Where Can Gas Logs Be Installed?
Learn how to determine if you can burn gas logs in your fireplace.

Masonry Fireplaces:

A typical masonry fireplace will have a firebox and chimney that is built from some type of masonry. For sake of discussion, a "Tilt-up" fireplace that is made completely out of concrete would be considered equivalent to masonry fireplace. Although the chimney outside the house may be covered with stucco, stone, or any other building material, the actual inside if the chimney on a masonry fireplace is often lined with an oval shaped clay flue liner, although some older homes do not have this. The flue inside the chimney of a masonry fireplace is usually rectangular or oval in shape and is normall 8" x 14" or larger (sometimes much larger). It is rare that a masonry fireplace has a flue that is smaller than this, so if your flue is smaller, then you may not have a masonry fireplace.

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 and it will be capable of burning vented or ventless gas logs. Always have your chimney inspected before burning wood in your fireplace or installing a gas log. If you have been told that there are cracks in your chimney and it is not safe to burn wood, then you cannot safely burn a vented gas log either because the exhaust may come into your home. In such cases, it may still be safe to burn a ventless gas log, but you must consult with a professional who is capable of inspecting your firebox and making the final determination.

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 or stone. 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. This type of fireplace that can certainly accommodate a vented gas log and is burned with the damper open. You may also be able to install a ventless gas log into a prefabricated fireplace depending on the manufacturer and model fireplace you have. You must check with the owners manual to determine if ventless gas logs are allowed in your fireplace model. If the owners manual does not specifically state that you can install ventless gas logs, then you cannot There may also be limitations to the BTUs or the size of the ventless logs that the fireplace can accommodate, so be sure to check for that as well!

If you are still having difficulty determing what type of fireplace you have, just call us and we will help you figure it out. You can also take pictures of your fireplace and email them directly to me (the webmaster) at: gregt@hansenwholesale.com

Ventless Fireplaces and Fireboxes:

Ventless (or Vent Free) fireplaces are similar to prefabricated wood burning fireplaces in that they are a metal box that is framed into your house with 2x4s. The big difference is that there is no chimney at all. Most ventless fireplaces come with a factory installed gas log and burner system and you cannot change it without causing serious safety issues. However, there are some ventless fireboxes that are specifically designed to accommodate an aftermarket ventless gas log of any brand. If you have the latter type, then you can use any of the ventless logs on our site, but you must be sure to consult the owners manual of the fireplace to find out what the size and BTU limitations are because there usually are such stipulations set by the factory and exceeding them can create a potential fire hazard.

You cannot install vented gas logs in a ventless fireplace under any circumstances.

If you are still having difficulty determing what type of fireplace you have, just call us and we will help you figure it out. You can also take pictures of your fireplace and email them directly to me (the webmaster) at: gregt@hansenwholesale.com

B-Vent Gas Fireplaces:

B-Vent (or Natural Vent) Gas Fireplaces are built-in to your home just like a prefabricated wood burning fireplace. Many people mistake a vented gas fireplace for a wood buring fireplace, so it is very important that you double check to make sure you know what type of fireplace you have. The first clue that a fireplace is a B-Vent fireplace is the diameter of the flue. If the flue exits from the top of the firelpace and is less than 8" in diameter, then it is either a B-Vent or Direct Vent gas fireplace. In either case, they are dealt with the same way (see direct vent fireplaces below). A few gas fireplaces will in fact have an 8" diameter flue, which happens to be the same diameter as the smallest flue used in some wood buring prefab fireplaces. So you if this is the case be sure to check the owners manual if you are not sure if it is a wood or gas only fireplace.

B-Vent cannot handle the heat produced by burning real wood or gas logs nor is it capable of axhausting all the fumes. B-Vent 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. Important Note: You cannot install any of the gas logs on our web site in this type of gas fireplace. Doing so creates an xtreme safety hazard and can burn your house down!

If you are still having difficulty determing what type of fireplace you have, just call us and we will help you figure it out. You can also take pictures of your fireplace and email them directly to me (the webmaster) at: gregt@hansenwholesale.com

Direct Vent Gas Fireplaces:

Direct Vent Gas Fireplaces are somewhat similar to B-Vent gas fireplaces except that the flue may be vented directly out the back and they have a sealed combustion chamber with a glass front that does not open. All direct vent 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 direct vent gas fireplace burns, you will either need to replace the entire fireplace or contact the manufacturer to see if they have any available options for the logs. Important Note: 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.

If you are still having difficulty determing what type of fireplace you have, just call us and we will help you figure it out. You can also take pictures of your fireplace and email them directly to me (the webmaster) at: gregt@hansenwholesale.com

Wood and Gas Stoves:

as logs cannot be installed in wood burning stoves or gas burning stoves. Wood stoves are designed to use far less air than wood burning fireplaces, so in most cases they have a 6" diameter vent that is not enough to properly exhaust the fumes given off by gas logs. Wood stoves generally tend to get hotter inside (because that is what they are designed to do) so the heat build-up can destroy the safety pilot assembly of a gas log. Wood stoves are also not tested and UL listed for use with gas logs, so not only will adding a gas log void the warranty of your stove (and gas log), if by chance the gas logs cause a fire and your home is damaged, it is possible that you will not be awared any adjustment from your insurance company. Gas stoves are just like gas fireplaces in that they are designed only to accommodate the gas log and burner system that they come with from the factory. The venting systems are not designed to handle the heat of a gas log and cannot exhaust the fumes properly. Using any other gas log in a gas stove than the ones that came with it can create a fire hazard or potential explosion. Important Note: Bottom line for wood and gas stoves is...you cannot install gas logs in them unless the manufacturer offers such an option, in which case you can only use those made specifically for your particular stove.