Installing Gas Fireplaces
Going to a gas fireplace from a traditional wood burning design solves a lot of problems. Since it takes wood out of the picture, you no longer have to make it your hobby to be always shopping for, buying and storing wood. Keeping that wood on your property is a nuisance and it can attract termites or vermin to live in the woodpile. And bringing it around on a cold day to get the fire going can be a real pain as well.
A gas fireplace still gives you the warmth and the real feel of a fire in the fireplace. But that fire is coming from a controlled stream of gas that sustains a constant blaze. Nothing is burnt up, there are no embers popping out into the room with you and you are not spewing noxious smoke into the air all evening long which makes you much more environmentally friendly even in this small part of your life.
However, the steps to install your fireplace can be pretty tricky. If you are a skilled "do it yourselfer", you might be able to get the job done. But take into account that the process is complex and calls upon you to have skills in masonry, wiring, machine installation and laying of a gas line to the fireplace. So if you don't have all of these skills, using a contractor to get the gas fireplace put in may be the way to go.
A contractor will start out making sure your fireplace itself is in good repair in preparation for the installation of the gas fireplace. They will pay extra attention to your chimney and the state of repair of the fireplace so you will not have any gas leakage from the bricks once the new fireplace is operational. Remember that the "smoke" that comes from a gas fire is carbon monoxide which can be toxic if it gets in to your home in too much quantity. And since carbon monoxide is odorless, you could easily have a very dangerous situation arise around your gas fireplace and never even know it.
This is not to scare you but to instill proper caution that the installation of your gas fireplace is no place to cut corners. Take into account also that the fuel for your fireplace now is gas, which will come from a gas line that is probably going to be an extension of the gas feed from the city. A contractor will know how to work with the gas company to get that new line put in and then he will know how to install it so that gas feed is completely safe and well installed. Again, this is no place to cut corners. You don’t want gas leaks from that line and if the gas flow is not right, the fireplace itself may become unstable which could be dangerous also.
Overall gas fireplaces are safer than their wood counterparts because in operation, you have a reliable fuel source and no variables introduced during the burning of the fireplace as will happen with a raw wood fireplace. But be particular about how your fireplace is installed. In that way, when you know your gas fireplace was installed well and by professionals, you can have confidence in it giving you and your family warmth and pleasure for many years into the future.