How a Gas Fireplace is Converted to a Wood Burning Unit

A gas fireplace can provide unparalleled convenience and the pleasure of a warm fire on a cold day, but many people believe nothing compares to the ambiance created by burning wood. The good news for homeowners who have a gas-fueled fireplace but who would prefer a wood-burning fireplace is that converting from gas to wood fuel may be an option.

When is Fireplace Conversion from Gas to Wood Possible?

Not every type of gas fireplace can be converted to wood-burning. When a gas fireplace is built at the time of home construction, it is less likely that a conversion is possible. You will probably need to replace your fireplace completely since the chimney might be suitable only for gas fireplaces which makes unsafe to use with a wood-burning fireplace.

It is extremely dangerous for someone to simply shut off the gas supply and begin using a gas fireplace as a wood-burning unit. It won’t take long to determine that there’s a problem, however, because there will be a huge release of smoke into the home.

Venting systems, the key

An important thing to consider when switching your fireplace type is the venting system. It is much simpler to vent a gas fireplace as compared with a wood-burning fireplace.

The reason for the differences in venting requirements has to do with the type of combustion by products being released by the respective fires. Gas fireplaces release a small amount of by products, by comparison. There is also a great deal more creosote that results from wood fires than what results from burning gas.

Actually, when a wood-burning fireplace is converted to gas, the chimney can be damaged by the corrosive substances and acids caused by burning gas. In every circumstance, it’s essential that the chimney is evaluated to ensure that it’s the right fit for the appliance it’s connected to. Installing a stainless steel flue of the correct dimension is usually an adequate solution.

How Does Conversion Work?

Parts need to be ordered, in making a conversion from a gas to a wood-burning fireplace. Next, the gas logs are removed and the gas line is capped off or converted to a gas log lighter. If the flue is already in good shape for the conversion, the process may only cost up to $300 or as little as half that much.

The Importance of Annual Inspections

Scheduling annual inspections and maintenance is an important step toward your safety. Having your chimney and fireplace evaluated by a professional chimney technician annually is the best way to avoid hazardous fires. Chimney technicians keep a lookout for creosote, which is highly flammable. Experts can also evaluate whether or not damage has occurred to the flue, which always requires repair or replacement of the chimney lining.

If you like the idea of converting your fireplace, but wood does not fit with your lifestyle, an electric fireplace might just be what you need.

Below is a list of fireplace and grill stores that service Virginia (VA)

Manassas, VA

Winston's Chimney Service
11301 Industrial Road
Manassas, VA 20109

Winston's Chimney Service LogoVisit Store Page

Mechanicsville, VA

Hearth & Home Shoppe
8151 Mechanicsville Tpk
Mechanicsville, VA 23111

Hearth & Home Shoppe LogoVisit Store Page

Roanoke, VA

Dixie Building Products Inc.
3342 Melrose Ave NW
Roanoke, VA 24017

Warrenton, VA

Costello's Warrenton Fireplace & Hot Tub
251 West Lee Hwy
Warrenton, VA 20186


For more information, contact your local fireplace and grill store..

28 Responses

  1. stephanye
    how much does it cost to convert gas to wood. Also have gas capped off and fireplace cleaned? An estimate
    • We Love Fireplaces and Grills
      Thanks for your comment and question. To find out the real cost of converting, we need to have someone look at your current fireplace. Not all fireplaces can be converted. I would encourage you to locate the closest Expert to your home using this link: https://welovefireplacesandgrills.com/dealer-locator/ All the best!
  2. Hartley
    Hi I have a Jetmaster Heat & Glow gas log heater . If I get the gas line capped can I burn wood in the fire box. Any help would be appreciated. Hartley
    • Isabelle Paradis
      Hello Hartley Thanks for reaching out. The straight answer to your question is ‘no’. Your gas fireplace itself and its chimney were not designed to contain and handle a wood fire. All the best! Dominique
  3. Eva
    I want our gas fireplace to be converted to wood burning fireplace. My fireplace was built same time as when our house was built. I read a lot of danger converting it. But I still want to consult Pls let me know who I should contact here in Dayton Ohio thank you
    • Katia Lavoie
      Thanks for visiting our site and for your comment. Converting to Wood from Gas calls for a complete change of chimney and fireplace. It is best to get a professional to look at it. We do not have an affiliated store in Dayton. Our closest to you would be in Columbus, or in St. Henry, or in Erlanger (Cincinnati area) Please look at our store finder tool here. Thanks again for contacting us! Dominique
  4. Robin
    I purchased a home that originally had a wood burning fireplace but, was converted to gas. looks like an insert was installed n the flew was locked closed. What would I need to do other than removing the insert and replacing the fire box?
    • Dominique Page
      Hello Robin Thanks for your message. You have have several options, depending on what you really want and the budget. If you want to redesign the whole fireplace wall, the insert and the fireplace can be re-done. Then you can choose to go wood or gas. That type of prroject in scope will require a more significant investment, but it may end up being the one that ads the most return on investment to your home. You might be able to have the insert pulled and then convert back to wood, depending on the state of your existing chimney. That could be the least expensive option. The best advice we can share is to have a local fireplace expert come in and assess the options with you. We probably have a We Love Fire partner near you. Check out on our store finder tool. All the best!
  5. Lindsey
    I purchased an old home (1918) that has a wood burning fireplace. It seems that the previous owners tried to convert it to gas, but not with an insert or kit. The gas line is piped to the faux logs, but there is no metal liner or flue. If I wanted to convert the partial gas install back to the original wood burning fireplace, what professional do I need to hire? Is it as simple as capping/removing the gas line, assuming my masonry chimney is in good working order and not damaged by corrosive substances/acids from burning a gas fire without a liner?
    • Dominique Page
      Hi Lindsey Thanks for your message. The best person to hire is a fireplace expert. They will be able to perform an inspection on your chimney and confirm if you can convert back to wood or not. Take a look at our store finder tool. All the best in your endeavor!
    • Evans
      I purchased an older home and the wood burning fireplace was converted to gas. The dirt under the gas insert is gross and the dirt is moist. How do I clean besides removing as much dirt as possible? I'm in the process of getting a new roof, I hope this helps with the moisture and a fireplace cap.
      • Dominique Page
        Several questions come to mind. I'm assuming since it's an older home, it's likely a masonry fireplace, am I correct? 1) Is it a gas insert, or a gas log set? 2) Where's the dirt coming from? 1st floor or basement level fireplace? I don't think it's not likely that dirt is coming down the chimney. Water yes, but where's the dirt coming from? Was the firebox not cleaned out thoroughly when the unit was installed? If the f/p is ground level or below, are cracks in the foundation allowing crud to seep in? 3) Is it actually dirt? Or maybe gross, wet creosote or ashes? 4) How's the gas line supplied to the firebox? A sloppy hole through the wall could allow dirt to find it's way into the firebox. 5) Is the moisture from the lack of a cap, or are there issues with the tile lined chimney? Or roof flashing issues? If you want to clean things up, I would recommend to disconnect and remove the insert (or gas log set) and thoroughly clean the firebox. Let it dry out, evaluate where the moisture and dirt is coming from and then go from there. I think a service call/evaluation by a fireplace expert would be a real good idea. Hope this helps.
  6. Bill
    I recently purchased a house built in 1984. It has a gas fireplace that I "think" used to be a wood burning fireplace. Is there any way for me to tell for sure? It's sitting on a 12" high hearth with vent intakes at the bottom of the hearth and an electric heatilator output vent above the fireplace. They chimney was inspected with video camera and I could see several cracks in the fireplace so expect to have to replace the liner. If it can be converted to wood burning, do I just take the metal gas "insert" out, fix the chimney and then be good to go for burning wood? Thanks so much for your help. Bill
    • Dominique Page
      Hi Bill Thanks for reaching out. It is possible to go back to wood. We strongly recommend you have an expert do the repair work on the chimney and have that expert confirm you can burn wood. When we have a wood fire going inside the 'house' we need to be 100% clear that we are doing it safely. Sealing the cracks is very important, but also, validating that the setup meets code is critical. I hope this makes perfect sense to you! All the best!
  7. Sam
    I bought a house 1 year ago. It has a gas log fireplace without a flue! The fireplace is in the corner of the living room and subsequently, the corner of the house. I have beautiful stone work on the front of the fireplace and want to preserve it. Is it possible to enter from the back and install an aftermarket chimney? Any idea as to the cost of such an undertaking?
    • Dominique Page
      Good day! Thanks for reaching out. There can be different reasons why there is no chimney per se. First, is your fireplace vent-free? Second, is there an ouside wall termination? It can be either or. the best way to figure out what to do is to bring pictures of the fireplace and a picture of the outside wall where it is at to your local fireplace store. To locate an expert near you. All the best!
      • Taylor
        Is it safe to have the capped gas pipe still charged with NG in the firebox when burning wood. My fireplace was wood burning and a sweep has already said it is safe to burn wood in. I have the proper supplies to cap the pipe, but I want to make sure it’s ok to still have the gas stub in there charged with gas. Thanks in advance.
        • Dominique Page
          Good day! Thanks for your message. We would strongly encourage you have the pipe removed before burning wood in the fireplace. There are to many 'ifs' in this case scenario. What if the pipe got too hot because of the wood fire? What if the 'capping' in not 100% sealed? We would not take on that risk ourselves.
  8. Ben
    Hi, I have a gas burning fire place and was wondering If it can be converted or the space used for a wood burning stove. Thanks in advance.
    • Dominique Page
      Good morning! To confirm if it can be converted and the cost of conversion, an expert has to inspect it. That is the safest way to do it. Dominique
  9. Gokce Akcan
    Hello Dominique, We are considering putting an offer for a house soon. One of the problems of the house is the wood burning fireplace in the living room is not placed in the middle, it is even in the corner but not a corner fireplace. So, there is almost no space at the left of the fireplace. I find that annoying. I wonder if it is possible to move the fireplace to the corner to be a corner fireplace and would it be costly? Thanks in advance!
    • Dominique Page
      Good morning! Thanks for reaching out! Pretty much everything is possible, if an expert can take a good look at your current installation. If we have a local dealer near you, I would suggest you reach out to them. Take a few picture of the current fireplace and a picture of the outside wall, showing the entire wall outside. This will be very helpful to determine what is possible and an approximate cost. All the best and stay healthy!
  10. Fran
    Hi ! I have a direct vent gas fireplace that I would like to convert to a wood burning stove insert. Can this be done and how. Within the chimney is the gas line for the gas fireplace and the gas lines for my 2 boilers in the home. Please advise. Thank you
    • Dominique Page
      Good day Fran thanks for your message. The answer is yes, it can be done, but it will be dependent on how the chimney can run up, all the way past the roof line. The best would be to get a fireplace specialist take a look. We hopefully have a local expert near you. Please use our locator here All the best and stay warm!
  11. Joy
    Hi, we have a heat n glo sealed vented gas fireplace we have a chimney. Can this be converted to a wood burning fireplace. It was put it when we did a room addition about 15 years ago. Gave my email address you can contact me there, we live in Florida you may have someone in our area. Thank you Joy.
    • Dominique Page
      Good morning Joy thanks for your message. A conversion can be done, but depending on your chimney and the clearances to combustibles around your fireplace, it will either call for a 'remove and replace' type of project or a little less involved. We currently do not have any local expert in Tampa area. If you are located elsewhere, you may reach out to our closest expert by searching here. All the best! Dominique
  12. Joy
    Thank you for responding, you were very helpful.
    • Dominique Page
      Always a pleasure!
  13. Burning Wood In A Gas Log Fireplace Canvas - logininfos.com
    […] » Visit Now Gas fireplaces release a small amount of by products, by comparison. There is also a great deal more creosote that results from wood fires than what results from burning gas. Actually, when a wood-burning fireplace is converted to gas, the chimney can be damaged by the corrosive substances and acids caused by burning gas. […]

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