Cost of converting wood burning fireplace to gas?

[Anonymous]

We're in a rowhouse. We have a small, functional woodburning fireplace that we rarely use because I'm not wild about the smoke smell, and we never had wood when we need it. Thinking about converting to gas (we have a gas line in the basement, directly underneath the fireplace.) Has anyone does this? What was the cost?

[Anonymous]

Don't do it.
Keep the wood burning fireplace or put a wood stove insert .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do it.
Keep the wood burning fireplace or put a wood stove insert .

Say more. Why not?

[Anonymous]

Do you already have a gas line near where your fireplace is? Running the gas line will be the most expensive part.

My line was directly below my fireplace so it cost me $2,500 including everything.

[Anonymous]

I can't remember the exact amount, but it was several thousand. (We had a gas line right below it.)

Totally worth it, we use it all the time whereas we almost never had a wood fire. I freely acknowledge that wood fires are nicer in many ways, but the ease of gas makes up for it's shortcomings IMO.

I would caution you not to get one that's too powerful for your space. My parents' gas stove makes the room too hot-- they should've gotten a smaller one.

[Anonymous]

I think we paid around $7K to convert two wood burning fireplaces with gas inserts about 4 years ago, but we’re not in the DC area.

I would get a couple of different estimates. Your options will be limited by the size of the existing fireplace.

It’s so nice to just switch the fireplace on and take the chill out of the room in the mornings.

[Anonymous]

For those who have done the conversion, have you noticed a marked increase in your gas bill?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who have done the conversion, have you noticed a marked increase in your gas bill?

We spent maybe 8k total including hiring the electrician and gas person ( gas line needed big extension). It was our first winter in the house so no point of comparison but we love it. The room is in a split level over a slab so it's otherwise cold and we can set the remote to whatever temperature we want. It warms the room super well and is our favorite spot in the winter. We use it daily. Never would've lit a wood fire, let alone daily ( particularly with a toddler running around)

[Anonymous]

Why would you do that? A wood burning fireplace is magical. I understand you don't like it personally, but most people do - and it would be a good selling point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who have done the conversion, have you noticed a marked increase in your gas bill?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Love love love ours. The wood burning one was a chore. You had to commit to a couple of hours, the house smelled like smoke for weeks afterwards, and the sparks were scary with little kids and pets.

The gas can be on for 10 minutes, stays contained, and has no scent. It’s used almost every day in the winter.

Cost around $3k for the insert and gas connection (our line was right outside the fireplace too)

[Anonymous]

Our quote was $7000 and so outrageous we chose not to do it. There is nothing odd about our house or chimney. I think the company was price gouging us during covid.

[Anonymous]

I would only do it if it’s not a closed non-venting sustem (which still give off pollutants into your air). Hopefully they can vent out your chimney.

[Anonymous]

We are getting quotes for this now and it looks like it will cost something close to 10K in the DC metro area. Some of that cost is our choice of fireplace, which is not the cheapest option - 6300. But the more expensive model includes a lot of features that we want that are extra costs on cheaper models so the cheaper models are not that cheap. Some of it is our optional upgrades (a less modern looking screen front to better fit the look of our 100yr old bungalow), upgrading to a set of logs that look more realistic. A lot of the cost is extra stuff - gas line installation, electrical installation in the fireplace (the blower which helps distribute the heat is electric and there are lights in the fireplace too), permits, shaving the brick 1/8th of an inch so our preferred model fits, taxes. Honestly, it costs 2x what I expected it to cost, but we need to do it. We hate wood fires indoors and would never use them.

[Anonymous]

We paid about $4500 6 years ago. The gas line was right below and the insert we chose was about $2K. The bulk of the cost was in the chimney liner and some work to shore up the top of the chimney.

We love it, and use it almost every day in the winter. Our gas bill went up maybe 5-10% but not a huge amount.