Gas Log Installation for Dallas Fireplaces
Many Dallas homes have a wood-burning fireplace that rarely gets used. Hauling wood, cleaning ashes and fighting smoke on a 50-degree night is not worth the trouble for a lot of families. Gas logs give you a fire with the turn of a key or a remote.
We install gas logs in brick fireplaces in Lake Highlands, Lakewood and the M Streets, and in factory-built fireplaces that are listed for them. First we check that your firebox, damper and chimney are sound and that a gas line is at the fireplace.
Vented vs. Vent-Free Gas Logs
The biggest choice is vented or vent-free. Here is how they compare:
| Vented gas logs | Vent-free gas logs | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Tall, yellow, wood-like flames | Shorter, bluer flames |
| Heat into the room | Low, most goes up the chimney | High, most stays in the room |
| Damper | Must be fixed open with a clamp | Can be closed, per the maker |
| Exhaust | Goes up the chimney | Stays in the room |
| Safety parts | Standard safety pilot | Oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) |
| Good fit for | Looks and ambiance | Extra heat on cold nights |
Vent-free logs come with limits from the maker on room size and how long they can run. Some people notice moisture or a smell from them. If anyone in the house has asthma or breathing problems, vented logs are often the safer pick.
Damper Clamps for Vented Gas Logs
Vented gas logs make carbon monoxide, and it has to go up the chimney. That is why the fuel gas code requires the damper in a fireplace with vented logs to be removed or fixed open. A small metal clamp holds the damper plate so it cannot close.
If your damper is rusted, stuck or warped, we fix it first. See chimney damper repair for options, including top-sealing dampers that close at the top of the chimney.
Sizing Gas Logs to Your Firebox
Logs that are too big crowd the firebox and can overheat the glass doors. Logs that are too small look lost and put out little heat. We measure four things:
- Front width of the firebox opening
- Back width of the rear wall
- Depth from front to back
- Height of the opening
Then we pick a burner and log set that fits with room on each side, and check the maker’s minimum firebox size.
What a Gas Log Installation Includes
- Chimney check. We sweep or inspect the flue and check the damper, firebox and cap.
- Measure and choose. We measure the firebox and help you pick vented or vent-free logs and a burner that fits.
- Set the burner. The burner pan and valve go in, and the plumber makes the gas connection if one is needed.
- Place the logs. Each log goes exactly where the maker’s diagram shows, with sand or vermiculite and embers under them.
- Clamp and test. For vented logs, we install the damper clamp. Then we light the set, check the flame and draft, and show you how to run it.
Gas Log Refurbishing
Gas logs wear out. They lose color, crack and shed pieces, and the embers and sand under them break down. That changes the flame pattern and can leave soot on the firebox and glass.
If the logs are still whole, we can refurbish them. We clean the burner, replace the glowing embers and the sand or vermiculite, swap any broken pieces and reset the logs to the maker’s diagram. If you are seeing soot or the burner will not light right, read our gas fireplace repair page.
Fireplace Installation
If your firebox is cracked, your chimney needs major work, or you want more heat than logs give, a gas insert or a new gas fireplace may be a better fit. Our fireplace installation page covers inserts, direct-vent units and factory-built fireplaces.
Signs Your Gas Logs Need Work
- Logs are cracked, crumbling or missing pieces
- Black soot on the logs, firebox or glass
- A lazy, uneven or mostly blue flame on vented logs
- The burner lights slowly or with a pop
- A smell that lasts longer than the first few minutes
- The damper on your vented logs can close all the way
Safety Before You Light Gas Logs
A fireplace that once burned wood should be swept before gas logs go in. Old creosote and debris in the flue can block the exhaust. NFPA 211, the national standard for chimneys and fireplaces, calls for a yearly inspection, and gas fireplaces are no exception. Book a chimney sweep with your install and we check the whole system at once.
Gas Line Work
The gas line that feeds the fireplace is plumbing. A licensed plumber runs it, connects it and tests it for leaks. We do not do gas line work. When a new line is needed, we coordinate timing with the plumber so the logs go in right after.
Book Gas Log Installation in Dallas
Chimney Sweep Keepers Dallas is a veteran-owned, family-run company at 6041 Village Bend Dr, near White Rock Lake. We answer 7 days a week from 7 AM to 11 PM. Call (469) 206-2085 to set up a visit. We will measure your firebox, talk through vented and vent-free options and give you a free written estimate.
