- Nov 12, 2012
- 17
We're moving in about a month, and a key issue for me is what to do about the fireplace situation. For the last 7 years we have really enjoyed our wood Jotul insert. It's hands down been the house improvement we've ever made. The new house has a good quality (forgot the brand off the top of my head) gas insert in a standard wood fireplace opening. The new house is also a lot nicer - with a plenty more surface area to dust. Prepping our current house to sell really gave me a feeling for just how much soot permeates a home, and I'm leery of starting this in the new house.
But going gas only in the new place, and giving the Jotul to new owners, is not an option for me, unless they specifically want it. Most people in our area would not even understand what a wood burning insert is, and wonder where the remote is. It would likely end up on the street, and that would be tragic.
My thought was, why can't I put a small gas burner in the Jotul, made out of some durable steel? I could run that part time, use it to start logs in the coldest months, and have the benefit of gas year round, with the option to still burn 2-3 FCs of wood during Dec - Feb.
I realize there are a lot of things to solve here. First - making this safe. Second - getting anyone one to even consider making this kind of modification. But it should not impossible. A fabrication shop could easily build a burner, and run a gas line outside of the firebox. (Probably from the bottom for lowest temps.) A gas fireplace/furnace technician should be able to connect that to a thermocoupler, valve, and existing gas line.
I've searched high and low for any real advice/information on this and get very little. So fire away - pun intended. Poke some holes in the concept. I really would appreciate any advice or cautionary tales. Thanks!
But going gas only in the new place, and giving the Jotul to new owners, is not an option for me, unless they specifically want it. Most people in our area would not even understand what a wood burning insert is, and wonder where the remote is. It would likely end up on the street, and that would be tragic.
My thought was, why can't I put a small gas burner in the Jotul, made out of some durable steel? I could run that part time, use it to start logs in the coldest months, and have the benefit of gas year round, with the option to still burn 2-3 FCs of wood during Dec - Feb.
I realize there are a lot of things to solve here. First - making this safe. Second - getting anyone one to even consider making this kind of modification. But it should not impossible. A fabrication shop could easily build a burner, and run a gas line outside of the firebox. (Probably from the bottom for lowest temps.) A gas fireplace/furnace technician should be able to connect that to a thermocoupler, valve, and existing gas line.
I've searched high and low for any real advice/information on this and get very little. So fire away - pun intended. Poke some holes in the concept. I really would appreciate any advice or cautionary tales. Thanks!