decorative fireplaces

If you seldom use your conventional fireplace and you mainly want it for aesthetics, consider installing a decorative fireplace, typically a set of decorative gas logs or an electric fireplace (or an electric insert fireplace).

Good decorative logs may provide high realism, and have low emissions, and are largely preferable to old, inefficient and unhealthy traditional fireplaces.

Decorative fireplaces: decorative gas logs

Decorative gas log fireplaces burn natural gas or propane and aren’t designed to be a big source of heat.

Since they burn natural gas or propane they pose most of the gas stoves or fireplace gas inserts safety issues.

Two types of decorative fireplaces

Decorative fireplaces may be installed in existing fireplaces, using their chimney, but there are also cheap vent-free decorative gas logs.

Decorative Fireplace - Logs Decorative gas logs installed in existing fireplaces and chimneys are more expensive and demand careful handling, namely because they are extremely sensitive to variations in the temperatures. For that reason, you shouldn’t ever restrict or block the chimney opening.

Decorative gas log permits

Since decorative gas logs use natural gas or propane, many states demand several kinds of permits and requirements, and also licensed and insured installers.

For the same reasons, some states demand appliances listed and labeled by approved agencies such as Underwriter’s Laboratories, AGA, etc.

See Gas stoves for other issues concerning Decorative Gas Logs.