Q&A Gas Log questions

Question:

Can you please enlighten me on gas log inserts and controls.

1) Is a remote control set up very different or give a different look as a manual setup?
2) If heat is not a concern, what are the differences between cement or ceramic logs?

Note: I am converting three wood burning fireplaces to natural gas. I want the look to be as natural as possible but as automatic as possible.




Answer:

Most any gas logs can be purchased with manual or remote controls. Some models, such as the Peterson Rg6, tend to hide the receiver and valve better than some others. Check the set you are looking at to make certain the receiver is somewhat hidden.

In a vented set of logs (the most realistic), the difference between the cast and "spun" ceramic logs is really not important. I have found that the cast (cement) logs are often painted better so they may look more realistic.