficient, real heat control, and it seals the flue when off so you stop losing conditioned air. Logs are for ambiance; an insert is for performance.
Do I need my chimney inspected before converting to gas?
Yes — changing from wood to gas is a change of fuel, which is a standard trigger for a Level 2 inspection. Before putting a gas appliance in a flue that carried wood smoke, you want confirmation the flue is sound and correctly sized for the new use. It’s the responsible first step, not an upsell.
Will I still have to clean the chimney after converting to gas?
You lose the wood-specific chore — no creosote, so no annual wood sweeping. Gas units still benefit from periodic maintenance (pilot, burner, glass, venting), and a vented setup still has a flue to keep clear, but it’s far less upkeep than burning wood. The end of ash and creosote is a big part of why people convert.