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snarkyinla_gw

Using a gas starter as a gas burner

snarkyinla
11 years ago

I live in a mid-80s condo with a fireplace built with a gas starter pipe, and was built to be able to use either gas or wood, now we are advised to use only gas, not wood. I have a neighbor who removed the gas log insert, filled the hearth with fire glass, and uses the fireplace that way. In other words, the flames that burn are coming directly from the starter pipe. Is this a fire hazard? I'm trying to figure if there is a risk of the flames going down the pipe to the main gas line or something. I don't understand how gas fireplaces work well enough to figure this out. I'd like to do the same for mine, but am concerned for safety reasons... I did have a fireplace guy who said he couldn't install a fireglass burner in mine not bc of safety reasons but bc the fireplace was just Old enough it wasnt "officially" rated for being able to have fire glass, tho he said he is sure it would be fine, he just couldn't install one legally. But I don't understand how a burner is really different than a starter pipe. Can anyone help explain?

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