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• How do I know if I can install gas logs in my fireplace?

• Vented -VS- Ventless...which is better?

• How do I know what size to purchase?

• How do I measure my fireplace for gas logs?

• What's the difference between Standard and See Thru gas logs?

• How do I interpret the various BTU ratings for gas logs?

• Why does it make a difference what my gas logs are made of?

• What's the difference between approval ratings?

• What are the differences between gas logs for Natural Gas and Liquid Propane?

• What's the difference between match light, manual, and remote control gas logs?

• Can I burn my logs with the damper closed?

• Can I install gas logs in my wood stove or insert?

What type of fireplace is required for me to install my gas logs?

Vented Gas Logs Require a Wood Burning Fireplace, Ventless (or Vent Free) Gas Logs can be installed in either a wood burning fireplace, or a ventless fireplace that is rated for aftermarket ventless logs:

Masonry Fireplaces: A typical masonry fireplace will have a chimney that is built from bricks that is lined with an oval shaped flue liner. If your damper is a wide rectangular piece that opens and closes with a lever and your fireplace is capable of burning wood, then you have a masonry woodburning fireplace that is designed to use either vented or ventless gas logs. If you purchase vented logs, you must burn the logs with the damper open.

Prefabricated Woodburing Fireplaces: A Prefabricated (or zero clearance) wood burning fireplace is a metal box that is lined with refractory panels and has a round metal chimney anywhere from 8" to 15" in diameter. The metal box and pipe are built-in to the home with 2x4 construction and the chimney outside the house is usually covered with stucco, siding, or sometimes brick veneer. If you have a round damper that is 8" in diameter or larger and your fireplace is capable of burning wood, then you have a prefabricated woodburning fireplace that is designed to use either vented or ventless gas logs.  If you purchase vented logs, you must burn the logs with the damper open.

Ventless Fireplaces: Ventless (or Vent Free) fireplaces are similar to prefabricated wood burning fireplaces except that there is no chimney at all. Some ventless fireplaces come with factory installed gas logs and burner systems which cannot be removed or replaced without causing serious safety issues. Others are simply a black metal box that is designed to accommodate an aftermarket ventless gas log. If you have the latter type, then you can use any of the ventless logs on our site. Warning: You cannot install vented logs in a ventless fireplace!

Vented Gas Fireplaces: Vented Gas Fireplaces are built-in to your home just like real wood burning fireplaces, except that the flue that is a much smaller (usually 4" to 8" in diameter) and cannot handle the heat produced by burning real wood. All gas fireplaces will come with factory installed gas logs that cannot be modified or changed in any way. If you do not like the way your gas fireplace burns, you will need to replace the entire fireplace. Warning: You cannot install any of the gas logs on our web site in this type of vented gas fireplace. Doing so creates an extreme safety hazard.

Direct Gas Fireplaces: Direct Vent Gas Fireplaces are like vented gas fireplaces, except that the flue that is may be vented directly out the back. All direct ventgas fireplaces will come with factory installed gas logs that cannot be modified or changed in any way. If you do not like the way your gas fireplace burns, you will need to replace the entire fireplace. Warning: You cannot install any of the gas logs on our web site in this type of vented gas fireplace. Doing so creates an extreme safety hazard.

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Vented - VS Ventless...which one is better?

Vented Gas Logs Require a Wood Burning Fireplace, Ventless (or Vent Free) Gas Logs can be installed in either a wood burning fireplace, or a ventless fireplace that is rated for aftermarket ventless logs. Ventless gas logs will produce more heat, while vented gas logs will look much more realistic. Read more below:

Vented Gas Logs: 
"Fully Vented" gas logs and must be burned in a fireplace that is capable of burning real wood and must be burned with the damper open. The reason for this is that they do not burn the gas cleanly and create exhaust that is very similar to burning a real wood fire. This exhaust needs to be able to go up the chimney. The real beauty of vented gas logs is that they produce substantially more yellow flame than ventless logs which makes them look far more realistic. The downside is that most of the heat goes right up the chimney.

However, In most cases, you can offset this heat loss by slightly closing the damper...but you must be careful that the exhaust from your logs is not coming into the room because, just like burning real wood, it contains Carbon Monoxide. A good way to test this is to turn on your gas logs with the damper slightly closed. Hold a lighter or candle in front of the fireplace opening near the top. If the flame from the lighter (candle) is being drawn in toward the fireplace, then you are OK. If the flame is standing still or pushed out toward the room, then your fireplace is not drafting enough and you must open the damper more.

Positive Features of Vented Gas Logs:

1. Extremely realistic flame pattern that looks like a wood fire.

2. Flame is much taller than ventless logs

3. Flame dances and wraps around logs like real wood.

4. Does not require a CO2 detector

5. Since the damper is open, most of the smell will go up the chimney

Negative Features of Vented Gas Logs:

1. Less heat than ventless logs (probably won't heat your room)

2. Uses slightly more gas than ventless logs

Ventless Gas Logs:
Ventless gas logs (often referred to as "Vent Free" gas logs) have specially designed burners that burn the gas cleanly and produce almost no exhaust...somewhat like the way a gas range in a kitchen works. Since there is little or no exhaust, they can be burned with the damper closed.

The beauty of this type of system is that 99.9% of the heat produced by the gas logs goes into the room, so they produce substantially more heat than their vented counter-parts. However, there are many negative features commonly associated with ventless logs that you must be aware of before you decide to purchase them:

Positive Features of Ventless Gas Logs:

1. Much better heat output than vented gas logs

2. Less pollution

3. Slightly less gas consumption

Negative Features of Ventless Gas Logs:

1. Since the byproduct of burning gas cleanly is water, ventless logs will introduce excess moisture into your home which can result in mold or mildew.

2. You must be careful not to burn your ventless logs for extended periods of time with windows closed, otherwise they will deplete the oxygen in your home.

3. If you burn your ventless logs for more than an hour or so, you must crack open a window to allow air into your home to replace the oxygen burned by the ventless logs. This will introduce cold air into the room and offset some of the heating benefits that ventless logs claim to have.

4. Ventless logs produce an odor that many people equate to the smell of burning kerosene. So if you have a sensitive nose, you may not be able to handle the smell and will be greatly dissatisfied with ventless logs. On the other hand, we've heard some people who like the smell because it reminds them of their childhood days at Grandma's house.

5. Ventless logs are not legal in California as well as some cities and municipalities. However, you can still purchase ventless logs from us if you live in California...you will just have to burn them with the damper open (which really defeats the purpose).

6. Ventless logs are required to have an ODS (oxygen depletion system) as well as a CO2 detector...which might tell you that there are some risks involved in operating them if these systems fail.

7. The flame pattern with ventless logs pails in comparison to vented logs. Because the gas must burn cleanly, the flame height is very low and most of it is blue.

8. Also, you will find that the flame does not dance around like a real wood fire and very little of the flame actually touches the logs. The reason for this is that when the flame touches the logs, it gets cooled off and does not burn cleanly and starts to produce soot and exhaust gases.

Bottom Line: We highly recommend that you purchase vented gas logs. You will be much happier with realistic appearance and high burning real-wood-like flame. We only recommend ventless logs when maximizing the heat output outweighs all of the other negative aspects.

 

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How to measure your fireplace for gas logs!

How To Measure:
Measuring is very simple...basically we just need the Depth or your fireplace and the Width measured right in the middle or at least 7" back. The reason we are asking for the width in the middle instead of at the opening is because most fireplaces taper back some degree the further you go in. Your gas log burner will sit close to the middle, so any clearances required from the burner to the sides of the fireplace will need to be taken into account at this point.

Measure only the useable space. We say this because some Prefabricated or Metal Fireplaces have an area where the mesh curtain hangs that is several inches wider than the actual useable floor space inside (See Figure 2B). Also, if you have a mesh curtain or glass doors, be sure to measure the depth from behind either of these, since this is the useable space for the logs. Otherwise, you may end up with logs that hamper the opening and closing of your screen.

The picture below shows an example of how to measure for gas logs.

You're even better off if you measure just the floor of the firelace!

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How do I determine what size gas logs to purchase?

Clearance Requirements: Each gas log burner system has a minimum clearance from the side walls of your fireplace. Burners with safety pilots require more clearance than those without. For gas logs with a safety pilot, the required clearance is due to air space that is necessary in order to prevent your control valve from overheating and melting. The most common mistake made by people who purchase gas logs without performing the correct size calculations is to install the largest logs they can fit in their fireplace ignoring any warnings or recommendations about leaving this critical air space for the burner.

We Find The Correct Size For You: We have designed this web site in a way that ensures you end up with the correct size gas logs based on the dimensions of your fireplace and the type of burner system that you select. We do this by performing complex calculations which compare your dimensions to over 14,000 possible gas log configurations and finding those that fit properly. No other web site can currently perform these calculations...so they take a chance that you will order the wrong size. Read about How To Measure further below.

Calculation Examples: For a Fireplace that measures 42" x 28" x 20". Figure 1A uses a gas log with an adjustable flame remote control valve, while Figure 1B uses a gas log with No Safety Pilot.

Figure 1A
Gas Logs with Variable Flame Remote Pilot
Recommended Size = 16"

How the calculation is performed for Figure 1A:
If you were to enter the middle with of 37" and the depth of 20" into our gas log calculator, it would find the required clearance for the pilot system that you select, which is 2.5" in the example below. Next, we find the additional width added on by the safety pilot. We then calculate D by adding A and B. Now if you take the required clearance plus the pilot size and then doubling it, you can subtract that number from the Center Width to determine the maximum size burner that will fit in the remaining space. In this case, the largest burner that will fit could be only 16" wide. And since we have logs and burners that are available 16" wide, this would be the largest recommended size. Although these logs may appear small in this fireplace, this is the largest size that will offer you the added safety and convenience of this burner system.

Figure 1B
Gas Logs with No Safety Pilot
Recommended Size = 30"

How the calculation is performed for Figure 1B:
Figure 1B below shows the same fireplace with a standard burner that has No Safety Pilot. Since there is no pilot that requires air space, we just need to find the largest size logs that will fit the space comfortably. In this case the Recommended size will end up being much larger than the first example and will ultimately look better, but won't have the added benefits of the remote control safety pilot. When we do this calculation, we allow only 1" on each side of the logs then find the remaining available space. By deducting 2" from the Calculated Center Width, we would have 35" left for the logs and burner. We then find the closest available size that is less than or equal to 35"...which in this case is 30". So we arrive at a recommended size of 30" for this type of application...Although 36" logs are in fact available and could possibly be installed, they would over-crowd the fireplace and would not look as good as the 30" Model.

Conclusion: We have illustrated the above examples so that you can see there is no simple way to determine just what size gas logs you need. You must perform these calculations to take the risk out of your purchase. We do not recommend purchasing gas logs from any dealer who does not take the above parameters into consideration. You will find that most manufacturers do not cover problems under warranty if their products are not installed per the parameters laid out in their installation manual.

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What are the differences between Certifications?

Our Gas logs fall under 3 different classes: Non-Certified (No Approval Rating), RADCO approved, and CSA Design certified. Some states require a certification for gas logs and others don't. Be sure to check with your local building department if you are unsure about the requirements for your municipality. If you receive your gas logs and subsequently find that they are not legal in your city, you may not be able to ship them back once they have been installed.

Non-Certified: Non-Certified logs are generally very large and use too many BTU's to pass any type of certification. However, they are still considered safe and legal in many cities and states. If you have a large fireplace (say over 45" wide), you will have a hard time finding "Certified" gas logs big enough to fit nicely, so we have a great selection of Uncertified gas logs for you to consider. Our Non-Certified logs are available in sizes up to 60"!

RADCO: RADCO is a commonly accepted certification that imposes some restrictions yet is widely accepted in many states including California. Most of the gas logs on our site that are under 90,000 BTUs will be available in RADCO approved versions. RADCO approved logs are available in sizes up to 30".

CSA: CSA is the Canadian Gas Association...formally known as AGA (The American Gas Association). CSA has very strict regulations for gas appliances and in most cases requires that the gas logs have a safety pilot that has been factory installed and tested. There are also limitations to the BTU input as well as the actual placement of the logs on the grate. Many states require CSA approval, so you will be happy to find that we have over 1,000 CSA approved log and burner combinations for you to choose from in sizes up to 36".

Massachusetts: If you live in Massachusetts, you need to purchase special gas logs from a local dealer that are approved only in your state. None of the gas logs on this site are approved for installation in Massachusetts.

California: California accepts both RADCO and CSA approved logs

New York: In most cities accepts CSA approved gas logs only.

Other States: Almost all other states accept the CSA approved logs...and many states will accept RADCO approval while others do not require any certification. Again, be sure to consult with your local building department before purchasing gas logs from any dealer.

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What should I know about Natural Gas and Liquid Propane?

Most importantly...Liquid Propane always requires a safety pilot, whereas Natural Gas does not. The reasons are explained in more detail below.

Natural Gas: Since Natural Gas is lighter than air, it can be used without a safety pilot in many cities, providing the damper is permanently propped open. Propping the damper open will prevent allow the gas to escape up the flue in the event that someone turns on the gas without lighting the logs. Natural gas is typically used in homes where Natural Gas is already plumbed throughout the home. If you have Natural Gas in your home, but do not have it plumbed to your fireplace, be sure to have this done by a certified plumber. The plumber needs to know the BTU input of the gas logs that you purchase so that the correct diameter line can be run from the gas main or other connection. Also, if you already have natural gas plumbed to the fireplace, the amount of BTU's that the line can handle may be less than the logs consume...which may result in lower than expected performance.

Liquid Propane: Since Liquid Propane gas is heavier than air, all gas log systems that use Liquid Propane are required to have a safety pilot. This prevents the gas from puddling in the home in the event that someone turns on the gas line without igniting the fire. Liquid Propane is commonly used in areas where Natural Gas is not available to the home. If you do not already have gas plumbed to your fireplace, then you will want to have a certified plumber or Liquid Propane expert install the gas line. Make sure that this is done to code for your area. 

Be sure to consult with your local building department if you are not sure of any requirements before purchasing gas logs from any dealer.

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What's the difference between Standard and See Thru!

Standard Fireplaces:
Fireplaces where the logs cannot be seen from the back side.
This includes your typical fireplace as well as an "L-Shaped" fireplaces that are open on the front as well as the left or right side....and...3 sided bay style fireplaces that have 2 short sides and 1 long side. Standard gas logs have a single burner that causes the flame to come up only in the front and middle. The rear bottom log is smaller than the front bottom log and the grate is also narrower in the back. They are made this way because most standard fireplaces get narrower toward the back.

Single Sided

L-Shaped

3 Sided Bay

See Thru Fireplaces:
Fireplaces where the logs can be seen from both front and back.
A true see thru fireplace is open between 2 rooms. However, any fireplace where the logs can be seen from both front and back would use a see thru gas logs. A 3 sided peninsula style fireplace that has 2 long sides and 1 short side would use a see thru gas log. See thru gas logs will have a special burner that causes the flame to come from the front, back, and middle of the logs. The logs and grate are also the same width in both front and back.

See Thru

3 Sided Peninsula

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What are the different control options?

Important Note: Liquid Propane always requires a safety pilot, whereas Natural Gas does not. The reasons are explained in more detail below.

Match Light (No Safety Pilot): Match light systems do not have any type of safety pilot. You start the fire by lighting a long lighter or match and holding it inside the fireplace just above the burner while you turn on the gas. The gas valve should be located either in the wall or floor. If your gas valve is inside the fireplace, be sure that it is legally installed. Most cities require that you at least have a cut off valve outside the fireplace that is in reach. Match light burners are substantially less expensive than other options, but are not legal in many cities.

Manual Safety Pilot Controls: Manually controlled gas logs have a safety pilot that stays lit all of the time (it can be turned off during the off-season). The safety pilot attached to the burner will have a knob that you turn to light the fire. This knob works as long as the safety pilot is lit. You cannot use a remote control with a manual safety pilot. Manual safety pilots are less expensive than remote control pilots because they use a less sophisticated system. This is also the least expensive way to operate gas logs with Liquid Propane.

Remote Capable Safety Pilots: A remote capable safety pilot can be operated manually, but has the option to be operated via remote control. In most cases the remote control is sold separately. Some remote capable controls only turn the fire on and off while others can adjust the flame height as well. The variable flame remote controls are more expensive.

Electronic Ignition Remote Capable Safety Pilots: Electronic ignition systems are the latest technology. These types of systems turn the gas on and off electronically and do not have a standing safety pilot. There is no wasted gas or noise from a gas pilot when the logs are not burning. This is the most expensive type of system.

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Why does it matter what my logs are made of?

The material that your logs are made of can make a tremendous difference in the amount of heat that they produce, how much they glow, and how long they last. All of the logs that we carry are made of either Kiln Fired Refractory Ceramic or Ceramic Fiber, both of which radiate more heat than logs made of refractory cement or ordinary cement.

Refractory Ceramic: Almost all logs made by Robert H. Peterson are made of Kiln Fired Refractory Ceramic. Refractory ceramic will radiate the most heat and will last the longest. Refractory ceramic is a made by adding water to a kiln fired ceramic material that is in powder form. This mixture is poured into a rubber mold and then left to dry for a day or so. Once the logs are dry, they are colored with a special heat resistant paint. Some logs have more hand painted details than others...and will look more realistic and cost more. Gas logs made by this process are generally the most durable, realistic in appearance and the best overall value. The price range for these logs is generally $350.00 to $1000.00 depending on the size, style and burner selected.

Ceramic Fiber: This material is a by-product of the aerospace industry and is similar to the material that the ceramic panels used on the space shuttle are made of. The beauty of ceramic fiber lies in it's great ability to heat up quickly and glow red hot just like real wood. However, ceramic fiber requires a special type of burner system that does not generate as much yellow flame as our other logs. So we only carry ceramic fiber logs that are used for ventless applications, since ventless logs have the type of burner system that is required to made ceramic fiber logs glow. The price range for these logs is generally $350.00 or more

Refractory Cement: Refractory Cement are generally the least expensive logs and are sold at mass merchants, discount stores, home centers and the like. They are made using a heat resistant grade of cement...similar to what a mason would use for the mortar when building the inside of a fireplace. This material does not radiate very much heat. Logs like this may look realistic when they are new and painted, but they tend to crack and crumble after a short period of time...sometimes after the first use. We do not recommend or sell any logs that are made this material. The price range for these logs is generally $250.00 or less.

Ordinary Cement: The least expensive logs on the market are typically made of ordinary cement which radiates little or no heat into the room. Logs like will generally look unrealistic from day one and will begin cracking the first time they are burned. We do not recommend or sell any logs that are made this material. The price range for these logs is generally $150.00 or less.

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What are BTU ratings all about?

BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the measure of the amount of energy that is either consumed or produced by something that burns. Natural Gas and Liquid Propane are typically sold in units of BTUs. 

BTU Ratings: For gas logs, the BTU rating is always the amount of gas that is consumed. This has nothing to do with the amount of heat that is radiated into the room. Vented gas logs are rated as a "Decorative Gas Appliance" as opposed to a "Room Heater". Decorative gas appliances cannot state BTU output without being tested and approved as a "Room Heater". Therefore, you will not find BTU "Output" ratings for most gas logs except for some ventless models (which we do not recommend or carry at this time). This has to do with legal issues that limit what can be stated about an appliance that is rated as a "Decorative Gas Appliance".

So...the BTU rating for Gas Logs is published so that you will have an idea as to how much gas will be consumed during operation when the gas log is turned up to its highest setting. A plumber will be able to use this information in order to test the gas line in your fireplace to make sure that it has enough pressure to accommodate the BTU input for your logs.

Although the Refractory Ceramic material that our gas logs are made of will radiate some heat back into the room, we do not recommend that you purchase gas logs with the intent of heating your living area. Just as with burning wood, most of the heat generated by a gas fire will go straight up the chimney and provide comfortable heat for the animals that hang out on your roof top. Read about partially closing your damper to push more heat into your room here!

BTUs and Flame Height: The amount of flame that you see has all to do with the size of the logs and the BTU rating. Logs that are between 18" and 30" will produce the best flame picture since the BTU input is in higher proportion to the size of the logs. However, there is a limit to the amount of BTUs that a residential gas line can provide, so most log sets that are 36" or larger will max out the BTUs that are available. This is important to know, because the larger log sets may appear to have lower overall flame height due to the fact that the maximum amount of gas that can be used is being distributed over a wider area. 

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Can I burn my gas logs with the damper closed?

If you purchase ventless gas logs, then you can burn them with the damper closed. Otherwise, for vented logs, you must open the damper. However, you may be able to burn your logs with the damper partially closed. Read more below! 

"Fully Vented" gas logs and must be burned with the damper open. Therefore, much of the heat produced by the flame will go straight up your chimney. In most cases, you can offset this heat loss by slightly closing the damper...but you must be careful that the exhaust from your logs is not coming into the room because, just like burning real wood, it contains Carbon Monoxide. A good way to test this is to turn on your gas logs with the damper slightly closed. Hold a lighter or candle in front of the fireplace opening near the top. If the flame from the lighter (candle) is being drawn in toward the fireplace, then you are OK. If the flame is standing still or pushed out toward the room, then your fireplace is not drafting enough and you must open the damper more. 

Read more below regarding the difference between vented and ventless logs under "What type of fireplace is required to install my gas logs?

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Can I install gas logs in my wood stove or insert?

We do not recommend installing gas logs into any Wood Burning Stove or Insert.

There are no building standards for installing a gas log in a Wood Burning Stove or Insert…and furthermore, performing the conversion can actually lead to unsafe conditions.

Today's Wood stoves and Inserts are designed to be burned with the doors closed. This way the draft of the flue and amount of air introduced into the fire can be reduced and controlled for more complete combustion of the wood.

Most Wood Stoves and Inserts reduce the air input by as much as 90% compared to an open fireplace. The efficiency as well as the physics behind the combustion and drafting process for stoves is based on the doors being closed.

The problem is that Gas Logs must not be burned behind closed doors. This is a specific requirement for all gas logs because they need the open air of a wood burning fireplace in order to burn correctly without producing serious amounts of Carbon Monoxide...and soot.

So, since wood stoves and inserts cannot be burned with the doors open, it is a simple conclusion that you should not burn a gas log in a wood stove.

With this said, if you decide to go ahead and install a gas log in a wood stove or insert and try to burn it with the doors open, the stove probably will not be able to create the correct amount of draft to keep exhaust from coming into your room...which would be like extending the tailpipe from your car in through a window and letting it run...(not a good idea).

Stoves and inserts that are very old were not necessarily designed with today’s air tight technology and may actually be able to create the necessary draft for a gas log if burned with the doors open.

However, since there are no testing standards for this application, you will have a hard time convincing any building inspector to approve the installation of a gas log into an old wood stove...unless you can convince the inspector to deem the Wood Stove or Insert as an open fireplace rather than a stove.

The exception to this discussion would be if the Stove or Insert in question actually has specific instructions in the user manual regarding the conversion to gas logs. Although there are none on the market that I am aware of that have such instructions, if your manual manual does...then do what the manual says.

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